Jonathan became a close friend of David. Saul kept David at the palace, but this was out of fear.
Saul gave David many tasks to do and they were all fulfilled successfully. So David's popularity grew, and Saul promoted him in the army. The crowds started to sing songs about David, crucially they compared his victories to those of Saul, highlighting the fact that they were even greater. This provoked anger, envy and fear in Saul. Similarly, when the crowds shouted hosanna when Jesus entered Jerusalem the religious leaders' envy and fear was provoked.
Verse 10 upsets some of our theology, for Saul has an evil spirit, the evil spirit is sent by God, and while the evil spirit is around Saul is prophesying! This should make us wary of any "neat" teaching on how spirits work! David was playing the harp, but Saul suddenly decided to try and kill David, but David escaped.
Saul had promised his daughter to whoever killed Goliath, but the promise had not been fulfilled, and was now made conditional on David winning more victories. Note that David does not "demand his rights", but acts with humility.
Saul then offered David another daughter, but only condition that he captured one hundred Philistine foreskins! Saul's plan was that David would be killed in the attempt. But the Lord was with David and so he succeeded, and he was given Michal as his wife. David continued to enjoy success.
The way that David handles being anointed by the Lord and being opposed, utterly unreasonably, by Saul is instructive for us.
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