Samuel spent his days alone shrouded in sadness ever since his final words with Saul. But his part in fulfilling the promises of Yahweh in the world had not yet reached its end. Yahweh pierced through his veil of sadness and said, “I understand that my rejection of Saul has brought you great sorrow. How long will you continue to mourn? The time has come for you to go to Jesse in the town of Bethlehem in the land of Judah and anoint a new king from among his sons. Take a cow with you and tell Jesse, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Will you and your family join me?’ When they are all gathered, I will show you who you will anoint as king.”
So Samuel traveled to Bethlehem and invited Jesse and his family to participate in a sacrifice with him. When he saw Jesse’s oldest son he thought to himself, “Look at him! This must be who Yahweh has chosen.”
But Yahweh said to Samuel, “I have not chosen him, for I do not see as humanity sees. You look at the outward appearance, but I look into the heart.”
Samuel looked over seven of Jesse’s sons, but Yahweh did not choose any of them. So Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all of your sons?”
Jesse replied, “Well the youngest, David, is out looking after our sheep.”
“Go and get him. We can’t continue until he is here.”
When he arrived from the field, Yahweh immediately told Samuel, “Get up and anoint him. This is the one I have chosen.” Samuel poured the finest oil on David’s head and anointed him as he had done with Saul. At that moment the Spirit of God left Saul and went into David.
Because the Spirit of God, which had protected Saul’s heart for so long had left him, Satan’s demons, who had long desired him, were now free to torment the king. Saul would have periods of great irritability and irrationality. Hoping music would soothe his soul his advisers sought someone who could play music for him. One of Saul’s advisors knew Jesse’s family and had heard that David was a skilled musician, so they sent word that he was to travel from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. When he arrived and began to play, Saul immediately took a liking to him and asked Jesse if David could stay at the palace permanently. Jesse agreed and so David became a minstrel to the king. Whenever he played his music, Saul’s mood quickly improved because the Spirit of God could be felt in the very notes he played. Indeed Saul was so taken with David that after a short time, he was given a position of honor as Saul’s armor-bearer.
It was during this time that the Philistines regrouped and prepared for another war with Israel. Saul’s army came out to meet them and the two groups were each positioned on adjacent hills with a valley between them. Now, rather than have their entire armies battle the Philistines instead used an ancient tradition of sending out a single champion to decide the entire battle against Israel’s champion. But when the Israelites saw the champion the Philistines sent out, they were terrified.
He was a giant, more than nine feet tall, covered in armor. Just his armored shirt weighed over 150 pounds. His spear was longer than 10 feet and weighed more than 30 pounds. His name was Goliath, from the Philistine city of Gath, and he came into the valley between the two camps and shouted at Saul’s army, “Look at all of you lined up for battle. I’m a Philistine, aren’t I? And you’re in Saul’s army, right? Why don’t one of you come down here to fight me? If you kill me, we will be your slaves. But if I kill you, you will be our slaves. Come on, let’s fight, unless you are too afraid.”
No one from Saul’s army had the courage to face him in a fight. For forty days Goliath came out and taunted the Israelites and their God.
Jesse’s three oldest sons had been conscripted into Saul’s army and so David was splitting his time between serving Saul and tending his father’s sheep. Jesse told David, “When you return to Saul, take this food to your brothers and see how they are doing.”
When he reached the battleground and began to search for his brothers Goliath came out for his daily challenge and David heard it. Though the men shrunk bank at the sight of Goliath they were also all thinking of the untold riches they would receive for killing him.
But David’s only question was, “Who is this man that insults the army of God?”
His older brother got angry at his brother’s words and said to him, “Why did you even come here? Who’s watching the sheep? I know why you’re here you arrogant little pest. You just want to watch the battle.”
David replied defensively, “What did I do? What, I can’t even speak my mind?” Then he continued speaking with the soldiers about the situation. Word soon came to Saul of what David was saying and he was brought before him. David said, “We shouldn’t be scared of this Philistine. I will fight him myself.”
Saul replied, “You can’t defeat him. You aren’t even fully grown and you’re untrained while he has been a warrior since he was young.
But David replied, “I protect my father’s sheep. If a wild animal came I would pursue it and attack it to protect the flock. If the beast attacked me, I killed it. With God’s help, I have killed the fiercest animals in the land and this Philistine will be the same because he mocks the armies of Yahweh.
