Douglas Wilson

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Introduction

Although Saul continues his reign for some time after the incidents in this chapter, this chapter does mark the formal textual end of his reign. Call this definitive foreshadowing, as well as some sort of formal closure. Put another way, for Saul this is all over but the shouting.

The Text

“And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself . . .” (1 Sam. 19:1-24).

Summary of the Text

Saul’s hostility to David now comes completely out into the open (v. 1). But Jonathan, who loved David, warned him about the immediate threat to his life (v. 2). Jonathan’s plan in response is to have David hide where he can overhear Jonathan remonstrate with his father (v. 3). This is what Jonathan did (vv. 4-5), and his father listened to him, swearing an oath in the name of God that David would not be killed (v. 6). So Jonathan succeeded in bringing about a temporary reconciliation (v. 7), but this lasted only until the next great military achievement of David’s (v. 8). Again the evil spirit was upon Saul and David played his harp for him, and Saul tried to spear him (vv. 9-10). This may be the second incident referred to in the previous chapter, or it may be another time. Saul then sent assassins to kill David, and Michal warned him (v. 11). This is the occasion behind the writing of Psalm 59. She let him down through a window (v. 12), and then came up with a ruse to buy David some time (vv. 13-14). Saul told his men to bring David to him so that he might kill him (v. 15), and so the ruse was discovered (v. 16). Michal covered for herself successfully by saying that David had threatened to kill her (v. 17).

David escaped to Samuel in Ramah, and so he and Samuel went and stayed nearby in Naioth (v. 18). Saul got word where they were (v 19), and so he sent men to capture David there (v. 20). But when they saw all the prophets prophesying, and Samuel presiding over them, they prophesied as well (v. 20). So Saul sent a second group, and the same thing happened, and then a third time as well (v. 21). And so Saul himself went, and he came to a great well and asked directions (v. 22). And so the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he prophesied all the way to Naioth (v. 23). And when he got there, he stripped off his clothes and prophesied naked before Samuel all day and night (v. 24). And so it was said, is Saul also among the prophets?

A Laban Story

We have already seen that Saul is a Laban, only with the power to kill. He is a public sector Laban. But we should note more than just one similarity—i.e. that both Saul and Laban changed the terms of their agreements. Scripture points to this striking similarity, and does so in a way as to make the point unmistakable.

Jacob was faultless in his dealings with Laban (Gen. 31:36). David was faultless in his dealings with Saul (1 Sam. 19:4). Laban deceived Jacob by withholding the promised daughter (Gen. 29:25). Saul deceived David by withholding the promised daughter (1 Sam. 18:19). Jacob escaped from Laban (Gen. 31:17-21). David escaped from Saul (1 Sam. 19:12). Laban pursued Jacob (Gen. 31:22-23). Saul pursued David (1 Sam. 19:11,18-24). Laban’s daughter deceived him (Gen. 31:33-35). Saul’s daughter deceived him (1 Sam. 19:13-16). Rachel lies about the teraphim (Gen. 31:33-35). Michal lies with the teraphim (1 Sam. 19:13-16). Laban wants to know why he was deceived, when the answer should have been obvious (Gen. 31:27). Saul wants to know why he was deceived, when the answer should have been obvious (1 Sam. 19:17). The writer of the book of Samuel is making the point very clear—he wants us to see Saul as a Laban.

The Second Bookend

We noted before that this chapter is the place where Saul’s reign comes to its formal closure. When he was young and humble, he came to Ramah (1 Sam. 9:6). When he was old and arrogant, he came to Ramah (1 Sam. 19:22). The first time he came to a well and asked for directions to Samuel (1 Sam. 9:11). The last time he came to a well and asked for directions to Samuel (1 Sam. 19:22). When he was first anointed, he came to a company of prophets and prophesied among them (1 Sam. 10:5), showing that God was with him. “Is Saul among the prophets?” was a marveling statement (1 Sam. 10:12). When he had forfeited his anointing, and God had departed from him “Is Saul among the prophets?” became a comic statement (1 Sam. 19:24). The Spirit came upon him and he was vested with kingly authority (1 Sam. 11:6). When the Spirit came upon him here, he was divested of his robe (1 Sam. 19:24). All the similarities are meant to highlight the radical difference in the spiritual condition of Saul’s heart. The first time he had a humble heart and the last time he had a heart full of envy and murder.

