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1 Samuel 18:1–30 David and Jonathan’s Friendship

[Study Aired May 18, 2026]

David’s triumph over Goliath won him a place in Saul’s administration. Saul set David over the men of war and also as his personal attendant.  Davis also became Jonathan’s covenant friend and the darling of Israel, which drew out envy from Saul. As a result, Saul hated David and wanted to kill him. 

Saul proposed giving David to his first daughter, but intentionally cheated him of the eldest daughter by marrying her to somebody else to provoke David. Saul ended up proposing his younger daughter in marriage to David, but under conditions which would endanger his life. However, David was able to fulfill the conditions and ended up marrying Saul’s younger daughter. This made Saul afraid, which made him continue his enmity against David.

In this study, we shall look at the spiritual significance of all this. This is because it is the spirit that gives life. Just knowing the story as it is, does not give life or help us in our walk with Christ.  

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

David and Jonathan’s Friendship

1Sa 18:1  And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
1Sa 18:2  And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. 
1Sa 18:3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 

In verse 1, Jonathan came to love David as his own soul. This is for us to know that as His elect, the Lord always gives us our “Jonathan”, who cares so much for us, to help us in our walk with Christ. Such people may not continue with us in life, but are instruments that the Lord uses at various stages of our walk to help us in our journey to become overcomers. As David’s story unfolds, Saul would have killed David if not for Jonathan’s intervention. 

As Paul indicated in his letter to the Romans, Priscilla and Aquila risked their lives to save him. 

Rom 16:3  Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: 
Rom 16:4  Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 

We must remember that Jonathan was initially the Lord’s elect, and therefore loving David as his own soul implies how as the Lord’s elect, we are to love one another. In verse 3, Jonathan and David making a covenant is to make us aware that as the Lord’s elect, we are covenanted to love one another. Our Lord Jesus emphasized that we must love one another. That is the only way that men may know that we are His disciples. 

Joh 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 
Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

In verse 2, Saul took David with him and did not allow him to go to his father’s house again. There is a saying in my local language which says that when a child learns how to wash his hands, he is ready to eat with kings and elders. David overcoming Goliath, his flesh, means that he is now ready to dine with kings and elders.

The first time that the phrase “father’s house” was used in the Bible, it refers to the Lord commanding Abraham to leave his father’s house. The father’s house in the negative context, refers to Babylon or the church system of this world.  

Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Saul, in this case, represents our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world. Apart from the command by the Lord to leave Babylon, the enmity of our brothers and sisters in the church system against us, His elect, helps prevent us from wanting to do anything with Babylon or our father’s house.

1Sa 18:4  And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. 

To understand what it means for Jonathan to strip himself of his robe and give it to David, we must know that later, Jonathan refused to join David in escaping from Saul’s death threat. His decision to remain with his father, caused him his death. 

2Sa 1:17  And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 
2Sa 1:19  “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! 

Jonathan started as the Lord’s elect with his bravery and defeat of the Philistines at their garrison with his armor bearer. However, he deemed his alliance to his father, Saul, to be more precious than the suffering he had to go through with David as the scape goat, set loose in the wilderness. He was not like Moses, who chose to suffer affliction with the Lord’s people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

Heb 11:24  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 
Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 
Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 

Removing his robe, his garment and his weapons and giving to David shows how he was predicting his rejection of the Lord’s mercy or the crown promised to the Lord’s overcomers or the prize of the higher calling of God and accepting the rulership of the Lord’s elect (David) in the fullness of time. In other words, we, His elect, have received mercy at the expense of our brothers and sisters in Babylon. 

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

1Sa 18:5  And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. 

In verse 5, we see that David’s obedience to Saul, the king, won him the honor of being set over the men of war by Saul. We can say in verse 5 that Saul here represents the Lord and that our obedience to His words will cause us to be set over our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world. This is clearly portrayed in the story of Joseph who was set as ruler over Egypt and over his brothers. Our obedience to the Lord will win us the prize of being the Lord’s overcomers and therefore rulers or kings over the world and our brothers and sisters in Babylon, in the fulness of time.

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 

Our obedience to the Lord will not only win us the prize of rulership in the future, but gives us favor in the sight of all men in this age.

