Transcript

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 16-17 NET, Ch. 18-20 NKJV

Podcast Introduction

Today is History Tuesday. We’ll read 1 Samuel 16-20. I’m calling the episode “Get In the Game.” 

Comments on 1 Samuel 16

“14Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15 Then Saul’s servants said to him, “Look, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you!” ~1 Samuel 16:14-15 NET

An evil spirit from the Lord? God is not the author of evil. Therefore there could not be an evil spirit from the Lord. This is an example of a faulty translation. Several translations use this word, but other translations say “an injurious spirit” or a tormenting spirit. The notes in this translation (NET) say, “The  Hebrew word translated “evil” may refer to the character of the spirit or to its effect upon Saul. If the latter, another translation option might be “a mischief-making spirit.’ 

I also like the NKJV’s translation here: a distressing spirit.

It’s been said that if you live long enough, you will have regrets. Regrets are often times caused by sin. Could be the sin of commission, or could be the sin of omission. We regret what we  have done, or what we haven’t done. At my age, I have lived long enough to have a few regrets. And some of those regrets have caused distress. I have lost sleep over them. Or to use one of the other words I referenced earlier, I have been tormented by some of the regrets in my life. 

Imagine the regrets Saul must have had in losing God’s anointing? To know that he was God’s chosen to lead God’s people, and then to have that taken away because of bad decisions? I have an inkling of how tormented he must have been. 

Regrets can be good if they cause us to confess the sin that brought them on. I’m so thankful that God has provided a way to put our regrets behind us. 1 John 1:9 tells us, “But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.”

Comments on 1 Samuel 17

Let me say that this translation disagrees with most other translations in regards to Goliath’s height. In our translation today, the number given was “close to seven feet tall”. Most others say it was six cubits and a span. So what is a cubit, and what is a span? 

Before mankind had agreed on standard lengths, they often used body parts to measure distances. Today, a foot is standardized at 12 inches. Back then, a foot was however long the measurer’s foot was. A cubit was the length of a forearm. The average was about 18 inches, but it could be a little longer or a little shorter. The span was the width from the end of the thumb to the end of the little finger when the fingers are extended, or widened apart. That’s about 9 inches. So a span is about a half a cubit. So, doing the math, Goliath was 117 inches in height, or 9 feet, 9 inches. 

And something that might seem a little strange about this story. At the end of the chapter, we’re told that Saul asked his general, Abner, who this boy is. At first, if you isolate the story, that seems like a reasonable question. But if we take it in the context of what we have already read in previous chapters, Saul has already met David. Remember? David was the musician who’s playing had calmed Saul when he was being tormented after God withdrew His spirit from him, and afflicted him with an evil spirit, or some sort of mental disease. And that is the key as to why Saul doesn’t recognize David here on the battlefield. He has not been mentally and/or spiritually healthy. He hasn’t been in his own mind. He has been confused. And the last thing he expects is the young shepherd boy who was a skillful and talented musician, to turn up on the battlefield with more courage than he and his entire army!

But David’s courage was not based on his own strength or skill. It was based on the assurance and knowledge that God had already delivered him from both a lion and a bear when he was tending his father’s sheep. He knew that the taunting that Goliath had been doing was directed even more at God than at the Israelite army, and that God would give him the victory, to show that the God of Israel is alive and real.

David was an unlikely instrument in the hand of God. He stepped forward in faith, and look what happened. God used David for His (God’s) glory. 

Each of us has a purpose. There is a reason you are here. God has a plan in mind for you. When He taps you on the shoulder and says, “It’s time to get in the game,” what will you do? 

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1 Samuel 16-20: Get in the Game (LSFAB S13E094)

[TEASER – 0:00]
That seems like a reasonable question.

[INTRO S13E094 – 0:10]
This is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is a daily podcast and we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today’s History Tuesday, and we’ll read 1 Samuel 16 through 20. I’m calling the episode “Get in the Game.”

Now before we read, let’s pray.

[OPENING PRAYER – 0:33]
Our gracious heavenly Father, how we love our time together with you around your Word, we pray, God, that you would bless this time and that you would teach us. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Okay, let’s begin.

[1 SAMUEL 16 (NET) – 0:48]
1 Samuel, chapter 16.

(1) The Lord said to Samuel, “How long do you intend to mourn for Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with olive oil and go! I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem, for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons.”

(2) Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ (3) Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you should do. You will anoint for me the one I point out to you.”

(4) Samuel did what the Lord told him. When he arrived in Bethlehem, the elders of the city were afraid to meet him. They said, “Do you come in peace?” (5) He replied, “Yes, in peace. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” So he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

(6) When they arrived, Samuel noticed Eliab and said to himself, “Surely, here before the Lord stands his chosen king!” (7) But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

(8) Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one, either.” (9) Then Jesse presented Shammah. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” (10) Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” (11) Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Is that all of the young men?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest one, but he’s taking care of the flock.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we cannot turn our attention to other things until he comes here.”