David’s Big Promotion

Throughout this story, David incurs Saul’s ire simply through his ongoing faithfulness to him. Just as Saul was unable to read the story he was in, David was enabled to accurately read it. Throughout this story, we can see how he trusts in God externally, and we can see how that trust looks from the inside as we read and sing the psalms. Samuel had been told not to look on the appearances, but to recognize that God looks on the heart. This is not just true of people; it is also true of situations. What was it when David finally had to flee from Saul’s court for good? What was that? It was his big promotion. Saul on the throne had lost it already. David in the wilderness was a kingly man already. Our God speaks those things which are not as though they were.

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Introduction

Although the sin of our first parents had placed us under bondage to the serpent, God very quickly gave us a promise that we would be avenged upon that serpent. He thus established the antithesis and promised a Messiah in the same place. This running battle is seen throughout Scripture, and the obligation to pursue giant-killing is an important part of it.

The Text

“Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines . . .” (1 Sam. 17:1-58).

Summary of the Text

This is a longer chapter, so as we summarize we will cut our pieces of meat a little larger. The Philistine army invaded and camped in territory of Judah, and Saul and his men gathered against them (vv. 1-2). A valley separated the armies (v. 3). There was a champion of the Philistines named Goliath who was huge (vv. 4-7). He came out and challenged any one of the Israelites to single combat, a fight that would settle everything. His words made Saul and all Israel “greatly afraid” (vv. 8-11). David was the eighth of eight sons of Jesse. The three oldest were in Saul’s army, and David had returned from his stint at Saul’s court (vv. 12-15). Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days (v. 16). Jesse then sent David with some supplies and told him to get news from his brothers (vv. 17-18). There was fighting with the Philistines, but nothing decisive—more like skirmishes (vv. 19-20). But they mostly put on armor and formed up in battle array to do some trash-talking (v. 21). David came with the supplies, and as he was visiting with his brothers, Goliath came out (vv. 22-23). David heard the taunts, but the Israelites were afraid, and David heard the talk about what would be done for the champion who killed Goliath (vv. 24-27). Eliab, the oldest, didn’t like the way David’s thoughts were going (v. 28), and charged him with impudence. But David ignored him, and went right on (vv. 29-30).

David’s talk came to Saul’s ears, and David was summoned (v. 31). David volunteers to fight (v. 32). Saul says that David is too young to fight such an experienced warrior (v. 33). David tells the story of how he killed both a lion and a bear as a shepherd, and he says he will do the same to Goliath (vv. 34-37). Saul then gives his blessing (v. 37b). David tries out Saul’s armor, but rejects it as untested (vv. 38-39).

So David went out with his staff, five stones, and his sling (v. 40). Goliath comes out with his armor-bearer (v. 41). Goliath despises David, curses him by his gods, and threatens him (vv. 42-44). David replied, countering the Philistine’s weapons with the name of God (v. 45). He declares that God will deliver Goliath up, he will lose his head, and everyone will know that God does not fight conventional battles (vv. 46-47). And so they approached each other, and David ran toward him, slinging the stone as he went (vv. 48-49). David struck him without a sword (v. 50). David ran to cut off his head with his own sword, and the Philistine army fled (v. 51). And the Israelites pursued them, striking them down, and taking spoil (vv. 52-53). David kept Goliath’s armor (v. 54). Saul wanted Abner to find out who David was (vv. 55-56). And so Abner brought David to Saul, Goliath’s head in his hand (v. 57), and Saul found out he was the son of Jesse (v. 58).

