In pursuance of his intention to make another king, Samuel went under the pretence of a sacrifice, and anointed another country youth, which was David, the youngest son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite; and gave him the spirit of the Lord, which he had just taken from poor Saul. The king, in the mean time, reflecting on the precariousness of his situation, now that the priests, on the part of Samuel, were incensed against him; and well knowing their influence among his subjects, fell into a melancholy disorder of mind,* which his physicians were unable to remove.**
This was artfully made the occasion of introducing David to court. The king was advised to divert himself with music; and David was contrived to be recommended to him for his skill on the harp.*** Saul accordingly sent to Jesse, to request his son; which was immediately complied with: and David was detained at court, in the capacity of the king's armour-bearer.**** Here the story begins to grow confused, beyond lay-skill to reconcile. A war with the Philistines is abruptly introduced; in the midst of the relation of which, we are abruptly informed that David returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep(5) again; from whence his father sent him with provisions for his brothers, who were in the army.(6) What can be thought of this? Jesse hardly recalled his son from the honourable post of armour-bearer to the king; it is not likely that he was turned off, since we afterwards find him playing on the harp to the king, as before;(7) neither was it proper employment for the king's armour-bearer to be feeding sheep, when the army was in the field, and his majesty with them in person! Why—the most easy method is to take it as we find it; to suppose it to be right, and go quietly on with the story.
In the Philistine army was a man of extraordinary size, named Goliah, who came out of their camp, day by day, challenging and defying any one among the Hebrews to single combat, and to rest the decision of their quarrel upon the event; an offer which no one among the Israelites was hitherto found hardy enough to accept.(8)
*1 Sam. xvi. 14.
** Josephus.
*** 1 Sam. xvi. 18.
**** Ver. 21.
(5) Ch. xvii. 15.
(6) Ch. xvii. 17.
(7) Ch. xviii. 10.
(8) Ch. xvii. 4, &c.
David is said to have arrived at the army just as it was forming for engagement; at which time the giant advanced as before, with reproachful menaces; and, after having enquired carefully concerning what reward would be given to the conquerer of this giant, and learning that great riches and the king's daughter were to be the prizes of conquest, David courageously declared before Saul his acceptance of the challenge,* notwithstanding the contempt with which his offer had been treated.
Saul, relying on the youth's ardour and assurance of victory, girded his own armour on him:** but David put it off again, trusting entirely to a pouch of stones, and his own skill in slinging.*** The success answered his hopes, and stamped, what would otherwise have been deemed a rash undertaking, with a more respectable name; he knocked Goliath down with a stone; then ran in upon him, cut his head off with his own sword, and brought it triumphantly to the king of Israel.**** The consequence was the defeat of the 'Philistines.
Here we meet with another stumbling-block. For, though Saul, as has already been observed, had sent to Jesse expressly for his son David; though David had played to him on the harp; though Saul had again sent to Jesse, to desire that David might be permitted to stay with him; and in consequence of this had given him a military appointment about his person; though he had now a fresh conference with him; had just placed his own suit of armour on him; and though all the occurrences must have happened within a small space of time, yet his memory is made so to fail him on a sudden, that he knew nothing either of David, or his parentage! but while David went to meet the giant, he enquired of others, who proved as ignorant as himself, whose son(5) the stripling was? This stumbling-block must likewise be stepped over, for it is not removeable.
*1 Sam. xvii. 32.
** Ver. 38.
*** Ver. 40.
****Ver. 49.
(5) Ver. 55., Ch. xviii. 3.
The reputation which this gallant action procured to David, soon gained him advancement in the army, and a warm friendship with Saul's son, Jonathan. But the inordinate acclamations of the people, on account of the death of the Philistine giant, "Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands;"* a rhodomontade out of measure extravagant, when we compare the two subjects of the contrast, justly occasioned Saul to view David with a jealous eye. We have all the reason in the world to believe that Samuel and the priests made every possible advantage of an adventure so fortunate for their intended king, to improve his growing popularity, which even at its outset had so far exceeded all bounds of decency: "What," said Saul, "can he have more but the kingdom?"** and we may therefore conclude that the king saw enough to alarm him; for we are told, that "Saul eyed David from that day and forward,"***Thus we find that on the following day, while David played as usual on his harp before Saul, the king cast a javelin at him,**** which David avoided. Saul then made him captain over a thousand, saying, "Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him," an expression however which is evidently put into Saul's mouth, since it is impossible he could have made use of it openly. He made him the offer of his daughter Merab for his wife, in consequence of the defeat of Goliah; but she, we know not why, was given to another;(5) afterwards he gave him Michal: and David's modesty (6) on this occasion was incomparably well acted; he knowing himself, at the same time, to be secretly intended for the kingdom by Samuel.
Saul, upon reflection, concluding it dangerous to execute any open act of violence against this young hero, politically hoped to ensnare him, by exalting him high in favour, or to get rid of him by putting him upon his mettle, in performing feats of valour; for a deficiency of valour is not to be numbered among David's faults. It was with this view that the king yet required of him an hundred Philistine foreskins(7) as the condition of becoming his son-in-law. He produced double the number "in full tale."(8)