August 6, 2012 – 1 Samuel 18

Samuel begins his conflict with David over jealousy. And we see it is a jealousy that isn’t based on reality. David is completely humble in front of the King. He does not want to be the King’s son-in-law because he does not feel he is worthy of it. Saul has to scheme just to get David to agree to it and only does so by having David prove himself in a military feat. It seems that Saul doesn’t expect for David to survive the test and hopes the Philistines kill him. That is a plot that is used in many films and books. The bad guy gives the hero something so difficult to do that he hopes to get rid of him without having to get his hands dirty. But David comes through and Saul makes him his son-in-law. So, even though Saul is jealous of David, Saul raises David’s status, thus making Saul even more jealous. We can see what jealousy can do to a person.


When looking at Saul sending David out to battle the Philistines in the hopes that he is killed, we are reminded that David will use the same tactic against the husband of Bathsheba, but he will make sure that it works.