1 Samuel 18
David’s Success and Saul’s Envy
In this section, we learn how God began to bless David with close friendship, marriage, and military success while an evil spirit of jealousy grew stronger in King Saul.
David and Jonathan’s Friendship
Unusual Bond
Vs. 1 - Jonathan was bound to David in close friendship, and loved him as much as he loved himself.
Vs. 3 - Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as much as himself.
Jonathan, the son of Saul, appeared before in 1 Samuel 14. He was the brave man of faith who initiated a one-man war against the Philistines. Jonathan was the first-born son of a king, and David was the last-born son of a farmer. This made Jonathan more than a prince, he was the crown prince. By everyone’s expectation Jonathan would be the next king of Israel. The way most people think, Jonathan was the one who had the most to fear from David’s success. Yet he loved David, because what they had in common – a real relationship with the LORD God – was bigger than any difference. - David Guzik
It’s rare in scripture that authors give us a commentary on the affections of deep friendship like this one. And even in this account, we are not provided with any specifics or speculations as to what exactly drew these unlikely friends to one another. But their love for and commitment to one another through the subsequent years of struggle and separation are beautiful examples of the deep bond of affection available in friendship.
Some commentators note that David and Jonathan’s friendship seems one-sided in this description, as though Jonathan saw some relational potential before David. And there may be some truth to this, but there is also evidence of mutual affection and commitment in the presence of a friendship covenant.
Later in their relationship, David would describe Jonathan’s love for him as being more meaningful than any he had received from a woman (2 Samuel 1:26). Many modern readers may be tempted to label this expression as hyperbolic. But perhaps our struggle to understand the connection these two men shared speaks less to its depth and more to our culture's depreciation of the beautiful intimacy available in friendship.
Those who cannot conceive friendship as substantive love but only as a disguise or elaboration of Eros betray the fact that they have never had a friend. - CS Lewis
That our culture imagines that intimacy occurs only in the context of sexual attraction goes to show how little our culture actually understands and really experiences true friendship. - Sam Allberry
Shocking Submission
Vs. 4 - Then Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his military tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
When Jonathan gave David the robe and his armor, he said by this action, “You will be the next king of Israel. You should be dressed and armed as the crown prince. God’s hand is on you and these rightfully belong to you.” Because Jonathan was surrendered to God he could see the hand of the LORD upon David. He knew David’s destiny and was perfectly willing to set aside his ambition to honor the LORD’s choice.
It would be some 20 years until David would receive the throne of Israel and replace Saul. If Jonathan was ready to recognize David as God’s choice for the next king, David was willing to let God put him on the throne, and to do it in God’s timing. Both of these men were thoroughly submitted to the LORD. - David Guzik
When Jonathan took off his robe and gave it to David, he was in effect transferring his own status as heir apparent to him. - Youngblood
Jonathan’s selfless action reflects his submission to Samuel’s oracle that Saul would not have a continuing dynasty (1 Samuel 13:13-14). Rather than trying to perpetuate Saul’s dynasty, as Abner later tried to do (2 Samuel 2:8-9), godly Jonathan turned over the symbols of the crown prince to David. - Thomas Constable
Saul Watched David Jealously
A Series of Successes
Vs. 5 - David marched out with the army and was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul put him in command of the fighting men, which pleased all the people and Saul’s servants as well.
David continued to produce outstanding successes as a soldier, and Saul made him an officer. The promotion was popular with army officers and common people alike. David’s popularity, however, stirred up Saul’s jealousy, and Saul tried to kill him. Saul was now afraid of David, so removed him from the court by giving him a military command that kept him on the battlefield. But this only resulted in more success and more fame for David. - Don Fleming
A Posture of Envy
Vs. 7 - As they danced, the women sang: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands.
Whatever the women intended by their song, Saul resented what he perceived as their lower assessment of his fighting ability. Perhaps Saul also remembered Samuel's words about God already having chosen his successor (13:24, 15:28). - Bryan E. Beyer
Vs. 9 - So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.
Vs. 12 - Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left Saul.
Saul’s fear of David increased in proportion to David’s successes. - Bryan E. Beyer
The writer H. G. Wells says of one of his strange characters, Mr. Polly, ’He was not so much a human being as a civil war.’ [Note: H. G. Wells, The History of Mr. Polly, p. 5.] I think that is a perfect description of Saul. He became a living civil war, miserable, possessed of an evil spirit, mentally breaking, a suspicious, angry, jealous man. As a result, he struck out against the most trusted and trustworthy servant in his camp-David. - Swindoll
An Attack with A Spear
Vs. 10-11 - David was playing the lyre as usual, but Saul was holding a spear, and he threw it, thinking, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David got away from him twice.
Saul’s fear and jealousy turned him into a violent and obsessive man. Every interaction with David turned into a murder attempt. What was David thinking and feeling during this time? Why did he ever play music for Saul again after the first spear barely missed him? Did he have a choice? Was he afraid? Confused?
David had no idea at this time that he would spend years running from the king. God’s timing can be confusing from our perspective, but He often works in this way. He sent Jacob to Laban until he came back with a limp. He sent Joseph to Egypt until His people were saved. He sent Moses to Midian until he came back to Egypt in meekness. He had chosen David, but He would also change him. David had been picked. Now he would be prepared.
David Married Michal
Merab
Vs. 17 - Saul told David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you as a wife if you will be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I don’t need to raise a hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
King Saul had already promised his daughter in marriage to the soldier who defeated Goliath. But it seems here that he added further demands with the ultimate motive of placing David in the heart of the battle with Israel’s enemy.
We are not told why Merab did not marry David, but the author does provide his humble response to the offer. Despite having already been anointed as the future king, David did not consider himself a worthy candidate to marry into Saul’s house.
Michal
Vs. 25 - Then Saul replied, “Say this to David: ‘The king desires no other bride-price except a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’” Actually, Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.
Again Saul offered a daughter to David. And again, David humbly expressed his lack of wealth or royal pedigree. But the author tells us that Michal loved David, and perhaps the feeling was mutual.
Even though the entire arrangement was only a murder plot for Saul, David and his men provided double the payment for Michal’s hand. Some commentators see this course of action as David’s continued effort to regain Saul’s favor.
David’s Name Became Well-Known
Vs. 30 - Every time the Philistine commanders came out to fight, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers. So his name became well known.
David’s behavior and wisdom in battle, guided and provided by God’s Spirit, caused him to become increasingly effective and appreciated in Israel. David had regarded himself as lightly esteemed, but God made him highly esteemed. - Thomas Constable
By this time, David had probably written some of the psalms that are now part of the biblical book of Psalms (2 Samuel 23:1). The introductions and titles to these psalms indicate that a number of them were written during the time of his flight from Saul. These, along with other psalms he wrote over a long and eventful career, give David’s personal views of events that the writer of 1 and 2 Samuel describes in narrative form. - Don Fleming
