1 Samuel 18:10-16

David Driven Out of Saul's Court. 1 Samuel 18:10-16

10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.

11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul.
13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him.

15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

7.

How could Saul prophesy? 1 Samuel 18:10

The evil spirit that came upon Saul was a supernatural influence. It was more than jealousy. Saul may have left himself open for the seizure of the evil spirit by falling into moods of melancholia. His condition may have been aggravated by the nearly insane jealousy he felt towards David. His condition was quite unnatural. The spirit of the living God not only filled his servants that they might reveal the truth, but Satan worked with all power and signs and lying wonders among his servants (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Saul was filled with an evil spirit, and his prophesying was not done in truth.

8.

How did David escape twice? 1 Samuel 18:11

The exact nature of Saul's attack on David is not made clear from this verse. He did have a javelin in his hand as David played before him. Saul threw the javelin, intending to pin David to the wall with it. The fact that David escaped once would be enough, but the statement is made that he escaped twice. Some commentators feel that Saul swung the javelin. If this were the case, David ducked and escaped the blow. Saul may then have swung again, and David dodged again. This kind of action does not fit the description of Saul's intention to pin David to the wall. It would be better to view this as a statement that this kind of an attack was made not only once but twice.

9.

Why did Saul make David captain over a thousand? 1 Samuel 18:13

Saul's jealousy of David turned into fear. The Lord was with David and blessed him, but an evil spirit was in possession of Saul. Saul removed David from being his armor-bearer, not because he thought David would seek revenge, but because the constant aggravation and irritation of his presence was more than Saul could take. He also felt that David would be in great danger out in the field of battle. He made him a captain over a thousand men (1 Samuel 18:16). David never made a wrong step. He behaved himself very wisely. He gave Saul no occasion to find fault in him. David's blameless conduct caused Saul to be more and more afraid of him. For this reason Israel and Judah loved David. Once again a distinction is made between the eleven other tribes and the leading tribe of Judah. Such a reference is not an indication of the books being written after the schism, but rather a manifestation of the fact that God had chosen Judah to be the leading tribe. David's conduct brought him into such a place of prominence that he was like Joshua, who was chosen to take Moses-' place as Israel's leader. As Moses was laying down the reins of government, he prayed that the Lord would set a man over the congregation who would go out before them and come in before them. This man's responsibility was to lead them out and bring them in. As Moses said, he had this responsibility so that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd (Numbers 27:17). Solomon used this same kind of reference to indicate his place of leadership as their wise king. Solomon said that he did not know how to go out and come in (2 Chronicles 1:10). David must have had a place of very great prominence as his irreproachable character and wise conduct won much favor for him.