SERIES I --- THE NATION UNITES --- LESSON 20

SAUL’S JEALOUSY

JONATHAN, MY FRIEND

From 1 Samuel 18

By the time David had finished talking to King Saul, the king’s son Jonathan, had come to love David as much as himself. Jonathan made a covenant with David, sealing it by giving his robe, sword, bow and belt to David. King Saul brought David to his palace to live, so he did not return home to Bethlehem. David was successful in every assignment Saul gave him, so the king finally put him in charge of the warriors. Everyone seemed to like this appointment, including the public and the warriors. There was one problem however, that made Saul angry. When they had returned from the battle where David killed Goliath, some women had come from the villages along the way, singing and dancing with tambourines and cymbals. As they met the returning army, this is what they sang, ‘Saul has killed thousands, but David has killed ten thousand.’ This made Saul very angry. ‘They are giving David the honour for ten thousands,’ he said. ‘But they honour me only for thousands. I suppose they will want him to be king instead of me.’ From that time on, Saul watched David jealously. The day after this incident, YHVH sent a spirit to torment Saul and he began to rave in his palace. Once again, David played his harp for King Saul, trying to soothe him whenever the spirit tormented him. But Saul kept his spear in his hand, fingering it nervously as David played. Suddenly one day Saul hurled the spear at David, thinking, ‘I’ll pin him to the wall.’ But David dove away from the oncoming spear and escaped. This happened again another time. Saul feared David for he realized Adonai had left him and was helping David. At last, he banished David from his presence and demoted him to captain of a thousand warriors. This move gave David more publicity than before. Whatever David did was a success, for Adonai was with him. Saul grew more afraid of David when he saw this, while the people of Israel and Judah grew fonder of David, for he mingled with them and was one of them. One day Saul set a trap for David, hoping to kill him. ‘You may marry my oldest daughter Merab now,’ Saul promised. ‘But first you must prove your courage in battle.’ Saul hoped that the Philistines would kill David in battle so he would not have to do it. ‘But I’m a nobody,’ David protested. ‘My family is certainly not rich or famous. So why should I become the king’s son-in-law?’ When it was time for Merab to be married, Saul gave her to Adriel, a man of Meholath, to marry. But Saul’s younger daughter Michal, had fallen in love with David and Saul was pleased when he learned about this. ‘I’ll let Michal marry David,’ Saul thought. ‘Then I’ll send David out for the Philistines to kill.’ Saul talked to David again about marriage. ‘You must become my son-in-law now,’ he said. Saul gave orders to his servants to talk to David, too. ‘Tell him that the king is pleased with him and that the servants love him as well,’ he said. ‘Encourage him to marry the king’s daughter.’ The servants told these things to David, but David still wasn’t interested. ‘Don’t you realize that I’m a poor man from an insignificant family?’ he said. ‘I would never find enough money for a dowry.’ ‘You don’t need a dowry,’ Saul answered when the servants told him what David said. ‘All I want is some skin from a hundred dead Philistines.’ Of course, Saul thought that David would be killed trying to get this dowry for him. David was pleased that he could become the king’s son-in-law this way. He went with his men and killed two hundred Philistines and presented some of their skin to Saul. Saul kept his word and arranged for his daughter Michal to marry David. But when he recognized that Adonai was helping David and that all the people of Israel loved him, Saul was even more afraid of him. Thus, Saul remained David’s enemy. Whenever the Philistines came to fight, David had more success against them than all the other officers in Saul’s army. Thus, David became increasingly popular with the people.

COMMENTARY

VICTORY CELEBRATIONS

David’s faith and courage in the battle with Goliath had revealed King Saul’s own cowardice. The king now became jealous of David and began to hate him. His hatred grew as he heard David praised in dance and song. Saul’s son Jonathan and David however became close friends. Excited villagers lined the streets of each town the soldier heroes passed through on their way home from battle, it wasn’t every day that a town had the honour of welcoming a victorious army! Everyone who could leave work gathered behind the company of women quietly rehearsing a victory song for the soldiers. The occasional nervous jangle of their tambourines kept the crowd on edge with false alarms. Everyone was listening for the women in front to give the signal. Finally, the army drew near. Tambourines rang out a festive beat and the chorus of women began their chant. As the crowd jostled to see the heroes, the musicians broke into the street with a joyous dance. The victory celebration had begun! One of the dancers took the lead. Singing slowly at first, she began to tell the events of the battle. After each phrase the company behind her answered back, changing her verse to make it more impressive. [Saul has killed thousands,] the leader chanted. [But David has killed ten thousands,] came the exaggerated reply. Everyone was familiar with this pattern, for most Israelite songs were written in the same way. But the king grew furious when he heard David’s praise outshine his own. Perhaps his anger would keep him from staying in the village overnight. Usually, the townspeople would prepare a great feast for the heroes. Entertainment would last for hours, with speeches and gifts presented to the battle commanders.