Could be Confusing, Unless You Know...

This is obviously a bit of distressing and confusing passage. Anyone can understand the distress of David and military people could probably even understand killing a messenger who brought the kind of news this young man brought, when he is speaking of your best friend who is dead.

I think, one of the keys to understanding this is that the young man was an Amalekite. They have a sordid History with Israel. They were attacked them as recently released slaves in the dessert. God had fortold their destruction and then called Saul to fulfill that destruction. Saul almost destroyed them all, but let some of them live (this young man and others). Saul was told he would be removed as King because of this incident. He had decided his judgement was better than Gods...

This young man telling David he is an Amalekite gives him two strikes. First, David would have known that had Saul fulfilled God's word, this young man would have been dead. He also knows that it is likely that Saul had killed people close to this young man, it is likely that an Amalekite would have had good reason to kill Saul and would think that David would line up with him and be happy to have the young man perform the deed (thereby making David King).

Second, David is the kind of man who will accomplish God's will - this young man was supposed to die... I'm not making a judgement about it, but it's obvious that Sauls disobedience of God came back to bite him.

Created 4 months ago