As we consider all this, we should remember that the book of Samuel was not originally structured the way we do it, with chapter breaks. Here is a chiasm which helps frame this section.

a Samuel leaves Ramah to anoint David (16:1-13
b David plays the harp effectively for Saul (16:14-23)
c David kills Goliath (17:1-58)
d David celebrated at court (18:1-6)
c’ Saul jealous over the Goliath triumph (18:7-30)
b’ David plays the harp ineffectively for Saul (19:1-17)
a’ David flees to Samuel at Ramah (19:18-20:42)

A Miscellany

This is one of the most famous stories in the Bible, and consequently, many of us have a mental image of it taken more from bits and pieces from things we have heard or from Bible story books—instead of from what is actually said. David rejects Saul’s armor as untested, and not as too big (v. 39). Of course, the greatest faith here was David’s, but it was an act of faith on Saul’s part also (v. 37). This was a single combat that put all of Israel’s army at stake, and Saul gave his blessing to it. And last, it is not often recognized that the five smooth stones are the five points of Calvinism. Joke. But the slingshot here is not something that a ten-year-old boy would use to plink at bottles on a fence. This was a bona fide weapon of war (Judg. 20:16), and the stones would be about the size of a modern softball. And of course, we should consider the size of Goliath. He was over nine feet tall, and his mail weighed 126 pounds. The Anakim (giants) had been exiled by Joshua to Gaza, Ashdod and Gath (Josh. 11:21-23), and Goliath was likely descended from them.

David the Giant-Killer

David comes into this story as a glorious type of Christ. Goliath was a giant, but he was also a serpent, a dragon. The Hebrew word for his armor means scales, which made him a gigantic reptile, like a dragon, and David topples him with a wound to the head (Gen. 3:15). David fights him with the same weapons that he would use in fighting wild beasts. When he is done, he takes Goliath’s armor and places it in his tent (v. 54).

This is precisely what Jesus does when He came upon the strong man. He attacks, like David did. He is victorious, like David was. He strips the armor (panoply), as David did. He partakes of the spoil after battle (Luke 11:22). Jesus is the greatest of all giant-killers. He gives victory to His people . . . and He awakens the envy of any who would be great in Israel on their own terms.

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Introduction

In this great passage, we are introduced to David right after we are told that the Spirit had come upon him. We see the work of the Spirit first, and then we learn David’s name.

The Text

“And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons . . .” (1 Sam. 16:1-23).

Summary of the Text

God tells Samuel to stop mourning over Saul. He has picked out a king from Himself from among the sons of Jesse (v. 1). Samuel says that to do this would be considered treason by Saul, and so God tells him to camouflage his journey (v. 2). Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and God will direct him to the man (v. 3). Samuel obeyed, and the elders of Bethlehem were worried about his arrival (v. 4). He replies with peace, invites them to the sacrifice, and Jesse to the sacrifice (v. 5). Eliab looked promising, but no (v. 6). God says that man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart (v. 7). Abinadab was passed over as well (v. 8). Shammah was not the one (v. 9). This happened seven times, with seven sons (v. 10). Are there any others? Jesse replies that the youngest is out with the sheep. Samuel asks for him to be brought (v. 11). He was certainly good-looking, and God said to anoint him (v. 12). Samuel then anointed him, in the midst of his brothers, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and we are introduced to David by name (v. 13).

The Spirit came on David, but departed from Saul. An evil spirit from the Lord troubled Saul (v. 14). Saul’s servants identified the problem (v. 15), and suggested a musical solution (v. 16). Saul agreed, and called for a musician to be brought (v. 17). And one of the servants (just by chance!) knew about David and recommended him (v. 18)—as a musician, courageous, a warrior, a prudent man, attractive, and under the blessing of God (v. 18). And so Saul summoned David by name, who was still assigned to the sheep (v. 19). Jesse then took a donkey, and loaded it up with bread and wine, and a little goat, and sent them with David (v. 20). When David arrived, Saul approved him greatly, and David became Saul’s armor-bearer (v. 21). Saul asks Jesse if David could remain (v. 22). And whenever Saul was afflicted with the evil spirit from God, David took his harp and played until Saul was refreshed (v. 23).

