Category: warfare

Saul Hates David

“Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.” 

30 “Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.” 

1 Samuel 18:28-30 

David was fighting two battles at once. He had to face King Saul’s hostility, and the ongoing war with the Philistine’s army. I suppose that it was a tremendous drain. After the battle he came home and found nothing but jealousy and anger. 

Saul was very afraid of David. 

Fear like this turned into deep seated malevolence and hatred. Despite his tremendous success he, upon returning home, found zero recognition. To many he was a hero, but to Saul he was despised and detested. And again, Saul was deeply afraid of David. 

Fear accomplishes nothing. Fear only destroys. 

Saul was in a spiritual downward spiral. It was just a matter of time before the end. King Saul had become evil. God’s Spirit had left him, and he was nothing more than a shell, vacant and empty of anything good. Perhaps David was grieved to see the king turn into something unrecognizable and dark. 

David had been anointed as the next king. 

“Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage.” 

(1 Samuel 10:1, ESV.) 

The prophet’s word had been spoken. There would be resistance and hostility which seemed to contradict this prophecy. David would soon discover the enemies battle against what God had declared. (But what choice did he have?) 

God’s declaration of David’s anointing didn’t matter to Saul. He would continue the path he had chosen. David would continue to find success against the Philistines.

“David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed: Saul’s plan has completely backfired. David is not only alive but also more popular and closer to the LORD than ever. Saul isn’t finished and will use more manipulation, cunning, and outright violence to attack David.” 

David Guzik 

100 Foreskins

24 When Saul’s men reported this back to the king, 25 he told them, “Tell David that all I want for the bride price is 100 Philistine foreskins! Vengeance on my enemies is all I really want.” But what Saul had in mind was that David would be killed in the fight. 

26 David was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired, 27 he and his men went out and killed 200 Philistines. Then David fulfilled the king’s requirement by presenting all their foreskins to him. So Saul gave his daughter Michal to David to be his wife. 

28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him, 29 Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life. 30 Every time the commanders of the Philistines attacked, David was more successful against them than all the rest of Saul’s officers. So David’s name became very famous. 

1 Samuel 18:24-30, NLT 

A snare had been set. King Saul wanted David dead. A trap would destroy him; Saul had the bait, and he also knew that nothing could be traced back to him. David had become very popular, and so Saul had to be very careful. 

Saul had a plan, and yet it seemed it was a good one. 

David was called upon to do what seemed impossible. Saul declared that David was to bring him back 100 “foreskins” taken from the dead Philistines. Now the Philistines had been a terrible problem for the people of Israel. They had been attacking and destroying without any restraint. 

Saul surmised that whether to win or lose, that the David problem would be resolved. If anything, David would be tarnished in the minds of the Philistines. Perhaps a bounty would be placed on David’s head. He would become a “target” and be especially hated. Perhaps this is true? 

But David would ultimately prevail. 

David exceeded and even doubled Saul’s wishes. Instead of just meeting, he doubled what Saul had required. Returning from the battle, he carried 200 of the foreskins back to the king. He returned with not just the minimum but surpassed it. 

Ah yes, the matter of the foreskins. First, we must understand how the Philistines had attacked and harmed Israel. They continued to advance and Israel hadn’t really responded to their continual harassment. Saul understood that many had died and he had no answer to their constant attacks. 

Second, David was a man of his times. Things were brutal and the very survival of Israel demanded a response. Yes, David needed to respond with force. The Philistines needed to know that Israel could return fire with fire. David did this. 

Third, these were dead men. David collected these foreskins from the dead his men had already killed. He didn’t seize the enemy and forced them to endure “surrender” their penises at “gunpoint.” David collected these foreskins from the Philistines that were already dead. 

Now granted this wasn’t perfect or New Testament theology, and yet it was the need of the moment.

An Irrational Fear

12 “Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.” 

1 Samuel 18:12-16 

This account is saturated with Saul’s fear. He dreads David’s success, and he’s terrified by it. Saul wants David dead. Obviously, the spears didn’t work. David was not dead. 

Psalm 5 was apparently written at this time. It seems that his psalms (songs) were often what keeps him centered on the Lord. David sings his way through conflict. He must sing in order to trust in God’s presence, to sing settles him into the peace and safety of the Father’s presence. To be honest, our discipleship demands “singing.” 

“Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him: By all outward appearance, Saul is in control. Saul has a throne. Saul has an army. Saul has spears. Yet Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him.” 

EnduringWord.com 

I suspect that Saul was not only disturbed by David’s success, but more importantly he no longer had the presence of God. Saul was uncomfortable around David. Afraid, and that fear now motivates him to hate, and also throw spears. He wanted to murder David. 

David must now have to face a new “Goliath.” 

He innately understood this. And what must he do to defuse this? Israel loved David, and that was a good thing, but it was also difficult. The praise of the people only stirred up Saul. That was very dangerous. David has now become a target. 

I think that when God took His presence away it only accelerated the destruction of Saul. “Nature abhors a vacuum,” and if God withholds Himself nothing but jealousy would control him. Murder was now free to rule Saul.

Saul now has an intimate understanding of being afraid.

War Band Leader

“So, David went out wherever Saul sent him and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.” 

1 Samuel 18:5, NKJV 

David was now part of Saul’s army. The Goliath incident had propelled him into serving as a “man of war” now. The shepherd now led a war band. Saul seems to recognize David’s faith and skill. I don’t believe King Saul recognized exactly who this young man really was. 

The humble shepherd was soon given authority, “over the men of war.” 

David would have known little of the practical aspects of being a leader and the obligations involved. That would need to be earned before it could be appreciated. I really believe that King Saul was quite pleased with David at this point. 

