David and Goliath

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

The passage before us is the set up for the famous chapter telling the story of a young shepherd taking out a giant of an enemy! Even the most unread Christian has heard of the story. It is very familiar to many, but as we venture through, I believe we will see some details and truths that will be a blessing and challenge for us to consider.

55 As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.”
56 And the king said, “Inquire whose son the boy is.”
57 And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
58 And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite

Coming off the victory over Goliath, David was getting his gear together, that is his sling and stones, and here comes Abner, the commander of the Israeli army.

It appears the previous discussion Saul had with David concerning taking the giant out was dismissed by the king, or at the very least, the victory required the king to find out more about David. After all, the subjugation of Goliath brought with it certain rewards from the king.

1 Samuel 17:25 …the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.”

Before I get into this list of rewards, lets consider the general tenor of the king’s motivation. He did not call upon the nation to rise up for God, for the honor of the true King, but appealed to the basest desires of the nation. Money, status and financial freedom from taxation. He was looking for mercenaries amongst his people. The more I ruminate on this method, the less surprised I am of how the “army of Israel” acted after David did his thing. They half heartedly chased the Philistines for a short time, and then came back to the battle site to get things, to plunder the Philistines camp, now that there was no opposition.

Great riches

Great riches would be provided to the man who gained victory over the enemy of Israel. The king would take of the national treasures, (that which was gained by taxation of the people) and give it to the one who would do the armies job. Yes I know I am being harsh, for the army of Israel was likely a volunteer unit at this time is the history of Israel, but the provision of great riches most likely was on no material impact on Saul

Kings daughter

Speaking of material impact on Saul, this reward brought with it the status of belonging to a royal family. It is a kind of fading glory, especially when considered what David knew of his future.

Nevertheless, as we know of the eastern culture in those days, the eldest daughter would be presented first, and per 1 Samuel 14:49, Merab would be first in line for marriage.

It turns out that Saul began the process of providing Merab to David, but hesitated, even reneging on the promise.

1 Samuel 18:19 But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

During this potential offering of Merab, Saul began to attach conditions to the offer of his daughter. Had he forgotten so soon that the conditions for marrying his daughter had already been performed?

Saul is not looking good in this instance, for he is needing more concessions from David to receive his bride, and then changes the promise of Merab as a bride for David, giving her to Adriel the Meholathite.

Eventually, Michal would become David’s wife, after more conditions were laid on David by Saul. Go kill a hundred Philistines, and bring back proof, their foreskins, and then I will fulfill the promise I made to you when you killed Goliath, with my second daughter.

Wow – this reward was becoming quite the privilige!

Fathers house free in Israel

This last reward may have been realized by Jesse, but I can find no evidence in the Word that Saul kept this promise. Nevertheless, this reward is similar to the first promise of great riches, in the fact that it cost the king nothing of his personal wealth, but simply made the nation with less resources. Now of course I am assuming the king separated his wealth from that of the nations coffers, but of this I do not know.

Nevertheless, with the previous faithfulness Saul exercised in the previous rewards, I have a sense that Jesse may not have realized this benefit, until a new king came on the scene!

It is a good thing that David had kept his eyes on the prize on not the rewards, for Saul’s rewards were fading, or not even realized.

No – David kept his eyes on the prize!

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