Jonathan & David

The previous chapter introduced us to the greatness of Jonathan. But as soon as we learn about the son, Jonathan, we learn that he is a disinherited son—though through no fault of his own. Notice how the Scriptures tell the stories of Jonathan and David respectively. Jonathan is Saul’s son (13:16); David becomes his son-in-law (18:26). Jonathan fights the enemy (virtually) single-handedly (14:1-15); David fights Goliath single-handedly (17:41-51). Jonathan leads Israel to victory (14:16-42), and so does David (17:52-54). Jonathan is attacked by Saul twice (14:43-46; 20:30-34), and David is attacked by Saul twice (18:10-11); 19:8-10). Jonathan trusts God and not numbers in battle (14:6); David trusts God and not weapons in battle (17:47). Jonathan and David are true brothers. And yet . . .

But Jonathan’s wisdom goes much deeper than that. When Saul became king (at least by the third year of his reign), Jonathan was already a warrior (1 Sam. 13:1, 3), meaning that he was at least twenty. Saul reigned for forty years (Acts 13:21), and David was thirty when he became king (2 Sam. 5:4). This means that David was born in the tenth year of Saul’s reign, when Jonathan was a minimum of twenty-seven. That means that by the time David was ready to fight at the age of twenty, Jonathan would have been pushing fifty. Jonathan is easily old enough to be

David’s father, and he acts the role of a true father. He plays the fatherly role that Saul should have—not at all threatened by David’s youth and success.

The Spirit’s Power

We often make the mistake of thinking that if the Spirit is given to a man in the Bible, then what is happening is internal heart regeneration, in the New Testament theological sense. But the Spirit has a much broader skill set than just converting a man’s soul. He does do that, but His activity is far broader, far more extensive.

For example, when the Spirit comes upon Bezaleel, He enables him to execute beautiful craftsmanship (Ex. 31:1-4). When the Spirit comes upon Samson, he is given power to tear apart a lion with his hands (Judg. 14:6). The same thing is true about governance—a king’s mojo. When it says that the Spirit departed from Saul here (v. 14), we are not being told that Saul is losing his salvation—rather, just as a Samuel had stated, he was losing his kingdom. Years later, when David is repenting of his great sin concerning Bathsheba, and he cries out to the Lord, what does he ask for? He does not ask for his salvation back, but rather for the joy of his salvation back (Ps. 51: 12). And when he asks God to not take his Spirit away (Ps. 51:11), he is asking for his dynasty to not come apart in his hands. He knows that this is what he deserves, just as Saul did. And so he asked for a mercy that Saul did not ask for, and he received it. Our Savior today sits upon the throne of David (Luke 1:32).

Disadvantaged Youth

After God has told Samuel that He, God, looks on the heart, and not on the outward appearance, we are told that David, the one chosen, was attractive and handsome (v. 12). Later, when the servant of Saul commends him, it is for being talented, courageous, a warrior, prudent, and attractive. In other words, David’s primary disqualification here was his youth.

Jonathan, like the God he served, was motivated by righteousness. David’s brothers were passed by (v. 10), just as Jonathan was passed by. Jonathan, who had more carnal reasons to gripe about it, did not do so, and David’s brothers, who saw the prophet anoint their little brother, had zero carnal reasons to be bothered—but they apparently still were (1 Sam. 17:28). Always and everywhere, guard your souls against envy.

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Introduction

Saul falls away from his position of favor with the Lord in a series of three falls. In chapter 13, he did not wait for Samuel to sacrifice, as he had been instructed to. In chapter 14, he makes a rash vow concerning the battle, and doubles down with a self-maledictory oath. And here, in chapter 15, he falls the third time, and for good, when he rebels against the express command of the Lord.

The Text

“Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass . . .” (1 Sam. 15:1-35).

Summary of the Text

Samuel begins by reminding Saul that he was the one used by the Lord to anoint Saul as king (v. 1). Therefore, listen carefully. God remembered the sin the Amalek, how they treated Israel coming out of Egypt (v. 2). Saul was therefore commanded to undertake a holy war, destroying everything (v. 3). So Saul mustered an army at Telaim, men from Israel and Judah both (v. 4). Saul approached a city of Amalek (v. 5), and told the Kenites, allies of Israel, to clear out, which they did (v. 6). And so Saul wiped out the Amalekites (v. 7). Saul spared the life of Agag the king, but everyone else was killed (v. 8). But Saul and the people together spared the best of the livestock (v. 9).

