SortingBeans

In the last post
We looked at the context of this series. Saul was sending David out to battle, and David, as always, would return successful. He won the hearts of the people as they would shout, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Sam. 18:7b).

This is an important verse to note. One would think that David has not fought as much as Saul, being that David has just begun his identity as a fighter. So, to give David honor of such a high number of defeats compared to Saul would not take much thought to suspect King Saul’s jealousy. Therefore, Saul revealed the beginning of his jealousy and fear of his successor, David. For we see in the following verse that Saul said, “. . . what more can he have but the kingdom?” (v. 8).

What is portrayed in the following Scriptures is Saul’s fear taking root into action. He sent David out to war as an attempt to have him killed on the battle field against the Philistines. Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter . . . I will give her to you . . . [o]nly be valiant for me and fight the Lord’s battles. For Saul thought, ‘. . . let the hand of the Philistines be against him’” (1 Sam. 18:17).

It is interesting how Saul appoints David to “the Lord’s battles,” all the while his heart is set against David. When David declined this marriage, Saul then offered to him the daughter who loved David, as he thought to himself, “. . . she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him” (v. 21). This is yet another interesting element how Saul was willing to give up his own daughter for the death of David. It seems as though Saul was so consumed with fear of losing his acclaim insomuch that love and concern for even his own children was lost.

All of Saul’s attempts to “snare” David in battle were futile (1 Sam. 18:30). Therefore, he made it clear that he was set out on killing David (1 Sam. 19:1). It is here David begins his flee from Saul. Once David learned that Saul would not relinquish his desire to kill him (1 Sam. 20:42), he knew that his fleeing from King Saul had just begun.