David was now sent for as a “cunning player on an harp” (1 Samuel 16:16,
18), to play before Saul when the evil spirit troubled him, and thus was
introduced to the court of Saul. He became a great favourite with the king.
At length David returned to his father’s house and to his wonted avocation
as a shepherd for perhaps some three years. The Philistines once more
invaded the land, and gathered their army between Shochoh and Azekah, in
Ephes-dammim, on the southern slope of the valley of Elah. Saul and the
men of Israel went forth to meet them, and encamped on the northern
slope of the same valley which lay between the two armies. It was here
that David slew Goliath of Gath, the champion of the Philistines
(17:4-54), an exploit which led to the flight and utter defeat of the
Philistine army. Saul now took David permanently into his service (18:2);
but he became jealous of him (ver. 9), and on many occasions showed his
enmity toward him (ver. 10, 11), his enmity ripening into a purpose of
murder which at different times he tried in vain to carry out.
After some time the Philistines “gathered themselves together” in the plain
of Esdraelon, and pitched their camp at Shunem, on the slope of Little
Hermon; and Saul “gathered all Israel together,” and “pitched in Gilboa” (1
Samuel 28:3-14). Being unable to discover the mind of the Lord, Saul,
accompanied by two of his retinue, betook himself to the “witch of
Endor,” some 7 or 8 miles distant. Here he was overwhelmed by the
startling communication that was mysteriously made to him by Samuel
(ver. 16-19), who appeared to him. “He fell straightway all along on the
earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel” (ver. 20). The
Philistine host “fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled before the
Philistines, and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa” (31:1). In his despair at
the disaster that had befallen his army, Saul “took a sword and fell upon
it.” And the Philistines on the morrow “found Saul and his three sons
fallen in Mount Gilboa.” Having cut off his head, they sent it with his
weapons to Philistia, and hung up the skull in the temple of Dagon at
Ashdod. They suspended his headless body, with that of Jonathan, from
the walls of Bethshan. The men of Jabesh-gilead afterwards removed the
bodies from this position; and having burnt the flesh, they buried the
bodies under a tree at Jabesh. The remains were, however, afterwards
removed to the family sepulchre at Zelah (2 Samuel 21:13, 14). (See
DAVID.)