1st Samuel Chapter 18

Saul and David a Love Hate Relationship

Verses 1-5
Saul brings David into the palace.  Johnathan forms a strong bond with David

1 Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
2 Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father’s house.

What brought about the affection Johnathan had for David?

1. the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David

After David defeated the Philistines, Johnathan saw David in a new light.  No longer did  Johnathan see David just as a musician but now as a mighty warrior, worthy of his admiration.  This affection Johnathan had for David was a much deeper feeling than admiration. 

2. “did not let him return to his father’s house”.

David no longer lived at home; he was now in residence in the palace (verse 2).  Scripture does not tell us how long David lived in the Palace.  However, it must have been long enough for Johnathan to bond with David.

3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

3. Jonathan made a covenant with David -

This was no meaningless gesture on Johnathan’s part.  This covenant was before God and witnesses ceremonially, similar to the wedding ceremony of today. 

This covenant confirmed David as a brother to Johnathan.  Binding both men in loyalty to each other and their offspring.

We do not know if David felt the same depth of love as Johnathan.  Main-stream theologians see their relationship as being plutonic as a brother would have for his brother.  

4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt.
5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

. Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David-

Was there any significance to the giving of the robe, the sword, and the armor?

Johnathan was paying a very high honor to David by giving his robe, the robe reserved for royalty.  As a prince Johnathan’s robe was royal. 

The sword would have been the symbol of the military arm of the monarchy.

The armor might have been symbolic of royal protection either personally or nationally. 

VERSES 6-12 JEALOUSY COMES OVER SAUL

6  It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments. 7  The women sang as they played, and said,
“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.” 8  Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?”
9. Saul eyed David--that is, invidiously, with secret and malignant hatred.

6. the women came out of all cities of Israel,

It was common place for women to greet the army with songs of triumph and joy. 

They honored their men as they marched into the city.  They saw their men as heroes, and they were undoubtedly overjoyed to see them returning to them.

7.  The women sang as they played

The songs they sang were songs of tribute to the victorious leaders, and to the men they led.

8. Then Saul became very angry

Jealously overtook Saul’s heart, filling it with hatred towards David.  This hatred was due to the people who were singing of David’s victory as being greater than Saul’s.

10 Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul’s hand.

an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul,

This is a perplexing statement.  Was this an evil spirit from God?  Let’s look to the translation for the answer.

NO! The word phrase “an evil” was translated from the Hebrew word  ra` rah; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral):-- adversity, affliction, bad, calamity.  The word Spirit was translated from the Hebrew word 7307 ruwach roo'-akh from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, not substantiality;

God can harden a person’s heart (Exodus 4:21).  In plainer words He allows evil feelings to dominate a person inner being by removing Himself; allowing man’s carnality to take over.  God is good (Mark 10:18  ).  Good and evil cannot coexist, they are opposites like darkness is to light.

God has no evil in Him, He is master of the universe and therefore has mastery over Satan (the originator of all evil) and his dominion (Luke 10:17).  Therefore, God could call upon a demon to take over a person; but why would He, when all he needs to do is allow Satan to have his way (verse 11; & I Samuel 16:14).

There was a javelin in Saul's hand-

We can surmise that the hatred (evil spirit) Saul was feeling drove him to grasp the weapon and throw it at David, as we will see in the next verse (also refer to I Samuel 19:9).

11 Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from his presence twice. 12 Now Saul was afraid of David, for the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.

Now Saul was afraid of David –

Saul must have felt that the Lord was no longer with him because of the hatred he felt towards David.  David had done nothing to warrant this hatred. 

Saul saw how God favored David and envy grasped him.  He became fearful knowing the all-powerful God was with David and no longer with him.  Fear, envy, and jealousy were now Saul’s companions. 

13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 David was prospering in all his ways for the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, he dreaded him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, and he went out and came in before them.

Therefore Saul removed him from him-

Saul appointed David commander; not as a reward, but rather to remove him from his court of admirers.

However, this action by Saul did not get rid of David from the king's court, but rather served to ingratiate the people even more-so to David.