Saul said, “Go then with my blessing,” and then dressed David in his own armor. But it was so bulky David could barely move in it, so he removed the armor and went out to the battlefield in only his clothes. Along the way, he selected five smooth stones and took them along with his sling and staff.
As he approached Goliath the giant laughed, saying, “Am I a dog that you are trying to beat me with sticks? You and your god are pathetic. I will feed you to the birds.”
David replied, “You come at me with a sword and spear, but I come at you in the name of the one true God who you have mocked. Today, Yahweh will defeat you. Today, I will knock you to the ground and kill you and your body will feed the birds. Today, everyone will know that Yahweh is the God of Israel and that Israel was not saved by the strength of our weapons, but by the power of Yahweh.”
As Goliath moved to attack, David took one of the stones he had gathered and put it in his sling. Spinning it over his head he let it loose and struck Goliath in the forehead with such miraculous force and precision that he was immediately knocked unconscious. David then ran over to him and drew Goliath’s sword from its sheath and killed the giant. Seeing their champion killed, the Philistines fled in terror with the Israelites pursuing them and striking down any they came upon.
David left the battlefield and returned to Saul’s palace and no longer returned to his father’s home. Returning to his quarters he sat down and wrote a psalm in honor of what Yahweh had done that day.
I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, with all my heart.
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and rejoice in you.
I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
Our God reigns forever.
Our God sits on the throne of judgment.
Our God rules the world in righteousness.
Our God judges all people with holiness.
Those who are oppressed take refuge in you.
Those who face times of trouble find you are their stronghold.
Those who know your name trust in you,
Those who seek you have never been forsaken.
The wicked have fallen into the pit they have dug;
The wicked are caught in the net they have hidden.
The wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,
Let them be ever thwarted, for they have forgotten God.
Let them be judged in your presence.
Let them be stricken with terror.
Let them know they are only mortal.
You have destroyed the wicked.
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
You have brought ruin upon them.
You have uprooted their cities.
In his years at the palace, David formed a deep friendship with Saul’s son Jonathan. They were united in spirit and Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. He would give his own clothes and weapons to David, gifts fit for a prince and made a covenant of unbreakable friendship with him.
In this time, David also developed into a skilled warrior and every mission he was sent on was successful. Saul was pleased with his success and he quickly rose through the ranks of the army. But after David’s return from a mission, Saul heard some women who were watching his triumphant return start to sing, “Saul has defeated thousands, but David, tens of thousands.”
This perceived disrespect made Saul furious and he said to himself, “The glory I am owed has been given to David. The only thing he doesn’t have is my kingdom.” And at that moment he became forever suspicious of David. The very next day Saul’s spirit was being tormented and he was in a foul mood. But when David played for him, he grabbed a spear and threw it, hoping to kill his perceived rival.
David fled from Saul’s presence and when he was alone gave voice to his disillusionment at Saul’s sudden change of heart by writing a psalm:
How can you say to me, “flee, like a bird, to the mountain?”
For the wicked bend their bows and nock their arrows,
That they may secretly pierce the heart of the upright.
Yahweh sits, in heaven, upon a throne:
Yahweh’s eyes see and search all humanity.
Yahweh examines the righteous but hates the violence of the wicked.
Upon the wicked, Yahweh will rain a firestorm.
This will be the cup that they drink,
But the righteous will see the loving face of God.
Saul knew In his heart that the Spirit of God was no longer with him, having instead passed to David, and it filled him with dread. “I won’t kill him,” he thought, “I’ll let the Philistines do that for me.” So he feigned at making peace with David for a time, though only for the purpose of sending him on repeated suicide missions. But because David was under the protection of Yahweh, his every mission was a success. His repeated military victories caused the people to love David all the more and made Saul’s fear of him continue to grow.
As his fame and stature grew, Saul’s daughter Michal fell in love with David. When she told her father he thought to himself, “I will offer her in marriage that I might be able to use her against David.” He then said to one of his servants, “Speak to David privately and say, ‘The king likes you. You should marry Michal and become his son-in-law.’”
But when the attendant said this to David he replied, “This is no trifle. I am just a poor man from an unimportant family. Who am I that I should be the son-in-law of the king?”
The attendant delivered David’s response and Saul then told his servant to say to David, “If this is how you value yourself, the king is prepared to have you earn the right to marry his daughter. One hundred dead Philistine soldiers is the price.” He made this offer in the hopes that David would be killed in battle.
