CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

18:1
After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved
him as himself.
Jonathan became one in spirit iterall! knotted, or chained together (Kiel); tied together firmly by
indiol!ble bond"
They had a lot in common" They #ere co!rageo!$ ame age$ both tr!ted God" %hat &a'id aid to (a!l$ hi
father$ im)reed *onathan" They had the ame theology" I don+t ,no# abo!t yo!$ b!t my bet friend and I
ha'e the ame theology"
and he loved him as himself The #ord lo'e here incl!de #hat the E-C call .)olitical"/ In 0 King 120
Hiram ,ing of Tyre i aid to ha'e 3lo'ed &a'id"3 The cha)ter begin #ith *onathan+ lo'e for &a'id and
end #ith 4ichal+ lo'e for him"
The (e)t!agint (the Gree, tranlation of the Hebre# 5ld Tetament ometime in the econd cent!ry -"C")
lea'e o!t a n!mber of the 'ere fo!nd in the original Hebre# te6t ('ere 071$ 08700$ and 0970:)"
"
#rom that da! Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father$s house.
%hy did (a!l ,ee) &a'id; He #a a good oldier" To ,ee) an eye on him a in 'ere <"
%
And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
The CE= ha$ .*onathan li,ed &a'id o m!ch that they )romied to al#ay to loyal friend"/
*onathan and &a'id )robably de'elo)ed thi cloene o'er a )eriod of year" %e ee the character of
*onathan in thi friendhi)" He didn+t ta,e hi father+ ide againt &a'id" He remained ob>ecti'e"
&
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"
*onathan to confirm their friendhi) ga'e &a'id firt hi robe$ royal robe; and ne6t hi garment, hi military
dre #orn o'er the robe" Thi incl!ded hi acco!trement$ the bo#$ #ord$ and girdle" In clothing &a'id in
hi o#n )rincely e?!i)ment$ *onathan #a ho#ing hi friend the greatet )eronal honor" He i alo
handing o'er to &a'id the line of !cceion$ and &a'id acce)t the clothing" 3&a'id can recei'e from
*onathan #hat he cannot recei'e from (a!l3 (E-C)
-efore Aaron died$ hi )rietly garment #ere remo'ed$ to be #orn by hi on$ Elie@ar (N!mber A82AA7A<)"
Eli>ah )laced hi mantle o'er Eliha$ #ho #a to ta,e hi )lace (0 King 0:20:7A0)"
&a'id alo honored *onathan" After *onathan+ death$ &a'id granted (a!l+ land to *onathan+ lame on"
0
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(hatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfull! that Saul gave him a high rank in the
arm!. )his pleased all the people, and Saul$s officers as well"
(hatever Saul sent him to do That i in #hate'er military o)eration"
&a'id #a gi'en a high ran,$ b!t not a high a ran, a in 'ere 0B"
)his pleased all the people *the troops+, and Saul$s officers as well" 5ne a!thor )oint o!t that !ch a
ra)id rie in ran, often ca!e ill #ill among other officer$ b!t it eem that e'eryone a))reciated &a'id+
ability and a))ro'ed of hi )romotion"
,
(hen the men were returning home after David had killed the -hilistine, the women came out from
all the towns of .srael to meet /ing Saul with singing and dancing, with 0o!ful songs and with
tambourines and lutes.
(hen the men were returning home after David had killed the -hilistine. )he -hilistine mean the
#hole )eo)le of that name" The PHC ay thi #a a 'ictory o'er the entire Philitine army" Thi may refer to
&a'id ,illing Goliath and the army coming home or it may refer to an !n)ecified cam)aign in #hich &a'id
e)ecially diting!ihed himelf"
1
As the! danced, the! sang:
2Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands.2
The idea i that thi i a 'ery ha))y occaion" The Am)" =erion ay the #omen$ .la!ghed and frolic,ed"/
The #omen danced in alternate chor!e to the beating of tambo!rine and triangle" Thi inging didn+t it
#ell #ith (a!l" (!ddenly he reali@ed >!t ho# )o)!lar &a'id #a$ ten time more )o)!lar"
8
Saul was ver! angr!3 this refrain galled him. 2)he! have credited David with tens of thousands,2 he
thought, 2but me with onl! thousands. (hat more can he get but the kingdom42
this refrain galled him It #a bad in the eye of (a!l"
(hat more can he get but the kingdom4 Cear ha'e )aed ince (am!el had anno!nced to (a!l that
another #o!ld ta,e hi )lace" (a!l may ha'e >!t no# reali@ed that that )eron #a &a'id"

5
And from that time on Saul kept a 0ealous e!e on David.