Gods face shown greatly on David, and the people loved him.

VERSES 17-19 SAUL USES A PROMISE OF MARRIAGE WITH TRETEROUS INTENT.

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “My hand shall not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

“Here is my older daughter Merab;

David may have seen the king’s daughters hand as the reward promised when he killed Goliath (V 17:25).

With the promise of marriage (the path to royalty) as an inducement; David was sent forth not to triumph, but to die in combat.  Later we will see David as King use the same guile to take what he desired.

18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” 19 So it came about at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

Who am I –

David shows his humility refusing his just reward because he was not of royal birth.  Johnathan would have been next in line for the throne.

Humility is a rare virtue in people of any era.  David was a shepherd who had no aspirations to become royalty.  He was humble and saw himself only as a servant to Saul. 

Unlike in today’s society where a woman selects her husband.  In ancient Israel the parents arranged the marriage.  Suitable matches were most often from the same tribe or the same or a neighboring village (women in ancient Israel).

 VERSES 20-30 DAVID MARRIES SAUL’S YOUNGER DAUGHTER

20 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable to him.

When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable to him.

Why did Saul want David as a son-in-law?

What was Saul’s motives in agreeing to the marriage of Michal to David? (see V 21)

Saul still harbored jealousy and hatred towards David.  Saul was going to use this marriage to snare David.  It is not clear at this point how Saul was going to use this marriage to place David in mortal danger. 

We will get a partial answer in the next verse.

21 Saul thought, “I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “For a second time you may be my son-in-law today.” 22 Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David secretly, saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23  So Saul’s servants spoke these words to David. But David said, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?” 24  The servants of Saul reported to him according to these words which David spoke.

Behold, the king delights in you

Saul sent his servants to David with a message motivated in deception.  Saul knew David loved him and perhaps this time David would accept the offer of marriage.

A daughter was valuable to the father for the work she did.  Consequently the father would receive a sum of money or other valuable consideration for the hand of his daughter in marriage.  This was called a dowry whereby the husband-to-be would pay the father of the bride an agreed upon price.  This practice is still carried on in some countries.

How much money do you think David would have to pay for the king's daughter?

Saul honored his pledge in the death of Goliath, but David turned down.  

We will see in the next verse what price the King was asking for the marriage to his daughter

  

25 Saul then said, “Thus you shall say to David, ‘The king does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

‘The king does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins

David and his family were poor.  They could not afford the great dowry a King’s daughter would command. 

Saul’s plan is now taking shape.  The King believed if David went into combat with the Philistines he surely would be slain.  Saul’s hands would be clean in the eyes of the people.

Such mutilations on the bodies of their slain enemies a common practice in ancient war, and the number of foreskins validated the victory.

26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the days had expired 27 David rose up and went, he and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife. 28 When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David’s enemy continually. 30 Then the commanders of the Philistines went out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.

26. Before the days had expired –

The expiration referred to was the length of time Saul gave David to complete the assigned task.

27. struck down two hundred men among the Philistines.-

Why 200 foreskins, Saul only asked for 100?

Perhaps David wanted to impress Saul. 

Perhaps David was paying tribute to his bride-to-be.

Scripture does not tell us why David doubled the quota, only that he did. 

CHAPTER DISCUSSION

What did David do to warrant Johnathan’s adoration?

Johnathan admired David for facing Goliath without fear.

Why did Jonathan make a covenant with David ?

Refer to verse 3.

What was the significance of Johnathan’s gifts to David.  (See verse 4)

Jealousy is a major tool of Satan, it turned Saul’s heart and it can destroy us and our witness.

Jealousy begets, hatred, which begets vengeance, which often results in death.

Sin left un-repented, will lead to our destruction.

What lesions have we learned from 1^st Samuel 18?

CITATIONS AND CREDITS

[1] –scripture verses from Cross wire Study Bible

[2] -  commentaries by /Jamison-Fausset-brown (published in 1871)

[3] – Wikipedia.org