DAVID
hero,
just
as,
in
days
to
come,
men
would
have
pictured
him
whose
whole
reign
from
beginning
to
end
was
characterized
by
war.
David's
victory
over
Goliath
had
a
twofold
result;
firstly,
the
heroic
deed
called
forth
the
admiration,
which
soon
became
love,
of
the
king's
son
Jonathan;
a
covenant
of
friendship
was
made
between
the
two,
in
token
of
which,
and
in
ratification
of
which,
Jonathan
took
off
his
apparel
and
armour
and
presented
David
with
them.
This
friendship
lasted
till
the
death
of
Jonathan,
and
David's
pathetic
lamentation
over
him
(2
S
la-w)
points
to
the
reality
of
their
love.
But
secondly,
it
had
the
effect
of
arousing
Saul's
envy
;
a
not
wholly
unnatural
feeling,
considering
the
estimation
in
which
David
was
held
by
the
people
in
consequence
of
his
victory;
the
adage
—
assuredly
one
of
the
most
ancient
authentic
fragments
of
the
history
of
the
time
—
'Saul
hath
slain
his
thousands.
And.
David
his
ten
thousands
was
not
flattering
to
one
who
had,
in
days
gone
by,
been
Israel's
foremost
warrior.
For
the
present,
however,
Saul
conceals
his
real
feeUngs
(1
S
IS'"-
"
are
evidently
out
of
place),
intending
to
rid
himself
of
David
in
such
a
way
that
no
blame
would
seem
to
attach
itself
to
him.
In
fulfilment
of
his
promise
to
the
slayer
of
Goliath,
he
.expresses
his
intention
of
giving
-his
daughter
Michal
fo
David
tor
his
wife;
but
as
David
brings
no
dowry,
—
according
to
Hebrew
custom,
—
'Saul
lays
upon
him
conditions
of
a
scandalous
character
(1
S
IS'*-
^),
hoping
that,
in
attempting
to
fulfil
them,
David
may
lose
his
life.
The
scheme
falls,
and
David
receives
Michai
to
wife.
A
further
attempt
to
be
rid
of
David
is
frustrated
by
Jonathan
(19'-'),
and
at
last
Saul
himself
tries
to
kill
him
by
throwing
a
javelin
at
him
whilst
playing
on
his
harp;
again
he
fails,
for
David
nimbly
avoids
the
javeUn,
and
escapes
to
his
own
house.
Thither
Saul
sends
men
to
kill
him,
but
with
the
help
of
his
wife
he
again
escapes,
and
flees
to
Ramah
to
seek
counsel
from
Samuel.
On
Samuel's
advice,
apparently,
he
goes
to
Jonathan
by
stealth
to
see
if
there
is
any
possibiUty
of
a
reconciliation
with
the
king;
Jonathan
does
his
best,
but
in
vain
(20'-*'),
and
David
reahzes
that
his
life
will
be
in
danger
so
long
as
he
is
anywhere
within
reach
of
Saul
or
his
emissaries.
2.
David
as
an
outlaw.—
As
in
the
case
of
the
earlier
period
of
David's
life,
the
records
of
this
second
period
consist
of
a
number
of
fragments
from
different
sources,
not
very
skilfully
put
together.
We
can
do
no
more
here
than
enumerate
briefly
the
various
localities
in
which
David
sought
refuge
from
Saul's
vindictiveness,
pointing
out
at
the
same
time
the
more
important
episodes
of
his
outlaw
life.
David
flies
first
of
all
to
Nob,
the
priestly
city;
his
stay
here
is,
however,
of
short
duration,
for
he
is
seen
by
Doeg,
one
of
Saul's
followers.
Taking
the
sword
of
his
late
antagonist,
Goliath,
which
was
wrapped
in
a
cloth
behind
the
ephod,
he
makes
for
Gath,
hoping
to
find
refuge
on
foreign
soil;
but
he
is
recognized
by
the
PhiUstines,
and
fearing
that
they
would
take
vengeance
on
him
for
killing
their
hero
Goliath,
he
simulates
madness
(ct.
Ps
34
title),
—
a
disease
which
by
the
Oriental
(even
to-day
by
the
Bedouin)
is
looked
upon
as
something
sacrosanct.
By
this
means
he
finds
it
easy
enough
to
make
his
escape,
and
comes
to
the
'cave
of
Adullam.'
Here
his
relations
come
to
him,
and
he
gathers
together
a
band
of
desperadoes,
who
make
him
their
captain.
Finding
that
this
kind
of
life
is
unfitted
for
his
parents,
he
takes
them
to
Mizpeh
and
confides
them
to
the
care
of
the
king
of
Moab.
On
his
return
he
is
advised
by
the
prophet
Gad
(doubtless
because
he
had
found
out
that
Saul
had
received
information
of
David's
where-abouts)
to
leave
the
stronghold;
he
therefore
takes
refuge
in
the
forest
of
Hereth.