Pro 3:3  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 
Pro 3:4  So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 

In Proverbs 3:3 above, we are told that it is through mercy and truth that we find favor and good understanding before the Lord and man. Mercy here is the grace of the Lord which chastises us or our judgment, while the truth here is our eyes being opened to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. This is what grants us favor in the sight of the Lord and man.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 
Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 

The teaching used here in Titus 2:12 means discipline or chasten  from Strong’s Dictionary G3816.

Saul’s Jealousy of David

1Sa 18:6  And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. 

Our victory over the flesh as overcomers will also be the victory of the church system of this world and the world, represented by the Israelites women singing and dancing. We shall be their saviors in the fullness of time, when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. This is what it means when the Bible says that the creature is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, who are the saviors of the world.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 

1Sa 18:7  And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. 

Our victory over the flesh will cause the church system of this world to proclaim, in the fullness of time, that our victory far surpasses the victory they had experienced in Babylon, represented by Saul. The saying that Saul had slain his thousands, but that David had slain his ten thousands had spiritual significance. Ten thousand is ten multiplied four times (10,000 = 10x10x10x10). This implies that David’s victory or our victory as the Lord’s elect, is a whole or total victory over our flesh in its fullness.

On the other hand, the victory of Saul over thousands, implies that when we were in Babylon, signified by Saul, we did win some victories over our flesh. However, we did not overcome wholly. Our Lord Jesus pointed out that the sin of self-righteousness, which is iniquity before the Lord, is what we were committing when we were in the churches of this world or Babylon. The thousands ascribed to Saul’s victory signifies some victories won over the flesh but excluding self-righteousness or iniquity. In other words, Saul’s victory, which represents our victories over the flesh when we were in the churches of this world, are partial and not whole or total victory, which is required of an overcomer.

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.    

1Sa 18:8  And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 
1Sa 18:9  And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.  

Saul becoming displeased with David is of the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to come and judge David, using Saul as his instrument of judgment through his enmity with David. In the same way, our rejection by our brothers and sisters in Babylon is all part of the Lord’s judgment of us in this age. 

Jdg 14:1  And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 
Jdg 14:2  And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
Jdg 14:3  Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 
Jdg 14:4  But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

1Sa 18:10  And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand. 
1Sa 18:11  And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. 
1Sa 18:12  And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul. 

When a brother or sister becomes disobedient to the Lord and falls away, such a person is possessed by an evil spirit from the Lord, which troubles him or her. Just as the words of the Lord are spirit, false doctrines are also spirits from the devil. Therefore, Saul being troubled by an evil spirit from the Lord, means that those who fall away are troubled by the false doctrines in their hearts and minds. 

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 
1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;    

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Therefore, Saul prophesying in the house is him spewing out false doctrines from his heart and mind. As we are aware, a spear or a sword in the positive sense represents the word of the Lord. However, the javelin or spear in the hand of Saul signifies false doctrines which comes out of the smoke from his bottomless pit or his heart and mind, which darkens the sun and the air. That is to say that the javelin thrown at David in verse 11 signifies the false doctrines which darkens our understanding of the word of truth and makes us spiritually dead. 

David avoiding Saul’s presence twice in verse 11 is to let us know that as the Lord’s witnesses, we are to avoid a brother or a sister who is always spewing false doctrines when we are with him or her. 

When the Lord is with us, those who come against us will be afraid as Saul became afraid of David. David departing from Saul in verse 12 implies that we must do away with any brothers or sister who continually spew false doctrines when we are with him or her.  

1Sa 18:13  Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
1Sa 18:14  And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. 
1Sa 18:15  Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. 
1Sa 18:16  But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them. 

Here in verse 13, it looks like David had been demoted by Saul from being set over the men of war to making him a captain of a thousand, which is all of the Lord with the purpose of taking David through the fire. However, we can see that David continued to please the Lord by his way of life, which made Saul afraid of him. It is obvious that David was being refined by the fire of the Lord and as we have indicated earlier, it is through mercy and truth that we obtain favor before the Lord and men.     

Pro 3:3  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 
Pro 3:4  So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 

David Marries Michal

1Sa 18:17  And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD’S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him. 
1Sa 18:18  And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king? 
1Sa 18:19  But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife. 

