Monday, January 12, 2009
When did David meet Saul
Well this is a rather random and possibly insignificant topic but I was reading through the story of David and I found some kind of weird discrepency(for lack of a better word). David seems to have met Saul when he was called for to play the harp for him. As you may recall a Saul was a tortured soul and Davids playing would make his suffering subside. However when David who comes to fight Goliath Saul seems as though he doesn't know david at all. One commontary I read says that the order is messed up and David actually played after he killed Goliath. The problem with this theory is that one of Saul's men recomend David as though the King has never heard of him before. The qualifications that are attributed to david would seem to imply that it was after Goliath, but then why was it talod in a different order and why would the man recomend David as though Saul doesn't know him? Strange. I will look further into it and post again if I have found anything.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Chris,
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I love about Scripture is you can never read it too much. I have read 1 Samuel 16-17 several times prior, and it always escaped my notice. There are four possible explanations as I see it. If you see another please provide!
1. Nowhere are we told that these events happened in chronological order. Although, agreed, a general reading would lead one to assume. There is enough internal evidence to suggest that certain verses postdate previous for the purpose of explanation. Chronology does not appear to be fixation, as it is with many of us, with the “forefathers.” Therefore, time could have elapsed between these events in such a way as to change David’s features. I have often encountered this problem when walking through the store. We often remember those older than us, but those younger seem to slip from our memory. Physical changes could have prevented Saul from recognizing his former harpist.
2. It could be that Saul did in fact recognize David. Saul was simply “acting” like he did not know David. Jealousy would play a role in this explanation. Saul may have been aware of David’s anointing. In this way Saul would have been belittling the soon to be King. Given the character of Saul this would not be difficult to envision.
3. Least likely of all explanations, but still possible is that the text does not actually declare that Saul did not “know” David. It only states that Saul desired to know “whose son is this youth?” We are assuming that Saul did not recognize David. Don’t forget there was reward for the man who killed Goliath and this may have simply identifying to what family the reward was extended.
4. My particular interpretation leads me to believe that it is the foreshadowing of a problem that we find later afflicts Saul. It is possible that Saul lapsed into a state of melancholy. Saul’s unreliable mental state is well documented throughout the entire book. It is the very reason David had at first encountered Saul.
It appears that at the time of Samuel’s anointing of David, Saul was stricken with an evil spirit (1 Sam. 16) which accounted for his temporary “insanity.” David is summoned to the court as a result to ease the mind of the “crazed” king. Saul would have had very little interest, in who was “performing or playing,” only that one was!
Of interest, it is because of the battle with Goliath that David becomes Saul’s son-in-law. Michal was given to David in fulfillment of victory over Goliath.
Hope this helps.
Jack
Your brother in Christ
The fourth would be what I would assume as well. The part that troubles me is the description of David when he is recomended as a harpist. It makes me wonder then if it is not the jealousy issue as you stated. Perhaps Saul would not have responded well to hearing that his rival(David his tens of thousands), is the only one who can help him, so the man making the recomendation simply described him, knowing that Saul would know who he was talking about. What do you think.
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteI can certainly see this is as the case. The scene before us happened, obviously, after Saul’s encounter with Samuel (1 Sam. 15:23) where he was told, “he hath rejected thee from being king.” I can only imagine that Saul was looking over his shoulder! It makes the appearance of David all that more interesting. Saul did not recognize David as the King to be, but I think deep inside his gut was turning. In other words, something didn’t “feel” right to him, if you know what I mean.
I picture Saul sitting in the dark when David, a ray of hope, appeared. There is practical application for us I believe, in light of prior and recent blogs that have been posted. Saul is reflecting on the past. He may have been questioning his very purpose. It is interesting to me that Saul doesn’t seek to correct his past mistakes, but instead, as we shall see, only seeks to undo the result. David looks to the future. Saul is stuck in the past. Saul knowing that he was about to lose everything becomes, not only through his past actions, but his present conduct, jealous, easily provoked, full of revenge, and in the end “crazy.”
It is easy, if not on guard, to slip into this “crazed” pattern. May we always be ready to repent when proven wrong rather than hiding in the dark!
God Bless
Jack
YBIChrist