VII. SAUL’S DEVICE TO KILL DAVID
In 1 Samuel 18:10—20:42 we have Saul’s device to kill David. Saul went from being envious of David to plotting how he might kill him without damaging his own name.
A. Attempting to Kill David
by Striking Him with a Spear
Even to the Wall
Saul attempted to kill David by striking him with a spear even to the wall (18:10-11a). When Saul attempted to kill him, David did nothing to avenge himself. He only fled (v. 11b). Saul was afraid of David, for Jehovah was with David and had departed from Saul (v. 12). If Saul had learned to know the flesh, he would have worshipped the Lord for choosing David. He would have realized that the Lord was sovereign and that He, not Saul, should be the originator.
Saul removed David from being with him and made him the captain of a thousand (v. 13). In all his campaigns David acted wisely, and Jehovah was with him. When Saul saw that David acted wisely, he was in awe of him (v. 15). All Israel and Judah loved David (v. 16).
B. Plotting to Cause David
to Be Killed by the Philistines
Saul plotted to cause David to be killed by the Philistines (vv. 17-30). Saul’s plot was to give his oldest daughter, Merab, to David as wife; however, Saul did not keep his word (vv. 17-19). When Saul learned that another daughter, Michal, loved David, Saul plotted to give her to David as wife that she might be a snare to him (v. 21). Saul’s giving of Michal to David was on the term that David would give him a hundred Philistine foreskins (vv. 22-25). Saul intended that this would fulfill his plan to kill David through the hand of the Philistines.
David brought the full number of foreskins to Saul, and Saul gave him Michal as wife. When Saul saw that Jehovah was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, he was more afraid of David and became his enemy from then on (vv. 28-29). Furthermore, when the princes of the Philistines went forth against Israel, David succeeded more than all the servants of Saul. So David’s name was very highly esteemed (v. 30).
(Life-Study of 1 & 2 Samuel, Chapter 13, by Witness Lee)