While
hiding
here,
news
is
brought
to
him
that
the
Philistines
are
fighting
DAVID
against
Keilah;
he
hastens
to
succour
the
inhabitants
by
attacking
the
Philistines;
these
he
overcomes
with
great
slaughter,
and
thereupon
he
takes
up
his
abode
in
Keilah.
In
the
meantime
Saul's
spies
discover
the
whereabouts
of
the
fugitive,
and
David,
fearing
that
the
men
of
KeUah
will
deliver
him
up
to
his
enemy,
escapes
with
his
followers
to
the
hill-country
in
the
wil-derness
of
Ziph.
A
very
vigorous
pursuit
is
now
under-
taken
by
Saul,
who
seems
determined
to
catch
the
elusive
fugitive,
and
the
chase
is
carried
on
among
the
wilds
of
Ziph,
Moon,
and
Engedi.
[Some
por-tions
of
the
narrative
here
seem
to
be
told
twice
over
with
varying
detail
(cf.
1
S
23i"-
with
26i«-,
and
24i«-
with
26").]
It
is
during
these
wanderings
that
Saul
falls
into
the
power
of
David,
but
is
mag-nanimously
spared.
The
episode
connected
with
David's
dealings
with
Nabal,
and
his
taking
Abigail
and
Ahinoam
for
his
wives,
also
falls
within
this
period
(1
S
24.
25.
26).
At
one
time
there
seemed
to
be
some
hope
of
reconciliation
between
Saul
and
David
(26'"-
"s),
but
evidently
this
was
short-lived,
for
soon
afterwards
David
escapes
once
more,
and
comes
with
six
hundred
followers
to
the
court
of
Achish,
king
of
Gath.
This
time
Achish
welcomes
him
as
an
ally
and
gives
him
the
city
of
Ziklag.
David
settles
in
Ziklag,
and
stays
there
for
a
year
and
four
months
(27'),
occupying
the
time
by
fighting
against
the
enemies
of
his
country,
the
Geshurites,
Amalekites,
etc.
At
the
end
of
this
time,
war
again
breaks
out
between
the
Israelites
and
the
Philistines.
The
question
arises
whether
David
shall
join
with
the
forces
of
Achish
against
the
Israelites;
David
himself
seems
willing
to
fight
on
the
side
of
the
PhUistines
(29^),
but
the
princes
of
the
PhiUstines,
rightly
or
wrongly,
suspect
treachery
on
his
part,
and
at
the
request
of
Achish
he
returns
to
Ziklag.
On
his
arrival
here
he
finds
that
the
place
has
been
sacked
by
the
Amalekites,
and
forthwith
he
sets
out
to
take
revenge.
This
is
ample
and
complete;
part
of
the
spoil
which
he
acquires
he
sends
as
a
present
to
the
elders
of
Judah
and
to
his
friends
(30"-''),
a
fact
which
shows
that
there
was
a
party
favourable
to
him
in
Judah;
and
this
was
possibly
the
reason
and
justifi-cation
of
the
mistrust
of
the
Philistine
princes
just
mentioned.
In
the
meantime
the
war
between
Israel
and
the
Philistines
ends
disastrously
for
the
former,
and
Saul
and
Jonathan
are
slain.
David
receives
news
of
this
during
his
sojourn
in
Ziklag.
With
this
ends
the
outlaw
life
of
David,
for,
leaving
Ziklag,
he
comes
to
Hebron,
where
the
men
of
Judah
anoint
him
king
(2
S
2«).
3.
David
as
king.
—
(a)
Internal
affairs.
—
For
the
first
seven
years
of
his
reign
David
made
Hebron
his
capital.
In
spite
of
his
evident
desire
to
make
peace
with
the
followers
of
Saul
(2
S
9),
it
was
but
natural
that
a
vigorous
attempt
should
be
made
to
uphold
the
dynasty
of
the
late
king,
at
all
events
in
Israel,
as
distinct
from
Judah
(see
Ishbosheth).
It
is
there-fore
just
what^we
should
expect
when
we
read
that
'
there
was
long
war
between
the
house
of
Saul
and
the
house
of
David'
(3').
The
final
victory
lay
with
David,
and
in
due
time
the
elders
of
Israel
came.
to
him
in
Hebron
and
anointed
him
their
Idng.
As
ruler
over
the
whole
land
David
realized
the
need
of
a
more
central
capital;
he
fixed
on
Jerusalem,
which
he
conquered
from
the
Jebusites,
and
founded
the
royal
city
on
Mt.
Zion,
'the
city
of
David'
(S').
Thither
he
brought
up
the
ark
with
great
ceremony
(6'*),
intending
to
build
a
permanent
temple
for
it
(7^),
but
the
prophet
Nathan
declares
to
him
that
this
is
not
Jahweh's
will.
David's
disappointment
is,
however,
soothed,
for
the
prophet
goes
on
to
tell
him
that
though
he
may
not
build
this
house,
Jahweh
will
estabUsh
the
house
of
David
(i.e.
in
the
sense
of
Uneage)
for
ever
(v.").
David
then
enters
in
before
Jahweh
and
offers
up
his
thanksgiving
(VV.18-29).
One
of
the
darker
traits
of
David's
character
is
