I Samuel 18:17-30
“And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD'S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.” (I Samuel 18:17
When Saul was worrying about Goliath he made some campaign promises to motivate the people. I Samuel 17:25 describes his offer. “And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.”
Like most politicians, as soon as he had gotten what he wanted, he began to try to use that promise as a lever to get more instead of just keeping his word. Jealous that David might some day take the kingdom, he decided to use that promise as way to get rid of David, asking him to take on some of the most dangerous assignments.
“And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?” (I Samuel 18:18)
David had not fought Goliath for the rewards, but because he was concerned about Israel, and about the mockery of God. He wasn’t seeking to advance his political career by marrying Saul’s daughter. In fact he didn’t feel he had much to offer the King’s daughter.
“But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife. And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.
Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.” (I Samuel 18:19-21)
When the time came for Saul to keep his promise, he broke it, giving Merab to Adriel instead of David. David and Jonathan were pals, and Saul’s younger daughter Michal had developed a crush on David. Saul decided to use that as a way to entrap Him.
Determined to get rid of David, Saul insisted he marry one of his daughters, even offering to take Merab away from her husband if that was who he preferred. He was not at all concerned about his daughters, or God’s command. He was only concerned with accomplishing his goal. Even though divorce was permitted under the Old Testament Law, the government was not authorized to grant it. It was strictly between husband and wife.
“And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law. And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David.
And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.
And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.” (I Samuel 18:22-25)
Having been unsuccessful in his attempt to murder David, Saul conspired with his servants to try to get David to marry one of his daughters, having them tell David he really wanted him as his son-in-law. Rather than paying a dowry as was standard, all saul was asking was that David prove he had circumcised a hundred Philistines. It was his version of scalping people. He was sure that one of the Philistines would surely kill David in the process, and he wouldn‘t be blamed, especially if he set a time limit to force David to hurry.
“And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired. Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law.” (I Samuel 18:26-27a)
David had no qualms about killing their enemies, and the limits Saul had set were not impossible, So David took his men and attacked the Philistines, killing two hundred of them, and taking their foreskins as proof of their death. It was twice as many as Saul had asked for.
“And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him. And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.” (I Samuel 18:27b-29)
Clearly, Saul’s plot had failed, and he would lose his credibility if he didn’t give Michal to be David’s wife, so he did keep his word and allowed them to get married. He also became more sure that David would become the next king and more committed to trying to stop him any way he could.
“Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.” (I Samuel 18:30)
This last attack by David convinced the Philistines to withdraw their forces from Israel except for small raiding parties. With the Philistine forces gone, David was free to spend more time in the public eye. He quickly established a reputation for integrity and clear thinking that surpassed all Saul’s advisors. He was gaining quite a reputation. Saul’s political maneuvering backfired, strengthening David.
“And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD'S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.” (I Samuel 18:17
When Saul was worrying about Goliath he made some campaign promises to motivate the people. I Samuel 17:25 describes his offer. “And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.”
Like most politicians, as soon as he had gotten what he wanted, he began to try to use that promise as a lever to get more instead of just keeping his word. Jealous that David might some day take the kingdom, he decided to use that promise as way to get rid of David, asking him to take on some of the most dangerous assignments.
“And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?” (I Samuel 18:18)
David had not fought Goliath for the rewards, but because he was concerned about Israel, and about the mockery of God. He wasn’t seeking to advance his political career by marrying Saul’s daughter. In fact he didn’t feel he had much to offer the King’s daughter.
“But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife. And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.
Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.” (I Samuel 18:19-21)
When the time came for Saul to keep his promise, he broke it, giving Merab to Adriel instead of David. David and Jonathan were pals, and Saul’s younger daughter Michal had developed a crush on David. Saul decided to use that as a way to entrap Him.
Determined to get rid of David, Saul insisted he marry one of his daughters, even offering to take Merab away from her husband if that was who he preferred. He was not at all concerned about his daughters, or God’s command. He was only concerned with accomplishing his goal. Even though divorce was permitted under the Old Testament Law, the government was not authorized to grant it. It was strictly between husband and wife.
“And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law. And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David.
And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.
And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.” (I Samuel 18:22-25)
Having been unsuccessful in his attempt to murder David, Saul conspired with his servants to try to get David to marry one of his daughters, having them tell David he really wanted him as his son-in-law. Rather than paying a dowry as was standard, all saul was asking was that David prove he had circumcised a hundred Philistines. It was his version of scalping people. He was sure that one of the Philistines would surely kill David in the process, and he wouldn‘t be blamed, especially if he set a time limit to force David to hurry.
“And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired. Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law.” (I Samuel 18:26-27a)
David had no qualms about killing their enemies, and the limits Saul had set were not impossible, So David took his men and attacked the Philistines, killing two hundred of them, and taking their foreskins as proof of their death. It was twice as many as Saul had asked for.
“And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him. And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.” (I Samuel 18:27b-29)
Clearly, Saul’s plot had failed, and he would lose his credibility if he didn’t give Michal to be David’s wife, so he did keep his word and allowed them to get married. He also became more sure that David would become the next king and more committed to trying to stop him any way he could.
“Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.” (I Samuel 18:30)
This last attack by David convinced the Philistines to withdraw their forces from Israel except for small raiding parties. With the Philistine forces gone, David was free to spend more time in the public eye. He quickly established a reputation for integrity and clear thinking that surpassed all Saul’s advisors. He was gaining quite a reputation. Saul’s political maneuvering backfired, strengthening David.
No comments:
Post a Comment