"You S.O.P.R.W.!"

So, following David’s triumph, is Saul grateful? Well, yea, but also consumed with jealousy by his enormous popularity, even with his own son, Jonathan. “Jonathan became one in spirit with David and made a covenant with him because he loved him as himself. He took off his robe and gave it to David, along with his tunic, even his sword, his bow and his belt.” All I can say is, wow. And…hmmm.

Saul concocts an elaborate scheme to get David killed by offering him his daughter’s hand in marriage by telling him the price will be 100 Philistines’ foreskins. Ew. The idea here is that surely David will be killed in battle. Nope. David kills 200 Ph. for good measure and brings back assigned booty. Jeeze…

Even with David now his son-in-law, Saul remains jealous and afraid of him for the rest of his life. He fails at many attempts to kill David, who, with Jonathan’s help, escapes. Like a scene in a B movie, his wife even hides a makeshift dummy with goats’ hair to make it look like he’s sleeping.

“You son of a perverse and rebellious woman!” (an early forerunner to S.O.B.) Saul yells at Jonathan.

But Jonathan “had David reaffirm his oath of love for him because he loved him as himself.”

David flees to Gath but the king there feels threatened by him so he acts insane, “making marks on the side of the gate and letting saliva drool down his beard.” Ech. This David is one creative dude.

Saul continues to pursue David and kills whole villages along the way when they have helped him.

Here’s a twist of logic: David feels real badly about one threatened tribe and he tells one person, “Stay with me; don’t be afraid; the man who is seeking your life is seeking mine also. You will be safe with me.” Huh? What makes you think so? Oh, maybe the whole Goliath moment.

Anyway the next several pages are one incident after another of Saul pursuing David and him getting away, until David is in the position of killing Saul and he does not. He confronts him and appeals to his reason and better nature and they reconcile.

I think they lived happily ever after, but we’ll see.

Samuel dies; he is mourned by all. Yet, the whole next book is Samuel II. Seems this should all be titled after David because he really is the primary focus.

Confession #93: I am not trying to stir the pot, but I read Jonathan’s feelings for David being more than platonic. Ironically, a Jewish friend of mine recently mentioned Jonathan and she said, “He was gay, you know.” Well, how about that? And yet, if so, this is portrayed in the most positive and loving way, as he saves David over and over and “the two of them make a covenant before the Lord.” That could be any kind of promise. Regardless of the depth and nature of their relationship, I like seeing such a close bond between men.

Confession #94: I find Saul’s destructive jealousy of David quite revealing of an element of humans. It makes me wonder, is the mentor, teacher, parent, superior, ever REALLY happy when the subordinate exceeds his own achievements or popularity?