1 Samuel 18 - Introduction

The Rise Of David.

In this chapter we will learn of the developments that followed David's victory over Goliath, a victory which had naturally thrown him into prominence. It opens by telling us of the love that grew in Saul's firstborn son for David (1 Samuel 18:1; 1 Samuel 18:3), continues by telling us that all Israel and Judah grew to love David (1 Samuel 18:16) and ends by telling us of the love that grew in the heart of Saul's second daughter for David (1 Samuel 18:28). Only one person is mentioned as being against him and as afraid of him, and that is Saul, the one from whom YHWH has departed (1 Samuel 18:12).

It explains how he was appointed a military commander and how he prospered more and more in that role because of his sagacity. It describes Saul's growing suspicions concerning David and awareness that he was probably the man of whom Samuel had spoken in 1 Samuel 13:14, and of the wild attempts to do him harm that resulted, attempts that were typical of his illness. And it portrays how in the end he fulfils his promise to give David one of his daughters as his wife, while at the same time David's military career continually prospers.

It should be noted that at the heart of the whole passage is the fact that David ‘behaved himself wisely'. He did not let anything go to his head. He walked circumspectly both in peace and at war. It reminds us that there is nothing more difficult than to be wise when all men praise you. But David was, and this is brought out three times throughout the chapter:

· “And David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely” (1 Samuel 18:5).

· “And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and YHWH was with him” (1 Samuel 18:14).

· “As often as they (the Philistines) went forth, David behaved himself more wisely that all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much set by” (1 Samuel 18:30).

There is nothing more important for a servant of God than to behave wisely. So much has been lost so often because chosen servants have become foolish. It had happened to Saul. But it did not happen to David.

And all this time there was clearly a state of continual to and fro between Israel and the Philistines, but as far as the writer was concerned that was only a background to the main events, for his main concern was to explain the rise and establishment of David, the anointed of YHWH, in contrast with the ambivalence of a God-forsaken Saul. He wants it to be recognised that it was the one on whom the Spirit of YHWH had now fallen who was saving Israel.

SECTION 3B. The Rise of David And His Triumphs Over The Philistines, Followed By Saul's Attempts To Destroy Him Which Result In David Having To Flee From Him (18:5-20:1a).

This subsection covers the rise of David and his continual defeating of the Philistines, which results in Saul's jealousy reaching unparalleled heights, and his determination that David must die. It may be analysed as follows:

Analysis.

B). Saul's Aim To Destroy David At Court (1 Samuel 18:5 to 1 Samuel 20:1 a).

a David's Military Success And Saul's Growing Suspicion - Saul Prophesies And Tries To Spear David (1 Samuel 18:5).

b Saul Seeks To Use Marriage To His Daughters As A Means Of Arranging For The Philistines To Kill David. David Marries Michal (1 Samuel 18:15).

c David Must Die! Jonathan Successfully Intercedes For David (1 Samuel 19:1).

b Further Attempts on David's Life By Spearing And Arrest. David Is Saved By Saul's Daughter Michal (1 Samuel 19:8).

a David Flees To Samuel. Saul Follows, Is Rendered Helpless And Prophesies (1 Samuel 19:18 to 1 Samuel 20:1 a).

Note that in ‘a' Saul prophesies and tries to smite David, and in the parallel he prophesies and is prevented from arresting David and executing him. In ‘b' Saul tries to use his daughters as a weapon against David, and in the parallel one of those daughters protects David from Saul. Central in ‘c' is the thought that David must die.

However, in this passage we also have a similar sandwich arrangement to the one we saw in 1 Samuel 2:11 to 1 Samuel 4:1 a. There the pattern was one of the spiritual growth of Samuel, which was interspersed by references to the iniquities of Eli's sons, here it is of the growing success of David, followed by his having to flee from Saul, which is interspersed with examples of Saul's growing jealousy and determination to see David killed. Thus the growth of David as a war-leader here can be seen as paralleling the growth of Samuel as a prophet in 1 Samuel 2:11 to 1 Samuel 4:1 a, with David eventually being welcomed by the prophet Samuel, who has rejected Saul, as he flees from Saul. Then when Saul seeks to come against them Saul is resisted by the Spirit of God.

It is a sad reminder that there is no one more dangerous to the work of God than one who has outwardly experienced the blessings of God and has then turned away from it. It was Saul's responsibility as king to ensure the safety of the kingdom, but instead, in contrast with Jonathan his son, having sunk into open disobedience, he then sought to destroy the one most responsible for that safety whom God had raised up in his place. All the depredations of the Philistines that follow must therefore be laid at his door, for he had removed Israel's bulwark. As a result, from this point onwards there is a lull in the fortunes of Israel, which will go on until finally, after Saul's death, David is restored.

This subsection can therefore be further analysed as follows, with the David verses marked with an ‘A' and the Saul verses marked with a ‘B':

Further Analysis.

A ‘And David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely, and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and in the sight of Saul's servants.' (1 Samuel 18:5).

B Saul grows jealous and seeks to spear David with his ceremonial javelin (18:6-13).

A ‘Therefore Saul removed him from him and made him his captain over a large military unit, and he went out and came in before the people. And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways and YHWH was with him.' (1 Samuel 18:13).

B Saul plans David's marriage to one of his daughters with the aim of having David killed at the hands of the Philistines (1 Samuel 18:15).

A ‘Then the princes of the Philistines went forth, and it came about that as often as they went forth, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much set by.' (1 Samuel 18:30).

B Saul calls for the death of David, but is persuaded from it by Jonathan (1 Samuel 19:1).

A ‘And there was war again, and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled before him.' (1 Samuel 19:8).

B Saul again seeks to smite David with his ceremonial javelin (1 Samuel 19:9 a).

A ‘And David fled and escaped that night.' (1 Samuel 19:10 b).

B Saul is prevented from arresting David by the actions of Saul's daughter Michal (1 Samuel 19:11).

A ‘Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him, and he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth (1 Samuel 19:18).

B Saul first sends two arresting parties and then goes himself in order to arrest David, but is prevented by the Spirit of God coming on him (1 Samuel 19:19).

A ‘And David fled from Naioth in Ramah.' (1 Samuel 20:1 a).

Note that the ‘David' verses follow a systematic pattern as follows:.

· Three incidents of David's ascendancy as war-leader, in each of which ‘he behaves himself wisely' (1 Samuel 18:5; 1 Samuel 18:13; 1 Samuel 18:30).

· Centrally David defeats the Philistines and ‘they fled before him' (1 Samuel 19:8).

· Three incidents where, instead of the Philistines fleeing before David, David flees before Saul (1 Samuel 19:10 b, 1 Samuel 19:18,; 1 Samuel 20:1 a). Saul thus destroys Israel's bulwark against the Philistines.

The ‘Saul verses follow a systematic pattern as follows:

· Saul seeks to spear David 1sa (1 Samuel 18:6).

· Saul uses his daughters against David and arranges for him to marry Michal (1 Samuel 18:15).

· Saul prepares for the arrest of David but is persuaded against it by his son Jonathan (1 Samuel 19:1).

· Saul seeks to spear David (1 Samuel 19:9 a).

· Saul's purposes are prevented by his daughter Michal (1 Samuel 19:11).

· Saul prepares for the arrest of David but is prevented by YHWH (1 Samuel 19:19).

We must now look at the narrative in detail.