So the word of the Lord came to Samuel (v. 10), saying that He had repented of making Saul king. This grieved Samuel, and he cried to the Lord all night over it (v. 11). So Samuel got up early, and was told that Saul was in Gilgal (v. 12). Samuel approached, and Saul pretended that he had obeyed (v. 13). What is the meaning of all the livestock noise then (v. 14). Saul responds with blame-shifting. They spared those, but we destroyed these (v. 15). Then Samuel said that he would repeat what God had told him the night before (v. 16). When you were humble, did not God make you a king (v. 17). When you were given the command of a king, why were you not then humble (vv. 18-19)? Saul tries to brazen it out, claiming that reinterpreted obedience is still obedience (v. 20). But the people, they took the spoil, that which ought to have been destroyed, and they kept it for sacrifice to the Lord, your God (v. 21). Samuel replies, does the Lord delight in ritual more, or in obedience more (v. 22). Rebellion is like witchcraft, and stubbornness is like idolatry (v. 23). Saul rejected the word of the Lord, so now the word of the Lord rejects Saul (v. 23).

Saul then confesses his sin, but he uses quite an ordinary word for it—he does not yet grasp the gravity of what he has done (v. 24). And he confesses that he was fearful of the people. He asks Samuel to worship with him, to keep up appearances (v. 25). Samuel refuses, and repeats the Lord’s rejection of Saul (v. 26). As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed his robe and it tore (v. 27). Samuel takes it as a sign, and repeats the Lord’s rejection a third time (v. 28). The Lord is not a man that He should repent (v. 29). Saul confesses again, and pleads with Samuel to worship with him (v. 30). Samuel relents and worships together with Saul . . . for the last time (v. 31).

Then Samuel commanded that Agag be brought to him (v. 32). And Samuel cut Agag up in pieces in Gilgal (v. 33). Samuel and Saul returned to their respective homes in Ramah and Gibeah (v. 34), about ten miles apart. They never saw each other again, but Samuel mourned for him (v. 35). And God repented that He had made Saul king (v. 35).

The Lord’s Repentance

Some foolish men take the statements of vv. 10 and 35 out of their context, ignoring v. 29, and say that God is interactive in time, right along with the rest of us. But God is not locked inside the time/space continuum, trouble-shooting as He goes. Others, with an abstract kind of Calvinism, take v. 29 out of context, pretending that God never enters into history as the God who acts. The solution is to accept all the Bible, all the time, and acknowledge that God inhabits eternity, and His decrees cannot be altered, and God also stoops in order to reveal Himself in history. Why should this be hard to understand? We still speak of sunrise instead of earthturn—even though we are Copernican with regard to the decrees.

The Replacement Pattern

We have spoken often of the great motifs or patterns in Scripture. Here is another one. We have seen “death and resurrection,” “exile and return,” Here we see the great theme of replacement. The last Adam replaces the first. The younger son replaces the eldest. The first king gives way to the second. Mary was told that her Son would be the cause of rising and falling in Israel, and Hannah was told much the same thing. And when this happens, as it does with Saul, we see the stubbornness of entrenched authority, a stubbornness that will not take yes for an answer.

Righteousness or Ritual?

Samuel dismisses sacrifices, setting them in opposition to obedience. David does the same when he says, “Sacrifices and burnt offerings You did not require,” even though God did require them. Hosea says, and Jesus repeats, that God desires mercy and not sacrifice, even though, technically, God required both. Samuel knew this perfectly well—he had been conducting sacrifices his entire life.

What should that do for us, and our understanding of our liturgy? What should it do for our approach to our ritual, the way we worship the Lord? Liturgy is a sack, which God loves to periodically turn inside out in order to shake. When He does this, all the true Christians fall out, and He takes them to Heaven.

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