Saul Gets Jealous

 Saul’s fear of one man had held up the Israelite army for forty days. When David trusted God and defeated Goliath, the entire army dared to attack the Philistines, as I Samuel 17:51-54 describes.  “…And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.  And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.  And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.  And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.”  The only thing holding Israel back was their leader’s lack of faith. 

 

David had spent considerable time as Saul’s armor bearer and playing music to soothe him when he was struggling with his anger and depression, but Saul was so wrapped up in himself he didn’t recognize him as I Samuel 17:55-58 tells us.  And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.  And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling is.  And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.  And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

 

Jonathan had an attitude or spirit similar to David’s, as demonstrated by his willingness to trust God to give him victory, in I Samuel 14.  He and David immediately became best friends, as I Samuel 18:1-4 describes.  “And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.  And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.  Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.  And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.”

 

Saul basked in the glory of David’s victory over Goliath and the subsequent victory over the Philistines, insisting David stay with him, but when people began to focus on David rather than himself Saul became jealous, as we see in I Samuel 18:5-9.  “And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.  And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music.  And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.  And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?  And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.”

 

Selfish people tend to assume others have the same attitudes they have, and Saul assumed David was trying to take over the kingdom.  The more he dwelt on that assumption the more angry he became, even though David had done nothing to indicate any such desire. Letting his mind be controlled by a demonic spirit of jealousy, Saul tried to kill David, in I Samuel 18:10-11.  “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.  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.”

 

When two attempts to kill David failed, Saul realized God was protecting him and became afraid David would seize control.  He had him transferred to a little known base far from the capital in an unsuccessful  effort to get him out of the public eye, as I Samuel 18:12-16 describes.  “And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.  Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.  And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.  Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.  But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.”