David agreed though he felt the price was too low and instead defeated 200 philistines in battle. After he had earned the right he and Michal were married. Though David was now his son-in-law, Saul remained his enemy for the rest of his life. It was out of this enmity that Saul ordered Jonathan and his servants to find a way to kill David, but Jonathan’s loyalty to David could not be overcome, even by his own father, and he warned his friend of the plot, saying, “I want you to hide until after tomorrow. I will talk with my father and see if I can talk some sense into him.”
The next day, he said to Saul, “Don’t wrong your servant David like this. He has never done anything to deserve your hatred, in fact, he has been a great asset to you. He has risked his life for you and the kingdom so why would you kill an innocent man?”
Saul said, “Before Yahweh, I promise I will not have David killed.” So Jonathan brought David back and he was reconciled with Saul. But even though David continued to defeat Saul’s enemies his hatred remained and once again as David sang for him, he attempted to kill him. Escaping the attack, David fled to his house with Michal.
But this time Saul would not be so easily mollified and sent soldiers to wait outside David’s house and kill him when he came out. Michal said to David, “You need to escape tonight or tomorrow you will be killed.” She found a window in their house that was not being watched and helped David escape under cover of darkness.
When the soldiers finally learned of David’s escape, Saul said to Michal, “Why did you help my enemy escape?”
“He said he was worried I would be killed if he remained and escaped out a window,” she replied.
As Michal was being questioned David fled to Samuel and told him everything that had happened. Samuel gave David a place to stay and once again David found a psalm rising up from his heart:
Deliver me from my enemies, God.
Defend me from those that rise up against me.
Deliver me from evildoers, and save me from violent men.
Because of your strength, I will trust in you: for you are my defense.
Merciful God, protect me, give me justice in the face of my enemies.
Do not kill them, instead scatter them by your power.
The mighty conspire against me,
not for any evil that I have done, Yahweh.
They lie in wait, preparing themselves against me, see for yourself.
Look what comes out of their mouths,
swords are in their lips for they believe no one will hear their plotting.
But you hear, Yahweh, and you will scorn the wicked.
O God, the shield of Israel,
For the evil words on their lips and the cursing and lies that they speak,
let them be trapped by their own pride.
Let them feel your wrath,
Let them know that Yahweh rules in Israel
until the end of the world.
I will sing of your mercy in the morning:
for you have been my defense and refuge in my times of trouble.
Unto you, my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense.
Sometime later, David secretly returned to Jonathan and asked, “What did I do? What crime have I committed? Why is your father trying to kill me?”
But Jonathan replied, “No, he’s not going to kill you. He doesn’t do anything without talking to me about it. Why would he keep this from me? It’s not true.”
“Your father knows we are friends. He doesn’t want you to know, but I’m telling you that I am in great danger.”
“Whatever you need me to do, I will do,” Jonathan promised.
“I was scheduled to have dinner with your father tonight and tomorrow. I will go and hide in a nearby field. If your father asks where I am on the second day, tell him I have gone to my hometown to be with my family. If he takes this news well, you will know I am not in any danger. But if he loses his temper you know he wants me dead. As for you, if you think I have done anything to deserve his anger, you can kill me yourself.”
Jonathan replied, “Never! If I had any suspicion that my father wanted you dead, I would tell you. I swear before Yahweh that I will find out the truth. But promise me that we will stay friends forever.”
“How will you tell me what your father says?” David asked.
“After I have learned what my father’s intentions are I will take my bow and go to the field where you are hiding. I will fire my arrows and send a boy to go and retrieve him. If I say, ‘the arrows are near you,’ then you know you are safe. But if I say, ‘keep going, the arrows are past you,’ then you know you are in danger and must flee.”
So after two days of David being absent, Saul asked Jonathan, “Why has David been absent from our table these two days?” Jonathan told Saul the story he had discussed with David and Saul became furious and yelled, “I know you are loyal to David. You have dishonored your family and you should be ashamed of yourself. Don’t you get it? As long as David lives you will never be king. Now someone find him so I can kill him!”
“Why should David die? What has he done?”
But Saul was so enraged that he threw his spear at Jonathan. At that moment Jonathan knew there was no hope for David to be reconciled with Saul. He angrily left the table ashamed of his father. The next day he took a servant boy with him to the field where David was hiding and shot his arrows. David soon heard Jonathan say, “keep going, the arrows are past you.”