Maybe though Saul’s need was for leadership in the top ranks of his army? We read that, “Now there was a fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself.” (1 Sam. 14:52.) 

Saul saw with his own eyes Goliath being slaughtered. He recognized the audacious faith of the shepherd boy, and the incredible faith it instilled in the Israelite army. Yes, the king knew that David was a prodigy. 

Verse 10 points out what David’s strength was that he “behaved wisely.” In Hebrew is śāḵal, a verb that explains much. It means to be prudent, to have insight or to comprehend, or even to be an alert student. It seems that he grasped all that happened, whether good or bad. 

David understood that he was under the king’s authority. 

The people accepted the young David. The men in Saul’s government also supported David. He was accepted and well received. However, this is going to be a problem in the future. 

Wisdom is the power to see and the inclination to choose the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it. (JI Packer.)

“Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” 

Proverbs 4:7 

BFF: A Covenant Between Brothers

“After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David. 2 From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home. 3 And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself. 4 Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.” 

I Samuel 18:1-4 

It seems that Saul met with David immediately after the altercation with Goliath, a sort of debriefing. I can still see David carrying the decapitated head of the Philistine warrior. It would’ve been a bloody sight. 

After this meeting with Saul, he was no longer just a shepherd; David was now a warrior. 

There is something else–a new development, a commitment, or a covenant between David and Jonathan. Something significant happened there, and like most matters of the heart, it was difficult to explain. Some might think it was erotic, but that sullies and distorts this relationship. No, it was far more than that. 

Men generally avoid real friendship. In my 65 years I can think of 1-2 similar connections that approach this kind of depth or attachment. Almost all of my friends are more or less superficial. I rarely press beyond this. Maybe it’s kind of scary? 

David was anointed by Samuel to be the next king. He had been chosen to wield the power and authority of Israel with humility and grace. David knew it, but Jonathan saw it. 

I believe that Jonathan’s calling was perhaps more difficult: he had to yield the throne to David. Jonathan had to renounce ambition and pride. He would turn his back on his ego and drive. He would never be king. (Some would destroy themselves before we did this.) 

The text reveals some of the “covenant love” between these two men. Jonathan sheds off the trappings of his identity and gives them to David. In doing so, David is declared to be the future king.  

Jonathan commits to serving David. In his mind he rejects the notion of a hereditary monarchy. Being the king of Israel must be one of anointing, not who your father is. Both men recognize this implicitly. 

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

Romans 12:10, ESV

From this point on, David has the complete support of Jonathan for the rest of their lives.  

Decapitating the Monster

Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.

And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of [e]the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. 54 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

1 Samuel 17:51-54, NKJV

The war has been decided, Goliath is quite dead. The shepherd boy David has killed him, and the “coup de grace’ is when he chops the head of his (or, God’s) enemy.

There’s a finality about it all. When David raises up the severed head, the Philistines run. They understand that it was God who has given the victory to the army of Israel. They weren’t fighting against them, they were fighting against the Lord God.

I believe that the “battle is the Lords.”

As believing Christians, we’re starting to understand that we live in battle–a war has developed around us. It came about when we committed ourselves to walk in the grace of God. The enemy understands, even before we do. It’s the believer that is a threat.

We are dangerous to Satan, a very real threat to his kingdom.

Clothed in God’s grace, and wearing His “invisible” armor, we stand like David before Goliath. Our faith in the living God will always give us the victory. I believe that it was the Lord who guided the stone that was slung from David’s sling.

We must step out in faith–the victory is ours, and God guides the rock.

“The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came. Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before temptation comes, and you will always have victory.”

R.A. Torrey

“The Battle is the Lords”

I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

David knew what would happen before it actually did. Most likely it had to do with a faith that understood God, he truly accepted that “the battle was/is the Lord’s. He accepted this.

Not only did David see this in Goliath, but notice this in the text, “I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”

David understood that David would be killed by him, but the entire army would also die that day.

It would be a total victory over the entire Philistine army.

Also, let’s consider this phrase “the battle is the Lord’s. David says this and establishes something each believer must embrace today. We live in a war that Satan has instigated. Each of us must know exactly what we’re up against. A killer, and a destroyer of people!

Check this out:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

(Notice Jesus’ ministry on us though in this “wonderful” verse.)

Let’s go back to David. It seems when he was good he was very good, but if we’re to be honest, when he was bad, he was very bad. (But forgiven.) Now I don’t understand what you think about all of this. But he did repent, and he was pardoned.

David Faces Goliath

David Kills Goliath

As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. 49 Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground.

50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. 51 Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head.

1 Samuel 17:48-51

He moved in to attack. David had no sword, no shield. It was just him, and this monster from Philistia. He entered this valley, and he had nothing. Well, he did have his sling.

There was no one else from the Israelite who would engage the giant. No one but David. All were frightened, and yet all watched David step up. Keep in mind that Goliath blasphemed God, and even that didn’t matter. It seemed to have no effect. This was an army of cowards.

David was a man of faith.

He stepped out with courage and confidence, actually running to meet Goliath. And Goliath ran out to attack him. From the story of David and Goliath, we can learn that the God we serve is capable of defeating any of the giants in our lives—fear, depression, financial issues, doubts of faith—if we know Him and His nature well enough to step out in faith. When we do not know what the future holds, we have to trust Him. 

David becomes a vote of faith even for us today When he slung that rock he became our example. And we definitely need that.

“My attitude was and still is like that of David, who was ashamed that the armies of Israel would tremble before Goliath. Without hesitation he stepped forward with complete confidence in the God who had proven Himself to be faithful (1 Sam 17). For David, the size of the giant was irrelevant.”

David Hunt