(12) So Jesse had him brought in. Now he was ruddy, with attractive eyes and a handsome appearance. The Lord said, “Go and anoint him. This is the one!” (13) So Samuel took the horn full of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.

(14) Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. (15) Then Saul’s servants said to him, “Look, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you!” (16) Let our lord instruct his servants who are here before you to look for a man who knows how to play the lyre. Then whenever the evil spirit from God comes upon you, he can play the lyre and you will feel better.” (17) So Saul said to his servants, “Find me a man who plays well and bring him to me.” (18) One of his attendants replied, “I have seen a son of Jesse in Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave warrior and is articulate and handsome, for the Lord is with him.”

(19) So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is out with the sheep. (20) So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David. (21) David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him a great deal, and he became his armor bearer. (22) Then Saul sent word to Jesse saying, “Let David be my servant, for I really like him.”

(23) So whenever the spirit from God would come upon Saul, David would take his lyre and play it. This would bring relief to Saul and make him feel better. Then the evil spirit would leave him alone..

[1 SAMUEL 17 (NET) – 4:24]
1 Samuel, chapter 17.

(1) The Philistines gathered their troops for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. (2) Saul and the Israelite army assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against the Philistines. (3) The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites on another hill, with the valley between them.

(4) Then a champion came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall. (5) He had a bronze helmet on his head and was wearing scale body armor. The weight of his bronze body armor was five thousand shekels. (6) He had bronze shin guards on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders. (7) The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer was walking before him.

(8) Goliath stood and called to Israel’s troops, “Why do you come out to prepare for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose for yourselves a man so he may come down to me! (9) If he is able to fight with me and strike me down, we will become your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, you will become our servants and will serve us.” (10) Then the Philistine said, “I defy Israel’s troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight each other!” (11) When Saul and all the Israelites heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.

(12) Now David was the son of this Ephrathite named Jesse from Bethlehem in Judah. He had eight sons, and in Saul’s days he was old and well advanced in years. (13) Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the three sons who went to war were Eliab, his firstborn, Abinadab, the second oldest, and Shammah, the third oldest. (14) Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul, (15) David was going back and forth from Saul in order to care for his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

(16) Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position. (17) Jesse said to his son David, “Take your brothers this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; go quickly to the camp to your brothers. (18) Also take these ten portions of cheese to their commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are doing and bring back their pledge that they received the goods. (19) They are with Saul and the whole Israelite army in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”

(20) So David got up early in the morning and entrusted the flock to someone else who would watch over it. After loading up, he went just as Jesse had instructed him. He arrived at the camp as the army was going out to the battle lines shouting its battle cry. (21) Israel and the Philistines drew up their battle lines opposite one another. (22) After David had entrusted his cargo to the care of the supply officer, he ran to the battlefront. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. (23) As he was speaking with them, the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, was coming up from the battle lines of the Philistines. He spoke the way he usually did, and David heard it. (24) When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated from his presence and were very afraid.

(25) The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? He does so to defy Israel. But the king will make the man who can strike him down very wealthy! He will give him his daughter in marriage, and he will make his father’s house exempt from tax obligations in Israel.”

(26) David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?” (27) The soldiers told him what had been promised, saying, “This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down.”

(28) When David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry with David and said, “Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! You have come down here to watch the battle!”

(29) David replied, “What have I done now? Can’t I say anything?” (30) Then he turned from those who were nearby to someone else and asked the same question, but they gave him the same answer as before. (31) When David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him.

(32) David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged. Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!” (33) But Saul replied to David, “You aren’t able to go against this Philistine and fight him! You’re just a boy! He has been a warrior from his youth!”

(34) David replied to Saul, “Your servant has been a shepherd for his father’s flock. Whenever a lion or bear would come and carry off a sheep from the flock, (35) I would go out after it, strike it down, and rescue the sheep from its mouth. If it rose up against me, I would grab it by its jaw, strike it, and kill it. (36) Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them. For he has defied the armies of the living God!” (37) David went on to say, “The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from the hand of this Philistine!” Then Saul said to David, “Go! The Lord will be with you.”

(38) Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him. (39) David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them. David said to Saul, “I can’t walk in these things, for I’m not used to them.” So David removed them. (40) He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag, took his sling in hand, and approached the Philistine.

(41) The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. (42) When the Philistine looked carefully at David, he despised him, for he was only a ruddy and handsome boy. (43) The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you are coming after me with sticks?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods. (44) The Philistine said to David, “Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the field!”

