When David went out to fight against Goliath, few of the men in Saul’s army knew him. Even the King himself wondered where this brave young shepherd had come from. He asked Abner, the captain of his army; but Abner had never met David before. As they two watched David approach the giant so fearlessly and overcome him so easily, the King told Abner that he must find out whose son this brave young man was.
Jonathan was standing near his father when David returned from killing the giant. And Abner met David and brought him to the King. “Whose son are you?” asked Saul.
And David replied, “I am the son of Jesse, your servant, who is a Bethlehemite.” Perhaps Saul remembered then how this same hand-some youth stood before him and played beautifully on a harp when the evil spirit used to trouble him. Now he would not let David go back to Bethlehem to care for his father’s sheep any longer. He needed brave young men like that to be in his army, so he kept David, and gave him the command of one thousand soldiers. And he said that hereafter David should live in his palace at Gibeah.
Jonathan was glad when he heard his father’s words to David; for he loved the rosy-cheeked young shepherd and he wished to become his friend. He took off his princely robe and gave it to David, and he also gave him his sword and his bow. Then he promised David that day always to love him; and David was pleased to have the prince of Israel speak so kindly to him. In later years he realized that God had caused Jonathan to love him so dearly, and he thanked God for giving him such a noble friend.
When Saul made David to be captain over a thousand men, the soldiers loved their brave young leader. They were ready to go any-where With him to battle, for they saw that God was with him. The servants of Saul also were pleased when David came to live at the palace. Everywhere David went the people loved him.
But David soon found out that he had one enemy. Saul, the King, began to look unkindly upon him. You remember that after Saul had disobeyed God an evil spirit began to trouble him. This evil spirit came at different times to m(ake him feel unhappy. And now, after the great victory over the Philistines, when Saul was returning from the battle-field with David and the other soldiers this evil spirit began to trouble him again. The women of Israel came out of the cities to meet the returning army and they played on three-stringed instruments and danced for joy, because God had given Israel the victory. They sang words like these:
“Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.”
King Saul was displeased with this song. He saw that the women were giving greater praise to David than to him, and a jealous feeling crept into his heart. Perhaps he remembered Samuel’s words, that God would take the kingdom from him and give it to a better man than he. Now he saw that God was with David, and he began to hate David. The evil spirit returned to trouble him more than ever.
On the next day David played on his harp before the King again. But this time the beautiful music only made Saul unhappier. He took his javelin, or spear, and threw it at David, intending to kill him. But David saw it and stepped aside quickly, and the javelin did not touch him. Twice Saul threw the spear at him, and both times David escaped being harmed with it. Then Saul was sure that God was with the young man, and he felt afraid of David. He wanted to kill him, but he feared to try any more.
Now, Saul had two daughters, and this; gave him the thought of another plan to get rid of David. He called the young man to him and said, “I am going to send you out again tio fight against the Philistines. If you will fight bravely and defeat them, I will give my elder daughter to become your wife when you return.”
David answered that he was not worthy to become son-in-law to the King; but he hurried away to the battle-field, glad that he could prove himself a brave man.
Now, Saul hoped that the Philistines would surely kill David, because he had killed their giant; but David returned unharmed and with greater honors as a captain. And the people praised him more than ever. But David found that Saul had not kept his promise; for Merab, the King’s daughter, had become the wife of another man.
Then Saul heard that his younger daughter, Michal, loved David, and he thought again that he might get rid of him by sending him out to fight against the Philistines. This time he said that David should kill one hundred of the Philistines.
David knew it would be an honor to become son-in-law to the king, and he knew that Michal loved him. So he called his soldiers and hurried quickly to do as Saul had bidden him. And he killed two hundred instead of one hundred men. When he returned safely again, Saul kept his promise and gave Michal to be his wife. But he feared David more than ever, and tried to think of some other plan by which to destroy this one who he believed would some day take his throne.