a 0ealous e!e .Here it mean that (a!l cat f!rti'e glance at &a'id f!ll of malice and ill #ill"/ (P!l)it) 5r
.#atched !)icio!ly"/ (%-C) 5r ,e)t a .fearf!l eye on"/ (E-C)
16
)he ne7t da! an evil spirit from 8od came forcefull! upon Saul. 9e was prophes!ing in his house,
while David was pla!ing the harp, as he usuall! did. Saul had a spear in his hand
11
and he hurled it,
sa!ing to himself, 2.$ll pin David to the wall.2 :ut David eluded him twice.
A
No do!bt all night long (a!l tho!ght abo!t the #ord of the #omen" 5'er and o'er he heard their #ord" -y
the ne6t day$ hi mind #a o)en too e'il tho!ght"
)he ne7t da! an evil spirit from 8od came forcefull! upon Saul. The P!l)it commentary #rite that God
i allo#ing the .general la# of nat!re/ to be f!lfilled" .(a!l had brooded o'er hi dia))ointment$ and
cherihed feeling of dicontent at hi o#n lot and of en'y at the good of other to !ch an e6tent that hi
mind ga'e #ay before the dieaed #or,ing of hi imagination"/ (a!l i inanely >ealo! and hatef!l"
(ome commentator$ incl!ding R"-" Thieme$ belie'e thi mean God allo#ed (atan to infl!ence (a!l"
9e was prophes!ing in his house (a!l #a in a tate of fren@y$ !nable to mater himelf$ )ea,ing #ord of
#hich he ,ne# not the meaning$ and acting li,e a man )oeed" The Am)" =erion ha$ .he ((a!l) ra'ed
madly in hi ho!e"/
The Hebre# term Dra'edE occ!r o'er 088 time in the 5ld Tetament" In the NA(-$ it i rendered ;raved<
only t#ice (here and in 0 King 0<2A:)" It i ne'er rendered .ra'ed/ in the King *ame =erion" It i 'irt!ally
al#ay rendered ;prophes!< in ome form" The term can refer to the )ro)heying of a tr!e )ro)het (e"g"
N!mber 002A17AF; 0 Chronicle A12A)$ or the dece)ti'e )ro)hecie of a fale )ro)het (e"g" 0 King AA208)" It
a))ear that e'en #hen ome tr!e )ro)het )ro)heied$ they beha'ed in a different manner (ee 0 (am!el
0:20<7AG)$ #hich might be conidered .ra'ing/ by an on7loo,er"/ (&effinba!gh)
Saul had a spear in his hand
11
and he hurled it, sa!ing to himself, 2.$ll pin David to the wall.2 4ot
commentarie ay that (a!l ,e)t the )ear in hi hand and thr!t t#ice at &a'id$ #ho #a 'ery cloe to him$
b!t &a'id mo'ed a#ay in time" (PHC$ P!l)it)
.$ll pin David to the wall (a!l ,no# #hat he+ doing" He+ not totally inane"
Note the contrat in the )ear in (a!l+ hand and the har) in &a'id+ hand"
:ut David eluded him twice. No belie'er die before hi time"
1"
Saul was afraid of David, because the =>D was with David but had left Saul.
No# to the emotion of >ealo!y$ #e ha'e the emotion of fear" (a!l feared &a'id #o!ld ta,e the throne"
4oreo'er$ he feared the Hord and feared that the Hord #a bleing &a'id"

1%
So he sent David awa! from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the
troops in their campaigns.
Thi i a different )romotion mentioned in 'ere 1"
Thi #a (a!l+ #ay of getting rid of &a'id$ ending him into battle and ho)ing he #o!ld be ,illed" -!t in
one #ay the )lan bac,fired" &a'id #a e'en more able to ho# hi ability and became e'en more !ccef!l"
&a'id doe the ame to Iriah in A (am 0020G701)"
B
1&
.n ever!thing he did he had great success, because the =>D was with him"
%hy #a &a'id !ccef!l; The Hord #a #ith him" He #a in the Hord+ %ill"
1'
(hen Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him.
Here #e ha'e another !)date on (a!l+ mental health; It+ getting #ore"
1,
:ut all .srael and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.
