Read: 1 Samuel 18:12-21
Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. (v. 12)
In the classic children’s tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, we see an evil queen plotting against her stepdaughter—an innocent girl who has never harmed her in any way. The reason for the queen’s hatred towards Snow White is rooted in jealousy. This fairy tale endures because even children understand the destructive power of envy.
As we enter the biography of David in 1 Samuel, David has killed Goliath and saved King Saul’s army from the Philistines. But as David’s popularity grew in Israel, Saul’s jealousy also grew. He looked for a way to get rid of David and made him the commander of his army—hoping he would be killed in battle. When this plan backfired, Saul reneged on his promise to give David his oldest daughter in marriage. But when Saul discovered his daughter Michal was in love with David, he had a brilliant idea: he could give Michal to David in marriage, where she could be “a snare” for him (v. 21).
Was Saul’s scheme a commentary on Michal’s character? Perhaps. Certainly, Saul intended to use Michal for his own purposes. David was completely innocent and unaware of King Saul’s evil plans, and God protected David from both Saul and the Philistines. Saul’s jealousy didn’t touch him because “the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul” (v. 12). The king’s jealousy would only be a snare for himself.
As you pray, ask God to show you any jealousy you may harbor against another.
About the Author
Laura N. Sweet is a wife, mother, grandmother, and former Christian schoolteacher from Midland, Michigan. She writes devotional material for both adults and children, and her work has appeared in more than a dozen publications.