(45) But David replied to the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I am coming against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel’s armies, whom you have defied! (46) This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand! I will strike you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the corpses of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land. Then all the land will realize that Israel has a God (47) and all this assembly will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves! For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will deliver you into our hand.”

(48) The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine. (49) David reached his hand into the bag and took out a stone. He slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank deeply into his forehead, and he fell down with his face to the ground.

(50) David prevailed over the Philistine with just the sling and the stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. David did not even have a sword in his hand. (51) David ran and stood over the Philistine. He grabbed Goliath’s sword, drew it from its sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they ran away.

(52) Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward, shouting a battle cry. They chased the Philistines to the valley and to the very gates of Ekron. The Philistine corpses lay fallen along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. (53) When the Israelites returned from their hot pursuit of the Philistines, they looted their camp. (54) David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath’s weapons in his tent.

(55) Now as Saul watched David going out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the general in command of the army, “Whose son is this young man, Abner?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, O king, I don’t know.” (56) The king said, “Find out whose son this boy is!”

(57) So when David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul. He still had the head of the Philistine in his hand. (58) Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David replied, “I am the son of your servant Jesse in Bethlehem.”

[1 SAMUEL (NKJV) – 13:29]
1 Samuel, chapter 18.

(1) Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. (2) Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. (3) Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. (4) And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.

(5) So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved 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. (6) Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. (7) So the women sang as they danced, and said:

“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.”

(8) Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” (9) So Saul eyed David from that day forward.

(10) And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. (11) And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.

(12) Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul. (13) Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. (14) And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. (15) Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. (16) But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

(17) Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

(18) So David said to 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?” (19) But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.

(20) Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. (21) So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.”

(22) And Saul commanded his servants, “Communicate with David secretly, and say, ‘Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’”

(23) So Saul’s servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” (24) And the servants of Saul told him, saying, “In this manner David spoke.”

(25) Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. (26) So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the days had not expired; (27) therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.

(28) Thus Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him; (29) and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy continually. (30) Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.

[1 SAMUEL 19 (NKJV) – 18:01]
1 Samuel, chapter 19.

(1) Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David. (2) So Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. (3) And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you.”

(4) Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. (5) For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”

(6) So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.” (7) Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.

(8) And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him.

(9) Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. (10) Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.

(11) Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” (12) So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. (13) And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. (14) So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”

(15) Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” (16) And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head. (17) Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?”

And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’ ”

(18) So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. (19) Now it was told Saul, saying, “Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!” (20) Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. (21) And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. (22) Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, “Where are Samuel and David?”

And someone said, “Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah.” (23) So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. (24) And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

[1 SAMUEL (NKJV) – 21:41]
1 Samuel, chapter 20.

(1) Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and went and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”

(2) So Jonathan said to him, “By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

(3) Then David took an oath again, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”

(4) So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.”

(5) And David said to Jonathan, “Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening. (6) If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked permission of me that he might run over to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’ (7) If he says thus: ‘It is well,’ your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him. (8) Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”

(9) But Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?”

(10) Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me, or what if your father answers you roughly?”

(11) And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field. (12) Then Jonathan said to David: “The Lord God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you, (13) may the Lord do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. (14) And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; (15) but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” (16) So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”

(17) Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. (18) Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon; and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. (19) And when you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed; and remain by the stone Ezel. (20) Then I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target; (21) and there I will send a lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I expressly say to the lad, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them and come’—then, as the Lord lives, there is safety for you and no harm. (22) But if I say thus to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you’—go your way, for the Lord has sent you away. (23) And as for the matter which you and I have spoken of, indeed the Lord be between you and me forever.”

(24) Then David hid in the field. And when the New Moon had come, the king sat down to eat the feast. (25) Now the king sat on his seat, as at other times, on a seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty. (26) Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him; he is unclean, surely he is unclean.” (27) And it happened the next day, the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to eat, either yesterday or today?”

(28) So Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem. (29) And he said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me get away and see my brothers.’ Therefore he has not come to the king’s table.”

(30) Then Saul’s anger was aroused against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? (31) For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.”

(32) And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?” (33) Then Saul cast a spear at him to kill him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David.

(34) So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully.

(35) And so it was, in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad was with him. (36) Then he said to the lad, “Now run, find the arrows which I shoot.” As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. (37) When the lad had come to the place where the arrow was which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried out after the lad and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” (38) And Jonathan cried out after the lad, “Make haste, hurry, do not delay!” So Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows and came back to his master. (39) But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew of the matter. (40) Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the lad, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”

(41) As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so. (42) Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’” So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

[COMMENTARY – 28:07]
Today, Beloved, I have comments on chapters 16 and 17. First, let’s take a look at 1 Samuel 16. Verses 14 and 15 say, “(14) Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. (15) Then Saul’s servants said to him, “Look, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you!”