After the boy retrieved the arrows Jonathan had him return his bow to the palace. Once the boy had left, David came out of his hiding spot and bowed before Jonathan. The two best friends embraced each other, cried deeply, and said goodbye to each other.
So Samuel traveled to Bethlehem and invited Jesse and his family to participate in a sacrifice with him. When he saw Jesse’s oldest son he thought to himself, “Look at him! This must be who Yahweh has chosen.”
But Yahweh said to Samuel, “I have not chosen him, for I do not see as humanity sees. You look at the outward appearance, but I look into the heart.”
Samuel looked over seven of Jesse’s sons, but Yahweh did not choose any of them. So Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all of your sons?”
Jesse replied, “Well the youngest, David, is out looking after our sheep.”
“Go and get him. We can’t continue until he is here.”
When he arrived from the field, Yahweh immediately told Samuel, “Get up and anoint him. This is the one I have chosen.” Samuel poured the finest oil on David’s head and anointed him as he had done with Saul. At that moment the Spirit of God left Saul and went into David.
Because the Spirit of God, which had protected Saul’s heart for so long had left him, Satan’s demons, who had long desired him, were now free to torment the king. Saul would have periods of great irritability and irrationality. Hoping music would soothe his soul his advisers sought someone who could play music for him. One of Saul’s advisors knew Jesse’s family and had heard that David was a skilled musician, so they sent word that he was to travel from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. When he arrived and began to play, Saul immediately took a liking to him and asked Jesse if David could stay at the palace permanently. Jesse agreed and so David became a minstrel to the king. Whenever he played his music, Saul’s mood quickly improved because the Spirit of God could be felt in the very notes he played. Indeed Saul was so taken with David that after a short time, he was given a position of honor as Saul’s armor-bearer.
It was during this time that the Philistines regrouped and prepared for another war with Israel. Saul’s army came out to meet them and the two groups were each positioned on adjacent hills with a valley between them. Now, rather than have their entire armies battle the Philistines instead used an ancient tradition of sending out a single champion to decide the entire battle against Israel’s champion. But when the Israelites saw the champion the Philistines sent out, they were terrified.
He was a giant, more than nine feet tall, covered in armor. Just his armored shirt weighed over 150 pounds. His spear was longer than 10 feet and weighed more than 30 pounds. His name was Goliath, from the Philistine city of Gath, and he came into the valley between the two camps and shouted at Saul’s army, “Look at all of you lined up for battle. I’m a Philistine, aren’t I? And you’re in Saul’s army, right? Why don’t one of you come down here to fight me? If you kill me, we will be your slaves. But if I kill you, you will be our slaves. Come on, let’s fight, unless you are too afraid.”
No one from Saul’s army had the courage to face him in a fight. For forty days Goliath came out and taunted the Israelites and their God.
Jesse’s three oldest sons had been conscripted into Saul’s army and so David was splitting his time between serving Saul and tending his father’s sheep. Jesse told David, “When you return to Saul, take this food to your brothers and see how they are doing.”
When he reached the battleground and began to search for his brothers Goliath came out for his daily challenge and David heard it. Though the men shrunk bank at the sight of Goliath they were also all thinking of the untold riches they would receive for killing him.
But David’s only question was, “Who is this man that insults the army of God?”
His older brother got angry at his brother’s words and said to him, “Why did you even come here? Who’s watching the sheep? I know why you’re here you arrogant little pest. You just want to watch the battle.”
David replied defensively, “What did I do? What, I can’t even speak my mind?” Then he continued speaking with the soldiers about the situation. Word soon came to Saul of what David was saying and he was brought before him. David said, “We shouldn’t be scared of this Philistine. I will fight him myself.”
Saul replied, “You can’t defeat him. You aren’t even fully grown and you’re untrained while he has been a warrior since he was young.
But David replied, “I protect my father’s sheep. If a wild animal came I would pursue it and attack it to protect the flock. If the beast attacked me, I killed it. With God’s help, I have killed the fiercest animals in the land and this Philistine will be the same because he mocks the armies of Yahweh.
Saul said, “Go then with my blessing,” and then dressed David in his own armor. But it was so bulky David could barely move in it, so he removed the armor and went out to the battlefield in only his clothes. Along the way, he selected five smooth stones and took them along with his sling and staff.
