SAUL’S HATRED TO DAVID.

157

CX.

PAUL'S HATRED To Pavyip.

AUL now began to hate
David. Why? Because
he was jealous of him, for
he thought the people
loved David more than
they loved himself. After the bat-
tle and the victory, when Saul and
all his people were going home, the
women came out to meet them;
and they sang, and played, and
danced, and shouted for joy. They
sang, “Saul has slain his thousands,
but David his ten thousands.” This
made the king very angry. He
thought they gave very little honor
to him, and a great deal of honor to
- David, and that they loved David
best, and would make him king.
So Saul grew very jealous, and
looked unkindly at David; though
David had done no wrong. Jeal-
ousy is a very great sin. We ought
to be glad to see good people honored
-and loved. It is very wrong to want
to have all the praise ourselves,
and to feel angry when others are
praised. We ought to ask God to
take jealousy and selfishness out of
our hearts.

The next day, the evil spirit came
into Saul again; and David took
his harp and began to play, and
tried to quiet him. But David’s
harp did not take away Saul’s pas-
sion now. Saul had a spear in his
hand, and he tried to throw it at
David while he played: but David
turned away, and the spear passed
without hurting him. When Saul
saw that God was David’s friend, he
was afraid; he could not kill David,

 

did not like to see him. He made
David captain over the soldiers;
and they all loved him, and the
people loved him; and God loved
him too, and kept him wherever he
went. David conquered and killed
many of the Philistines. Saul hoped
he would be slain in battle; but
God brought him back safely.

David married Michal, Saul’s
daughter, and she loved him; but
Saul hated him more and more,
and tried again to kill him, and
commanded Jonathan and all his
servants to put David to death.
Jonathan was much frightened to
hear this command, and he went to
David, and said, “ My father seeketh
to kill thee; go now and hide, and
I will talk to my father about thee,
and tell thee what he says.” So
David went and hid himself, and
Jonathan went home to Saul, and
began to talk to him. Jonathan
spoke very gently and respectfully to
his father, for he honored him, as his
father and his king. He said, “ Do
not sin against David; do not slay
him; for he is very good, and never
hurt nor disobeyed thee. Remember
how bravely he fought the Philis-
tines, and conquered the great giant.
Thou didst rejoice in what he did
then, why wilt thou slay him now?”
Saul attended to Jonathan, and
promised not to slay David, so
Jonathan called his friend, and
brought him back.

Jonathan did great good, because
he was kind and gentle. Solomon
says, “A soft answer turneth away

but he sent him away, because he i wrath.” Prov. xv. 1. Jonathan
11