What? An evil spirit from the Lord? God is not the author of evil, so there could not be an evil spirit from the Lord. This is an example of a faulty translation. Several translations use this word but other translations say “an injurious spirit” or “a tormenting spirit.” The notes in this translation called the New English Translation, or NET translation, say, “The Hebrew word translated ‘evil’ may refer to the character of the spirit or to its effect upon Saul. If the latter, another translation option might be ‘a mischief-making spirit.’”

I also like the New King James translation here, “a distressing spirit.”

It’s been said that if you live long enough, you will have regrets. Regrets are oftentimes caused by sin, could be a sin of commission, or it could be a sin of omission. We regret what we have done or what we haven’t done. I have to confess that at my age, I’ve lived long enough to have a few regrets. And some of those regrets have caused distress. I’ve lost sleep over them, or to use one of the other words I referenced earlier, I have been tormented by some of the regrets of my life.

Imagine the regret Saul must have had in losing God’s anointing. Think about it. He knew that he had been God’s chosen to lead God’s people, and then it was taken away because of bad decisions. I have an inkling of how tormented he must have been.

Regrets can be good if they cause us to confess the sin that brought them on, and I’m so thankful that God has provided a way to put our regrets behind us. 1 John 1:9 tells us, “But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.” That, Beloved, is cause for rejoicing.

And then in 1 Samuel, chapter 17, I need to say that this translation disagrees with most other translations in regards to Goliath’s height. In the NET translation, that number was given as “close to seven feet tall.” Most others say it was six cubits and a span. So we have to ask, what is a cubit and what is a span?

Before mankind had agreed on standard lengths, they often used body parts to measure distances. Today, a foot is standardized at twelve inches. Back then a foot was however long the measurer’s foot was. A cubit was the length of the forearm, the average was about 18 inches, but it could be a little longer or a little shorter. The span was the width from the end of the thumb to the end of the little finger, when the fingers are extended, or widened apart. That’s about nine inches. So a span is about half a cubit. So doing the math, Goliath was 117 inches in height, or nine feet nine inches.

And then there’s something that might seem just a little bit strange about this story. At the end of the chapter, we’re told that Saul asked his general Abner, who this boy is. Well, at first, if you isolate the story, that seems like a reasonable question. But if we take it in the context of what we’ve already read in previous chapters, Saul has already met David. Remember? David was the musician whose playing had calmed Saul when he was being tormented after God withdrew his spirit from him and afflicted him with an evil spirit or some sort of mental illness. And that’s the key as to why Saul doesn’t recognize David here on the battlefield. He has not been mentally and or spiritually healthy. He hasn’t been in his own mind. He’s been confused. And the last thing he expects is the young shepherd boy who was a skillful and talented musician to turn up on the battlefield with more courage than he and his entire army!

But David’s courage was not based on his own strength or skill. It was based on the assurance and knowledge that God had already delivered him from both a lion and a bear when he was tending his father’s sheep. David knew that the taunting that Goliath had been doing was directed even more at God than at the Israelite army and that God would give him the victory to show that the God of Israel is alive and real.

David was an unlikely instrument in the hand of God. He stepped forward in faith, and look what happened. God used David for his (for God’s) glory. Beloved, each of us has a purpose. There is a reason you are here. God has a plan in mind for you. So when he taps you on the shoulder and says, “It’s time to get in the game?” What will you do?

[LIFESPRING FAMILY HOTLINE – 33:22]
Let me know your thoughts. Call the Lifespring Family Hotline at +1-951-732-8511. You could also comment at comment.lifespringmedia.com, or shoot me an email at st***@*************ia.com.

Tomorrow is Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read chapters 39 through 41.

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[SEND IN YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS AND PRAISES – 34:44]
Tomorrow is Wednesday, which is one of the days we share prayer requests and praises. We’re called to pray for one another. James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” And we have a promise about the results of prayer. Philippians 5:6-7 says, “Don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he’s done. Then you will experience God’s peace which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” So, Beloved, let’s pray for one another. Call the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511 or go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com.

[OUTRO S13E094 – 35:47]
My thanks to the team: Kirsty, Denise, Michael Haner, and Scott Snider. Kirsty just sent out the latest newsletter. Did you get it? If you didn’t, that probably means that you’re not subscribed. Here’s how to do that. Go to news.lifespringmedia.com. Denise does the transcripts. Michael Haner does the chapters and Scott Snider’s been doing a great job with the art. Thanks, guys. I appreciate you.

I can’t wait till we get together again tomorrow. Until then, may God bless you richly. Thank you for inviting me in today. I’m Steve Webb. Bye.

[OUTRO BLURB – 36:21]
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Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Transcript corrected by Denise