The Evil Eye

Succession scares leaders. Only 34% of the chief executives say they have identified their successors, concludes a recent survey by Korn/Fery International, an executive research firm in New York. (Wall Street Journal 7/19/94)

Some people gracefully accept other’s success only when they themselves are successful. Some react strongly when others have more success. Some bring out the worst in themselves when their stock is down and others are up.

No matter what Saul did to David, David did not go away. The latter had more success, more support and more self-respect. David survived spears, snares and setbacks. His progress report in the chapter reads this way: Jonathan loved David as himself (v 1), all Israel and Judah loved David (v 16), Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David (v 20, 28) and Saul’s attendants like, or Hebrew for “love,” him (v 22). Every one on Saul’s side – his son, his daughter, his subjects and his servants loved David. Jonathan (1 Sam 18:1, 20:17) and Michal’s (vv 20, 28) love for David were each mentioned twice in the Bible. Saul’s love was selfish. Initially, Saul loved David greatly, more than anyone else’s love for David. He loved David – the word “like” (1 Sam 16:21) is Hebrew for “love” but others were not allowed to share the love. Saul would love David as long as it did not cost him anything, as long as David stay in his rightful place and as long as others did not feel the same way.

Still, David’s success was unequivocal: Not only did David have success in whatever Saul sent him to do (v 5), the Hebrew text says that he had success in all the ways he did it (v 14), and more success – the word “more” missing in NIV (v 15), and he had more success than the rest of Saul’s officers (v 30). David’s success bred fear in Saul. More success bred more fear (v 29). Nothing went right for Saul. Even the Lord’s presence bred fear in Saul (v 12, 28). David’s success bred fear in him (v 15) and his daughter’s love for David bred fear in him. When Saul asked for 100 dead Philistines as dowry (v 25), David produced 200 (v 27).

Saul’s downhill spiral was clear: When he acted on his initial fear of David (v 12), the fear did not go away (v 15) and, by the end of the chapter, he was more afraid of David than ever (v 29). Saul was not only angry he was “very angry” or “furious.” Fire covered his eyes. Now Saul not only feared David, he dreaded him. There was no rhyme or reason in Saul’s fear; David was not even the highest ranking official (v 5) and Saul never placed more than 1,000 soldiers under him (v 13). The irony is inescapable: Saul started out very angry (v 8) but ended up more afraid (v 29), but David became successful (v 14), “more successful” in Hebrew (v 15), and ended up well-known, or “very known” in Hebrew (v 30)

Saul’s rise brought joy to the kingdom (1 Sam 11:15), but David’s rise brought love and affection. No matter how much he tried to bring David down, David was still standing. Saul used the Lord’s name in vain (v 17), the Philistines as weapons (vv 17, 25), his older daughter as leverage (v 17), his youngest daughter as bait (v 21), his servants as accomplice (v 22, 24). In Hebrew, the word “bravely” (v 17) consists of two words – “valiant” and “son.” Saul urged David to fight like a son for his father (v 17).