As he approached Goliath the giant laughed, saying, “Am I a dog that you are trying to beat me with sticks? You and your god are pathetic. I will feed you to the birds.”
David replied, “You come at me with a sword and spear, but I come at you in the name of the one true God who you have mocked. Today, Yahweh will defeat you. Today, I will knock you to the ground and kill you and your body will feed the birds. Today, everyone will know that Yahweh is the God of Israel and that Israel was not saved by the strength of our weapons, but by the power of Yahweh.”
As Goliath moved to attack, David took one of the stones he had gathered and put it in his sling. Spinning it over his head he let it loose and struck Goliath in the forehead with such miraculous force and precision that he was immediately knocked unconscious. David then ran over to him and drew Goliath’s sword from its sheath and killed the giant. Seeing their champion killed, the Philistines fled in terror with the Israelites pursuing them and striking down any they came upon.
David left the battlefield and returned to Saul’s palace and no longer returned to his father’s home. Returning to his quarters he sat down and wrote a psalm in honor of what Yahweh had done that day.
I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, with all my heart.
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and rejoice in you.
I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
Our God reigns forever.
Our God sits on the throne of judgment.
Our God rules the world in righteousness.
Our God judges all people with holiness.
Those who are oppressed take refuge in you.
Those who face times of trouble find you are their stronghold.
Those who know your name trust in you,
Those who seek you have never been forsaken.
The wicked have fallen into the pit they have dug;
The wicked are caught in the net they have hidden.
The wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,
Let them be ever thwarted, for they have forgotten God.
Let them be judged in your presence.
Let them be stricken with terror.
Let them know they are only mortal.
You have destroyed the wicked.
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
You have brought ruin upon them.
You have uprooted their cities.
In his years at the palace, David formed a deep friendship with Saul’s son Jonathan. They were united in spirit and Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. He would give his own clothes and weapons to David, gifts fit for a prince and made a covenant of unbreakable friendship with him.
In this time, David also developed into a skilled warrior and every mission he was sent on was successful. Saul was pleased with his success and he quickly rose through the ranks of the army. But after David’s return from a mission, Saul heard some women who were watching his triumphant return start to sing, “Saul has defeated thousands, but David, tens of thousands.”
This perceived disrespect made Saul furious and he said to himself, “The glory I am owed has been given to David. The only thing he doesn’t have is my kingdom.” And at that moment he became forever suspicious of David. The very next day Saul’s spirit was being tormented and he was in a foul mood. But when David played for him, he grabbed a spear and threw it, hoping to kill his perceived rival.
David fled from Saul’s presence and when he was alone gave voice to his disillusionment at Saul’s sudden change of heart by writing a psalm:
How can you say to me, “flee, like a bird, to the mountain?”
For the wicked bend their bows and nock their arrows,
That they may secretly pierce the heart of the upright.
Yahweh sits, in heaven, upon a throne:
Yahweh’s eyes see and search all humanity.
Yahweh examines the righteous but hates the violence of the wicked.
Upon the wicked, Yahweh will rain a firestorm.
This will be the cup that they drink,
But the righteous will see the loving face of God.
Saul knew In his heart that the Spirit of God was no longer with him, having instead passed to David, and it filled him with dread. “I won’t kill him,” he thought, “I’ll let the Philistines do that for me.” So he feigned at making peace with David for a time, though only for the purpose of sending him on repeated suicide missions. But because David was under the protection of Yahweh, his every mission was a success. His repeated military victories caused the people to love David all the more and made Saul’s fear of him continue to grow.
As his fame and stature grew, Saul’s daughter Michal fell in love with David. When she told her father he thought to himself, “I will offer her in marriage that I might be able to use her against David.” He then said to one of his servants, “Speak to David privately and say, ‘The king likes you. You should marry Michal and become his son-in-law.’”
But when the attendant said this to David he replied, “This is no trifle. I am just a poor man from an unimportant family. Who am I that I should be the son-in-law of the king?”
The attendant delivered David’s response and Saul then told his servant to say to David, “If this is how you value yourself, the king is prepared to have you earn the right to marry his daughter. One hundred dead Philistine soldiers is the price.” He made this offer in the hopes that David would be killed in battle.