Notice the di'iion of Irael" (ome a!thor belie'e thi #a beca!e the boo, of (am!el #a #ritten long
after the di'iion of the co!ntry" %e don+t ee (a!l leading hi army in their cam)aign" (a!l eem to ha'e
gone into ecl!ion" The co!ntry almot ee &a'id a their ,ing"
11
Saul said to David, 29ere is m! older daughter ?erab. . will give her to !ou in marriage3 onl! serve
me bravel! and fight the battles of the =>D.2 #or Saul said to himself, 2. will not raise a hand
against him. et the -hilistines do that@2
The tory of &a'id+ )ro)oed marriage to 4erab i omitted in the HJJ and in the %-C$ #hich fa'or the
HJJ"
m! older daughter .my da!ghter$ the great one"/ The E-C and other !gget that (a!l offered hi da!ghter
to &a'id a a ditraction$ another attem)t to ,ill him"
(a!l+ da!ghter #a to be the re#ard for the man #ho ,ill Goliath" 4aybe the offer #an+t meant to be
ta,en literally"
onl! serve me bravel! and fight the battles of the =>D (a!l had ome doctrine" He ,ne# to fight
Irael+ battle #a to fight the Hord+ battle$ b!t he didn+t a))ly that doctrine" (a!l #a in effect telling
&a'id to earn the honor of marrying hi da!ghter; meaning$ go o!t and ta,e a lot of ri,$ be really bra'e if
not foolih and ho)ef!lly be ,illed in the line of d!ty" Thi i ta,ing the name of the Hord in 'ain" (a!l in+t
concerned abo!t the Hord+ battle b!t abo!t hi battle of ,illing &a'id"
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:ut David said to Saul, 2(ho am ., and what is m! famil! or m! father$s clan in .srael, that . should
become the king$s sonAinAlaw42
&a'id declined" &id he fig!re o!t (a!l+ )lan; The P!l)it Commentary ay &a'id #a h!mble and didn+t
thin, himelf #orthy of the marriage"
In the ancient #orld the #orth of a )eron #a determined by hi father+ or family+ #orth"

15
So when the time came for ?erab, Saul$s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage
to Adriel of ?eholah"
G
E'ery time a da!ghter i mentioned$ (a!l i alo mentioned" The )oint i that any marriage #o!ld be a
)olitical marriage"
&id (a!l go bac, on hi #ord in that h e ne'er e6)ected &a'id to li'e long eno!gh to marry hi da!ghter;
5r i (a!l doing #hat i right"
.
A time i et$ a deadline i gi'en$ #ithin #hich &a'id m!t meet certain
criteria (ee 'ere 0:$ AF)" -eca!e &a'id decline (a!l+ offer$ he doe not meet the re?!irement #ithin
the et time$ and th! 4erab i gi'en to Adriel ('ere 0:)" Thi doe not reflect negati'ely on (a!l a m!ch a
it doe )oiti'ely on &a'id"/ (&effinba!gh)
Kor the !nha))y death of the on of 4erab and Adriel ee A (am!el A02< #here the Gibeonite #ith &a'id+
)ermiion ,illed their fi'e children"
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Bow Saul$s daughter ?ichal was in love with David, and when the! told Saul about it, he was
pleased.
