The Book of SamuelSýnishorn

The Transition From Saul to David: 1 Samuel 17:1-19:17

The second step of the transition from Saul to David focuses on God’s blessings and curses during the escalation of Saul’s hostility against David in 17:1-23:28.

These chapters begin with an account explaining Saul’s initial hostility in 17:1-18:9. Here, we find the longest single narrative in the entire book of Samuel, commonly known as the story of David and Goliath. Our author reported that Saul and his army left Gibeah and drew up battle lines with the Philistines near Azekah and Socoh. It was there that the great warrior Goliath challenged Israel to fight him. In all likelihood, this episode took place prior to David’s service in Saul’s court because, in 17:58, Saul asked David who he was.

A number of striking contrasts between Saul and David appear in this well-known story. For instance, in 17:11, Saul and his army “were dismayed and greatly afraid” when they heard Goliath’s threats. But the Spirit of God blessed David, a young, simple shepherd boy, with courage and faith. In 17:45-47, David responded to Goliath saying, “I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel ... For the battle is the Lord’s.” David’s victory over Goliath also brought the blessing of support from others. To begin with, Jonathan, Saul’s son, loved David deeply. Moreover, when Saul and David returned to Gibeah after battle, the women sang a song that extolled David’s great success. But all of this support for David infuriated Saul. As 18:8-9 tells us, “Saul was very angry, and the song of praise for David displeased him… And Saul eyed David from that day on.” 

The intensity of the drama rises as we move from Saul’s initial hostility to his indirect hostility in 18:10-19:17. All of the action in these episodes occurs primarily in the city of Gibeah where Saul tried to have others kill David.

These verses divide into four straightforward episodes. First, in 18:10-16, Saul sought David’s death through sending David on raids. Clearly, Saul hoped that David would die in these attacks. We also learn that during this same time, Saul hurled his spear at David. But despite Saul’s attempts to have David killed, God blessed David. Chapter 18 verse 14 tells us, “David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him.” And because of David’s successes, Saul fell under the curse of jealousy and fear. But God blessed David with growing admiration from the people.

In the second episode, in 18:17-30, Saul sought David’s death through the Philistines. While in Gibeah, Saul enticed David into becoming more aggressive against the Philistines by promising his daughter Merab in marriage. Saul expected the Philistines to kill David. So, when David successfully returned from battle, Saul had given Merab to another man. Saul then tried again. He promised to give David his younger daughter Michal in marriage if David returned from battle with one hundred Philistine foreskins. David was so successful that he brought back 200 Philistine foreskins. As we might expect, God cursed Saul once again with fear, and his dread of David intensified. Saul saw that Michal loved David. And in verse 30 our author added, “David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.” 

In the third episode, in 19:1-8, Saul openly ordered David’s murder through Jonathan and the servants of his court. But God blessed David when Jonathan refused. In fact, Jonathan even rebuked his father by declaring David’s innocence and pointing out how everything David did benefited Saul. Saul acknowledged his wrongdoing and swore falsely not to harm David. And in 19:8, our author noted that “David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him.”

In the fourth and final episode of Saul’s indirect hostility toward David, in 19:9-17, Saul sought David’s life through messengers or assassins. Verse 9 tells us that God’s curse fell on Saul again as “a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul,” and again, Saul tried to kill David with his spear. But David fled to his home. Saul sent messengers to David’s house to kill him. But God blessed David once again, and Michal — now David’s wife — helped him escape during the night.