At first, I was thrilled to have David join my army. He would make me look even better, I reasoned. He would make all my exploits successful, which turned out to be true. He was incredibly successful. But he did nothing for my image. If anything, he stole the nation’s admiration that was supposed to be mine. I was the king after all, not him.
On our way back from a battle against the Philistines, women came out of all the towns and they sang and danced to greet us. This is one of my favorite customs. I love to watch the women dance and to be celebrated by them. I smile, and I wave, and I generously give out coy looks. But this time they sang an unfamiliar ditty:
“Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
Rage boiled inside of me. “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands,” I cried to Abner as I paced back and forth. “What more can he have but the kingdom?”
“Certainly, you must be careful,” my loyal companion and advisor said. “Why else would somebody willingly go against that giant Goliath but to receive accolades and to build political loyalty?”
I resolved to keep my eye on David from that point on.
The next day, David came to the throne room. In addition to his incredible military talents, this young man was an incredible musician, and I asked him to play for me while I considered all the important, kingly decisions I had to make. As he sat playing his lyre, I watched him with spite. I spun a spear between my fingers, wallowing in hatred. He was trying to usurp my throne. It was obvious.
So, I threw my spear at him.
But somehow, he evaded my weapon.
“Oh, dear!” I called out. “How clumsy of me. My sincerest apologies, David. At least nobody was hurt. That’s the important thing.” I strode across the room and plucked my spear from the wall, turning sharply and aiming my spear at him again. And again, he dodged it. “Huh.” I shrugged, “my spear must have been enchanted. Terrible, isn’t it? I’ll have it disposed of forthwith, don’t worry, David. Er… that’s enough music for today.”
Clearly, I was no match for this man. I would have to trap him another way. And what better to use for bait than the power he was trying so desperately to rob me of?
I put him commander of a thousand men. He would be thrilled to have the opportunity, until he was killed on one of his exploits! Unfortunately, he always had great success and the people of Israel and Judah loved him all the more.
I would lure him into even more perilous tasks, then, with the promise of marriage to my daughter. This was practically an open invitation to steal my throne; he would be foolish to refuse! And all I would ask in return was one hundred Philistine foreskins. Ha! He could single-handedly defeat a single Philistine giant, and he could successfully lead hundreds of men into battle, but let’s see him try to escape unscathed from a fight of one against one hundred!
1 Samuel 18
Neglected Word 