"1
2. will give her to him,2 he thought, 2so that she ma! be a snare to him and so that the hand
of the -hilistines ma! be against him.2 So Saul said to David, 2Bow !ou have a second opportunit! to
become m! sonAinAlaw.2
%e can ee the de)th of (a!l+ decline" He e'en ha t!rned againt hi da!ghter$ !ing them to h!rt &a'id"
(a!l+ lot all fatherly affection" %e can a!me he ha lot any feeling for hi #ife"
?ichal
0" (he became the firt #ife of &a'id$ (0 (am!el 0<2A87A9)" Thi #a a .celebrity marriage/"
A" (he let &a'id do#n thro!gh a #indo# and hid tera)him in hi bed a a r!e$ (0 (am!el 0:200709)"
B" (a!l ga'e 4ichal a a #ife to Palti$ (0 (am" A12GG)"
G" After he became ,ing$ &a'id demanded her bac,
1" (he critici@ed &a'id beca!e he danced a he bro!ght the Ar, of the Co'enant to the ne#ly ca)t!red
*er!alem" (A (am!el F20G7AA)"
F" Inli,e Abigail and -athheba$ 4ichal i not decribed a being bea!tif!l"
9" There i a dicre)ancy bet#een A (am!el F2AB #here he i aid to die childle and A (am!el A02< #here
he i aid to ha'e 1 on" 4ot commentator ay thi i a cribal error of 4ichal intead of 4erab" The
Am)" =er" .and the fi'e on of D4erabE" 5r$ they ay that the co)yit error in A (am" F2AB and 4erab had
no children" Gill ha 4erab dying and 4ichal raiing her on" 4ot acce)t that 4ichal #a childle"
<" After her death D4erab+E &a'id t!rned o'er her on to the Gibeonite to be hanged to atone for (a!l+
la!ghter of the Gibeonite$ a brea,ing of Irael+ co'enant"

""
)hen Saul ordered his attendants: 2Speak to David privatel! and sa!, Cook, the king is pleased with
!ou, and his attendants all like !ou3 now become his sonAinAlaw.$ 2
It eem &a'id heitated to ta,e 4ichal for a #ife$ o (a!l had to end ome of hi co!rtier to )er!ade him"
Thi time (a!l i more thoro!gh in hi )lan"
)hen Saul ordered his attendants: 2Speak to David privatel!.< The er'ant #ere to )retend that they
#ere not )ea,ing on the order of (a!l b!t that thi #a their )eronal o)inion"
1
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)he! repeated these words to David. :ut David said, 2Do !ou think it is a small matter to become
the king$s sonAinAlaw4 .$m onl! a poor man and little known.2
&a'id declined" %hy did he decline; 4aybe thi #a the tr!th$ that he lac,ed a do#ry to marry (a!l+
da!ghter or maybe he tho!ght thi #a another one of (a!l+ tric," 5r more li,ely$ &a'id i ho#ing hi
h!mility"
"&
(hen Saul$s servants told him what David had said,
"'
Saul replied, 2Sa! to David, C)he king wants
no other price for the bride than a hundred -hilistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.$ 2
Saul$s plan was to have David fall b! the hands of the -hilistines.
Thi i )art of the con'eration in 'ere AA"
-hilistine foreskins 3Egy)tian relief de)ict )ile of thee$ c!t from fallen foe$ bro!ght to the ,ing$ and
co!nted before him a e'idence of 'ictory" (a!lL )ro)oal #a th! in accord #ith contem)orary )agan
c!tom"3 ((&A-C)"
to take revenge on his enemies (a!l i )retending that it in+t the money$ in+t the do#ry (the 088 dead) b!t
re'enge"
",
(hen the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king$s sonAinAlaw. So
before the allotted time elapsed,
"1
David and his men went out and killed two hundred -hilistines. 9e
brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king$s
sonAinAlaw. )hen Saul gave him his daughter ?ichal in marriage.
he was pleased to become the king$s sonAinAlaw 5ne reaon he #a )leaed i that he tho!ght thi might
end the hard feeling (a!l had for him"
So before the allotted time elapsed &a'id had only o m!ch time to ,ill the Philitine"
David and his men &a'id had by thi time a core of loyal oldier"
David and his men went out and killed two hundred -hilistines It o!nd li,e &a'id had hel) in ,illing
the A88 Philitine"
the full number &a'id had (a!l co!nt them"
)hen Saul gave him his daughter ?ichal in marriage Thi marriage i going to go terribly #rong"
"8
(hen Saul realiDed that the =>D was with David and that his daughter ?ichal loved David,
"5

Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enem! the rest of his da!s.
The Hord #a #ith &a'id$ o nothing (a!l co!ld do #o!ld h!rt him" Nothing can defeat or e'en hinder the
Plan of God" God+ Plan #a for &a'id to become ,ing and nothing (a!l can do can derail that Plan"
F
The more !ccef!l &a'id became the more (a!l hated and feared him"
?ichal loved David Thi i .the only intance in all biblical narrati'e in #hich #e are e6)licitly told that a
#oman lo'e a man"3 (E-C)
%6
)he -hilistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as the! did, David met with
more success than the rest of Saul$s officers, and his name became well known.
&a'id+ raid on the Philitine might ha'e tarted thi ne# ro!nd of #arfare" In each battle (a!l ho)ed &a'id
#o!ld be ,illed"
his name became well known The #ord tranlated .#ell ,no#n/ i alo tranlated .)recio!"/
9