1 Samuel 18:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David evaded him twice.

NIV: and he hurled it, saying to himself, "I’ll pin David to the wall." But David eluded him twice.

NASB: Then Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, 'I will pin David to the wall.' But David escaped from his presence, twice.

CSB: and he threw it, thinking, "I’ll pin David to the wall." But David got away from him twice.

NLT: and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.

Saul is in a rage, clearly not fully in control of himself. An evil spirit has come on him. This is most likely a demon sent by God to afflict the king for his rebellion (1 Samuel 15). The demon causes Saul to prophesy in some sense. It also seems to increase his jealousy of David to the point where murder seems like the best solution.

Ironically, David is currently playing music to soothe the king's mind. Before David was known as a mighty warrior, he served in Saul's court, playing the lyre whenever the demon tormented Saul (1 Samuel 16:14–23). Even though David has killed Goliath and saved his people, and even though he still seeks to bring peace to his king, Saul only sees the rival Samuel had warned him about (1 Samuel 13:13–14).

Saul happens to have his royal spear in his hand and, in the same moment he thinks of pinning David to the wall, he throws the spear. David dodges the spear twice. We don't know if Saul threw two spears on this day or if the second incident is the one described in the following chapter (1 Samuel 19:9–10). But David's evasion highlights God's protection, which makes him an even greater threat (1 Samuel 18:12).

First Samuel 18:6–16 reveals the hastening story of King Saul's demise and David's rise. When the army returns from battle, David's victory over Goliath (1 Samuel 17) is celebrated more than the king's win over the Philistine army. The harmful spirit returns to Saul (1 Samuel 16:14–23). His jealousy of David turns to violence. Before long, Saul will use his own daughters as bait in traps to destroy his greatest warrior (1 Samuel 18:17–30).

Saul's son Jonathan becomes David's best friend. David succeeds in every military mission Saul sends him on. The people praise David as being even mightier than Saul. The king is furious and terrified that David will take his throne. After Saul's direct attempts to kill David fail, the king sends David to battle the Philistines using marriage to his daughter as bait. David not only survives, but he continues to prove himself to be a mightier warrior and leader than Saul. Saul knows the Lord is with David and not with him and cements himself as David's permanent enemy.

First Samuel 18 begins the story of how the changed work of the Holy Spirit on both Saul and David (1 Samuel 16:13–14) leads to the king's destruction and David's rise. David faithfully serves both Saul (1 Samuel 16:14–23) and Saul's kingdom (1 Samuel 17—18). But David wins the hearts of Saul's people and his children. Saul can't handle the competition (1 Samuel 19—20). Finally, David flees the royal court and raises his own army. He spends years fighting Israel's enemies from afar, patiently waiting until Saul dies in battle and the shepherd boy can take his rightful crown (1 Samuel 21—31).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.