Saul Makes Further Attempts On David's Life (1 Samuel 19:8-17).
David's great success in the wars with the Philistines continued so that Israel continued to enjoy their freedom from oppression. And when battle was again joined Israel were victorious and slew many Philistines with the result that the Philistines, thoroughly defeated, fled from David. But this further success would raise David's standing even more in the eyes of all Israel and it thus appears to have brought on another bout of Saul's illness. (Of course we cannot just directly relate the illness with particular events. The illness was permanent and could affect Saul at any time. But bouts of such illness can certainly be triggered off by particular events). It was not, however, only his illness that caused the problems. Part of the blame rested on Saul's obsession with the kingship and his extreme jealousy, both of which helped to trigger off the illness, and were then symptomatic of it. And the result was to be a determined and sustained attempt on David's life.
Saul Seeks To Pin David To The Wall (1 Samuel 19:8-10).
The first attempt to kill David followed the pattern of previous wild attempts. It was probably not premeditated but occurred as passion was aroused in Saul, for as David played for him in order to soothe him his jealousy over the latest reports of David's successes, no doubt accompanied by glowing praise of David, got the better of him. And he raised his ceremonial spear and tried to spit David with it.
Analysis.
a And there was war again, and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled before him (1 Samuel 19:8).
b And an evil spirit from YHWH was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing with his hand (1 Samuel 19:9).
a And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the spear into the wall, and David fled, and escaped that night (1 Samuel 19:10).
Note that in ‘a' the Philistines flee from David, and in the parallel David flees from Saul. (The incongruity of the situation is quite clear). Central in ‘b' is the fact that David is seeking to do good to Saul. Note how two of Jonathan's four points in defence of David are being revealed here, his defeating of the Philistines and his doing of good towards Saul.
‘ And there was war again, and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him.'
Once again the Philistines appear to have encroached on Israel, with the result that David went out and fought with them, and utterly routed them. With a general like David as his son-in-law Saul clearly did not see any need for himself or Jonathan to be involved. Besides the invading party may not have been a full-scale one. But whatever was the case it could only enhance David's prestige.
We should note that the writer continually wants us to see that the Spirit of YHWH is still on David, and that that is why he is now the Deliverer of Israel, while Saul has been thrust into the background. Furthermore it emphasises the truth of Jonathan's defence of David above. But one of the dangers of being a success is that it arouses the envy of lesser men, and that was what happened in this case.
‘ And an evil spirit from YHWH was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing with his hand.'
The consequence of David's success and Saul's bitter jealousy was that it brought on a further heightening of Saul's illness. A harmful spirit was aroused within him, and because all things are in God's hands it could be described as ‘from God'. So suffering again from delusion and paranoia he sat in his palace with his spear of authority in his hand, calling on David to come and play for him. And as he played Saul eyed him and saw in him the great enemy. It is always difficult to know what people with Saul's illness will do next, but David had already had experience of what a moody Saul could do, and was ready for what did happen next.
“Playing with his hand.” It was thus a harp like instrument. There may be intended the thought that David's hand was acting innocently, while the hand that was gripping Saul's spear had other intent.
‘ And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the spear into the wall, and David fled, and escaped that night.'
Suddenly, probably with a mad and wild look in his eyes (a pattern common with such people), Saul raised his spear and sought to pin David to the wall. He would make no attempt to hide his intention or to act subtly. This was no carefully planned attempt at murder by an experienced warrior but rather a blatant and crude action from a perverted mind which would have been well advertised. Saul had once again decided that he wanted to see David's blood, and he made no secret of it. And he also wanted to rid himself of this enemy. But David was able to see what was coming in plenty of time, avoid the blow and flee, thus escaping that night. This is the first major example of David fleeing before Saul (contrast 1 Samuel 7 c and see 1Sa 19:18; 1 Samuel 20:1. Note further 1 Samuel 19:12, but that is in the middle of a passage).
In fact 1 Samuel 20:33 suggests that this use by Saul of his ceremonial spear was a ‘normal' practise when Saul was in this state and became angry. It had thus probably also been experienced by a number of his other courtiers, which would help to explain why David did not see it as indicating that Saul was particularly venomous towards him.