1 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
I was always impressed with the way in which Larry Bird and Magic Johnson reacted to Michael Jordan. They instantly appreciated his play, his footwork, his fundamentals, his balance. If you have given your whole life to become a master of your craft you will instantly appreciate the other masters. Michael Jordan said the one man he feared was Akeem Olajuwon. Charles Barkley said there was no shame to losing to Michael. We are seeing the “passing of the torch” from Jonathan to David here.
5 Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.
Prior to the defeat of Goliath David’s life seemed to move in slow motion. Spending 40 days with his father training and going over their strategy must have seemed like an eternity. When he finally did get the green light he was like a dog unchained. But after that point everything has sped up. He has this relation with Jonathan, he also has to worry about Saul, he has the troops and all the battles. The troops will appreciate anyone that they have confidence in and want with them in the heat of battle. The officers will appreciate anyone who can carry out orders precisely and do everything they are told.
6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. 7 As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
This one little song caused David a lot of trouble. Think about it, ego is what sunk Saul, but here it is the boasting of others that brought trouble on David. What is the normal response to that, to humble yourself, to make yourself of no account. Joseph learned this lesson when he boasted that his brothers would bow before him. David didn’t even do any boasting but he learned to keep quiest about accomplishments and give all the credit to his troops.
8 Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David.
Can you imagine, you just can’t win. If you lose battles you lose, and if you win battles you lose.
10 The next day an evil[a] spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
Talk about abusive relationships. This is similar to what happened with Joseph being snared by Potiphar’s wife. David has to watch his back even when he is at home. Who are you going to tell about this? The king is trying to kill me? It is like living in an abusive relationship or like being in a cult. This is a whole new level of bully. If a kid is bullying you at school you at least have peace when you go home and on the weekends and on the breaks. But if you are being bullied at home there is no rest.
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. 14 In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns. 17 Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!” 18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” 19 So[b] when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah. 20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. 21 “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
He is planning to give his daughter to David as a snare to him. The palace intrigue is incredible. The more the people loved him and the more successful he was the more there will be those trying to snare him.
22 Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’” 23 They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
The people who seem to be your friend are actually part of the palace intrigue. This book is about how to become a king. So, if you are going to be a king you have to deal with the bullies that are like the dogs who bark and bite, you will also need to spot the snakes in the grass, the snares, the traps, and the intrigue.
24 When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, 25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
What was God’s plan? It seems to me that Saul may have meant this for evil but God meant it for good. He was pushing David to become more and more skilled as a warrior and a leader.
26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, 27 David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage. 28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
If you want to be the best you have to defeat the best.
30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.
I was always impressed with the way in which Larry Bird and Magic Johnson reacted to Michael Jordan. They instantly appreciated his play, his footwork, his fundamentals, his balance. If you have given your whole life to become a master of your craft you will instantly appreciate the other masters. Michael Jordan said the one man he feared was Akeem Olajuwon. Charles Barkley said there was no shame to losing to Michael. We are seeing the “passing of the torch” from Jonathan to David here.
5 Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.
Prior to the defeat of Goliath David’s life seemed to move in slow motion. Spending 40 days with his father training and going over their strategy must have seemed like an eternity. When he finally did get the green light he was like a dog unchained. But after that point everything has sped up. He has this relation with Jonathan, he also has to worry about Saul, he has the troops and all the battles. The troops will appreciate anyone that they have confidence in and want with them in the heat of battle. The officers will appreciate anyone who can carry out orders precisely and do everything they are told.
6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. 7 As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
This one little song caused David a lot of trouble. Think about it, ego is what sunk Saul, but here it is the boasting of others that brought trouble on David. What is the normal response to that, to humble yourself, to make yourself of no account. Joseph learned this lesson when he boasted that his brothers would bow before him. David didn’t even do any boasting but he learned to keep quiest about accomplishments and give all the credit to his troops.
8 Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David.
Can you imagine, you just can’t win. If you lose battles you lose, and if you win battles you lose.
10 The next day an evil[a] spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
Talk about abusive relationships. This is similar to what happened with Joseph being snared by Potiphar’s wife. David has to watch his back even when he is at home. Who are you going to tell about this? The king is trying to kill me? It is like living in an abusive relationship or like being in a cult. This is a whole new level of bully. If a kid is bullying you at school you at least have peace when you go home and on the weekends and on the breaks. But if you are being bullied at home there is no rest.
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. 14 In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns. 17 Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!” 18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” 19 So[b] when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah. 20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. 21 “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
He is planning to give his daughter to David as a snare to him. The palace intrigue is incredible. The more the people loved him and the more successful he was the more there will be those trying to snare him.
22 Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’” 23 They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
The people who seem to be your friend are actually part of the palace intrigue. This book is about how to become a king. So, if you are going to be a king you have to deal with the bullies that are like the dogs who bark and bite, you will also need to spot the snakes in the grass, the snares, the traps, and the intrigue.
24 When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, 25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
What was God’s plan? It seems to me that Saul may have meant this for evil but God meant it for good. He was pushing David to become more and more skilled as a warrior and a leader.
26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, 27 David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage. 28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
If you want to be the best you have to defeat the best.
30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.