What could've been...

1-5

1 Samuel 18:1–5 NKJV

1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved 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.

In the events surrounding the giant Goliath, Jonathan hasn’t been mentioned once. But he’s been watching and listening.

After seeing what David did and hearing what David said to his father, Jonathan’s soul “was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” This sounds a lot like the commandment like unto the great commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Saul wouldn’t let David go home. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?”

Jonathan initiated a covenant with David, and they made this covenant because of Jonathan’s love for him. This covenant involved Jonathan handing over his robe, armor, sword, bow, and belt. I think Jonathan already knew what God was doing. He did what Saul should have done.

6-9

1 Samuel 18:6–9 NKJV

6 Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 7 So the women sang as they danced, and said: “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.” 8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward.

As the women came out to celebrate the victory over Goliath and the Philistines, they sang greater praise for David than they did Saul.

Their form of celebration made Saul extremely angry. Saul believed this to be the beginning of David taking the kingdom from him and began to be paranoid of David. The irony: the kingdom was no longer Saul’s to lose.

The text says, “the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul. His paranoia was unfounded.

11-16

The New King James Version 1 Samuel 18:10–16

10 And it happened on the next day that jthe distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, kand he prophesied inside the house. So David lplayed music with his hand, as at other times; mbut there was a spear in Saul’s hand. 11 And Saul ncast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.

12 Now Saul was oafraid of David, because pthe LORD was with him, but had qdeparted from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from 5his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and rhe went out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and sthe LORD was with him. 15 Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16 But tall Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

The next day, Saul was tormented by the distressing spirit from God. David was previously Saul’s relief from this spirit.

David attempted to calm Saul as he had before, but Saul had a spear in his hand and attempted to pin David to the wall with it.

Saul tried to do this twice.

Rather than telling us David was afraid of Saul, the Bible tells us Saul was afraid of David. And it gives a reason: Saul was afraid of David because “the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul.”

Saul’s next action taken against David was to promote him. Saul hoped David would die in battle so he could keep what wasn’t his. This is dark foreshadowing...David did the same thing with Uriah over Bathsheba.

But Saul’s plan didn’t work. David went out with the soldiers, but he always came back in. The people loved him even more for it. This scared Saul even more.

The more Saul tried to thwart God’s plans, the more God used the machinations of Saul to fulfill them.