David agreed though he felt the price was too low and instead defeated 200 philistines in battle. After he had earned the right he and Michal were married. Though David was now his son-in-law, Saul remained his enemy for the rest of his life. It was out of this enmity that Saul ordered Jonathan and his servants to find a way to kill David, but Jonathan’s loyalty to David could not be overcome, even by his own father, and he warned his friend of the plot, saying, “I want you to hide until after tomorrow. I will talk with my father and see if I can talk some sense into him.”
The next day, he said to Saul, “Don’t wrong your servant David like this. He has never done anything to deserve your hatred, in fact, he has been a great asset to you. He has risked his life for you and the kingdom so why would you kill an innocent man?”
Saul said, “Before Yahweh, I promise I will not have David killed.” So Jonathan brought David back and he was reconciled with Saul. But even though David continued to defeat Saul’s enemies his hatred remained and once again as David sang for him, he attempted to kill him. Escaping the attack, David fled to his house with Michal.
But this time Saul would not be so easily mollified and sent soldiers to wait outside David’s house and kill him when he came out. Michal said to David, “You need to escape tonight or tomorrow you will be killed.” She found a window in their house that was not being watched and helped David escape under cover of darkness.
When the soldiers finally learned of David’s escape, Saul said to Michal, “Why did you help my enemy escape?”
“He said he was worried I would be killed if he remained and escaped out a window,” she replied.
As Michal was being questioned David fled to Samuel and told him everything that had happened. Samuel gave David a place to stay and once again David found a psalm rising up from his heart:
Deliver me from my enemies, God.
Defend me from those that rise up against me.
Deliver me from evildoers, and save me from violent men.
Because of your strength, I will trust in you: for you are my defense.
Merciful God, protect me, give me justice in the face of my enemies.
Do not kill them, instead scatter them by your power.
The mighty conspire against me,
not for any evil that I have done, Yahweh.
They lie in wait, preparing themselves against me, see for yourself.
Look what comes out of their mouths,
swords are in their lips for they believe no one will hear their plotting.
But you hear, Yahweh, and you will scorn the wicked.
O God, the shield of Israel,
For the evil words on their lips and the cursing and lies that they speak,
let them be trapped by their own pride.
Let them feel your wrath,
Let them know that Yahweh rules in Israel
until the end of the world.
I will sing of your mercy in the morning:
for you have been my defense and refuge in my times of trouble.
Unto you, my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense.
Sometime later, David secretly returned to Jonathan and asked, “What did I do? What crime have I committed? Why is your father trying to kill me?”
But Jonathan replied, “No, he’s not going to kill you. He doesn’t do anything without talking to me about it. Why would he keep this from me? It’s not true.”
“Your father knows we are friends. He doesn’t want you to know, but I’m telling you that I am in great danger.”
“Whatever you need me to do, I will do,” Jonathan promised.
“I was scheduled to have dinner with your father tonight and tomorrow. I will go and hide in a nearby field. If your father asks where I am on the second day, tell him I have gone to my hometown to be with my family. If he takes this news well, you will know I am not in any danger. But if he loses his temper you know he wants me dead. As for you, if you think I have done anything to deserve his anger, you can kill me yourself.”
Jonathan replied, “Never! If I had any suspicion that my father wanted you dead, I would tell you. I swear before Yahweh that I will find out the truth. But promise me that we will stay friends forever.”
“How will you tell me what your father says?” David asked.
“After I have learned what my father’s intentions are I will take my bow and go to the field where you are hiding. I will fire my arrows and send a boy to go and retrieve him. If I say, ‘the arrows are near you,’ then you know you are safe. But if I say, ‘keep going, the arrows are past you,’ then you know you are in danger and must flee.”
So after two days of David being absent, Saul asked Jonathan, “Why has David been absent from our table these two days?” Jonathan told Saul the story he had discussed with David and Saul became furious and yelled, “I know you are loyal to David. You have dishonored your family and you should be ashamed of yourself. Don’t you get it? As long as David lives you will never be king. Now someone find him so I can kill him!”
“Why should David die? What has he done?”
But Saul was so enraged that he threw his spear at Jonathan. At that moment Jonathan knew there was no hope for David to be reconciled with Saul. He angrily left the table ashamed of his father. The next day he took a servant boy with him to the field where David was hiding and shot his arrows. David soon heard Jonathan say, “keep going, the arrows are past you.”
After the boy retrieved the arrows Jonathan had him return his bow to the palace. Once the boy had left, David came out of his hiding spot and bowed before Jonathan. The two best friends embraced each other, cried deeply, and said goodbye to each other.
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