To understand these verses in the spirit, we have to know that in the spirit realm, there is neither male nor female. This implies that this proposed royal marriage of the king (Saul)’s daughter, Merab to David is the same as the marriage of the Lord’s elect (the bride) to Christ the royal (God’s son). As Saul indicated in verse 17, this proposed marriage can take place only through David’s heroism over the Philistines. This means that becoming the bride of Christ is only through overcoming the flesh, represented here as the Philistines. 

David’s apprehension that he was not fit to be the son in law of the king in verse 18 shows us that at the early stages of our walk with Christ, we do not have what it takes to become the bride of Christ. Saul giving his elder daughter to Adriel instead of David in verse 19 means that at a certain stage of our walk, we were not qualified to become the bride of Christ. The reason we were not qualified was because we did not have information as to how to become the Lord’s bride. In other words, we were not given the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom, to become the bride of Christ. Although, we were the Lord’s elect, we were with the multitude (Babylon) and therefore we were not given to hear the truth of the Lord’s words.

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.   

1Sa 18:20  And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 
1Sa 18:21  And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain. 
1Sa 18:22  And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king’s son in law. 
1Sa 18:23  And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 

In verse 20, Saul was pleased that his younger daughter loved David and was prepared to give her to David and so he commanded his servants to commune secretly with David about this in verse 22. However, the conditions for becoming the son in law of the king had not changed as shown in verse 21, where David’s marriage to Michal would be possible only after engaging the Philistines. 

David’s apprehension in verse 23, by saying that it is not a light thing to be the King’s son in law shows that becoming the bride of Christ is not an easy task as our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world think. This is because in our quest as the Lord’s elect to become the bride of Christ, we have to endure being hard pressed on every side, perplexed, persecuted and  struck down. It is through suffering that we put to death our old man or flesh or the Philistines.     

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 
2Co 4:11  For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 
2Co 4:12  So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 

1Sa 18:24  And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. 
1Sa 18:25  And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 
1Sa 18:26  And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son in law: and the days were not expired.
1Sa 18:27  Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king’s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

We can see from these verses that David finally got to know what exactly he had to do to become the son in law of the king. He had to present to King Saul, a hundred foreskins of the Philistines in order to marry Michal. Incidentally, Michal means ‘brook’, which in the context of the study today may imply that it is through the truth of the word of the Lord (brook) that we can become the bride of Christ. The fact that David knew what it takes to become the son in law of the king is to make us aware that it is until our eyes of understanding are enlightened to know the mysteries of the kingdom that we need a hundred foreskins of the Philistines to become the bride of Christ. That is to say that we have to overcome the flesh to become the Lord’s bride.

Rev 14:4  It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, 
Rev 14:5  and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless. 

In verse 27, David killing two hundred Philistines and presenting their foreskins to Saul, won him the right of being the king’s son in law. Michal was therefore given to him as his wife. It is important to note that Saul requested for only a hundred foreskins of the Philistines. However, David doubled it (200 = 2×100). Our righteousness must surpass the righteousness of our brothers and sisters in Babylon.  

Mat 5:20  For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 

Doubling the number of foreskins of the Philistines also shows us that overcoming the flesh is what serves as a witness (the significance of the number two) to becoming the bride of Christ in the fullness of time.

Rev 19:6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 
Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

1Sa 18:28  And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him.
1Sa 18:29  And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually. 

Through our victory over the flesh in this age, our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world or Babylon will come to acknowledge that the Lord was really with us and that we are loved greatly by the Lord. In this age, however, our brothers and sisters look to us as their enemy as we see Saul becoming David’s enemy continually in verse 29. If you can remember, the Jews during the time of the apostles, also hated the disciples of Christ. This is what the Lord said about this hatred:

Joh 15:18  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 
Joh 15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 

1Sa 18:30  Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by. 

This verse has a much easier to understand translation as follows:

1Sa 18:30  Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed. (ESV) 

As long as we are here in this tent of the flesh, we shall always be in battle against our flesh, signified by the Philistines coming out in battle against David. However, just as David had more success than all the servants of Saul, our victory over the flesh shall be overwhelming, far more than the small victories over the flesh won by our brothers and sisters in Babylon, represented here in verse 30 as Saul’s servants.

May the Name of the Lord be Praised for Favoring us in this Age. Amen!!