David Continues To Prosper (1 Samuel 18:28-30).
Saul continued to recognise that YHWH was with David, and was thus all the more afraid of him because he saw in him a potential threat to his throne, and especially to his descendants' likelihood of inheriting it (1 Samuel 20:31). The result was that he continually looked on David with enmity. In contrast, however, his daughter loved David, and meanwhile David continued to prosper and behave sanguinely, and was so successful that he outdid all Saul's other servants, and became a name in the land as a successful commander against the Philistines.
‘ And Saul saw and knew that YHWH was with David, and Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.'
Aware of his own rejection by YHWH, and that an unknown successor had already been selected by YHWH, it galled him to see that YHWH was clearly with David. It must have raised the question in him as to whether David might be the successor that YHWH had in mind. Meanwhile Michal continued to love David, as did Jonathan (1 Samuel 18:1-4). (These swift contrasts are typical of the writer). Not all Saul's family were against him.
‘ And Saul was yet the more afraid of David, and Saul was David's enemy continually.'
And it was because of these fears that Saul was more and more afraid of David, and that he was continually David's enemy. He was obsessed with the thought that David was after his throne. We can note the growth of Saul's hostility through the chapter as he commenced by taking David into his court and ended by being his continual enemy:
· “And Saul took him that day and would let him go no more home to his father's house” (1 Samuel 18:2).
· “And Saul was very angry and this saying displeased him (that he had slain his thousand but that David had slain his ten thousands) -- and he eyed David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 18:8-9).
· “And Saul was afraid of David because YHWH was with him and had departed from Saul” (1 Samuel 18:12).
· “And when Saul saw that he behaved himself wisely he stood in awe of him” (1 Samuel 18:15).
· “And Saul saw and knew that YHWH was with him --- and was yet more afraid of David, and Saul was David's enemy continually” (1 Samuel 18:29).
So as David continually and successfully held the Philistines at bay, and became more and more popular, Saul's jealousy and enmity grew greater and greater.
‘ Then the princes of the Philistines went forth, and it came about that, as often as they went forth, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much set by.'
Meanwhile the Philistine aristocracy continued their assaults on Israel, but each time that they did so they discovered that David and his men were always a match for them because of David's astuteness, far more so than Saul's other commanders. And the consequence was that, young though he was, David's reputation grew and grew, resulting in his gaining great prestige. His name was found on everyone's lips, from the smallest to the greatest.