David’s Brothers
Introduction: David was the youngest of eight sons of his father Jesse. The three oldest brothers became part of King Saul’s army while David remained at home to tend his father’s sheep. Later, after David killed Goliath and became a leader of many troops for King Saul, there was no further mention of his brothers for quite some time. But the growing jealousy of Saul made it necessary for David to finally escape from his own house to avoid being killed. When David took refuge at the cave of Adullam, his brothers and all his father’s house heard, and they went there to him.
NOTE: Bible passages are from the New KJV.
A — The LORD Instructed Samuel to Anoint a Son of Jesse to Be King
1 Samuel 16 “1 Now the LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.’ 2 And Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.’ And 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 shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.’ 4 So Samuel did what the LORD said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ 5 And he said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.’ Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.”
Comments: The LORD told Samuel that Saul was now rejected as king, so Samuel was to go to Bethlehem to anoint one of the sons of Jesse to be king. Samuel was afraid if Saul heard that he had anointed another man to become the king, Saul would have Samuel killed. The LORD instructed Samuel to take a heifer with him and hold a sacrifice. There must have been some common knowledge that King Saul had fallen from favor with the LORD, even to the point that he would be replaced; because when Samuel arrived at Bethlehem the elders were worried and asked if he had come in peace. Samuel said he had come in peace to make a sacrifice to the LORD. He told them to sanctify themselves, and come with him to the sacrifice. Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to what was apparently a public sacrifice.
B — David Had to Be Separately Called to the Sacrifice at Bethlehem
1 Samuel 16 “6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, ‘Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.’ 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’ 8 So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, ‘Neither has the LORD chosen this one.’ 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the LORD chosen this one.’ 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The LORD has not chosen these.’ 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all the young men here?’ Then he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.’ 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the LORD said, ‘Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!’ 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.”
Comments: Verses 6 and 7 give us a conversation between Samuel and the LORD. Samuel was impressed with the first son and thought surely he was the one, but the LORD told Samuel Eliab was refused: and we gained a precious couplet phrase from the LORD because of written Scripture: “man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” One by one Jesse called his sons before Samuel until all seven who were there had been refused. Samuel told Jesse that the LORD had not chosen them and then he asked if those were all of Jesse’s sons, because he knew the LORD had sent him to anoint a son of Jesse. When Jesse said the youngest son was keeping the sheep, Samuel said they would not sit down (apparently to the sacrifice) until that son arrived. The LORD told Samuel (in an inner voice not heard by others) to arise and anoint David for he was the chosen one. Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David, and it is clear that his brothers were all around to see this happen. Later this brought out sarcastic and demeaning remarks from David’s oldest brother. The Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day of anointing and forward.
C — The Spirit of the LORD Departed from Saul
1 Samuel 16 “14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, ‘Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.’ 17 So Saul said to his servants, ‘Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.’ 18 Then one of the servants answered and said, ‘Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him.’ 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, ‘Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.’ 20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul. 21 So David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer. 22 Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, ‘Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.’ 23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.”
Comments: King Saul accepted his servant’s advice about the calming effect of music, and when one of them said he knew of a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, he listed very complimentary characteristics including his appearance and that the LORD was with this son. Saul sent messengers to Jesse specifically for him to send his son David (by name) to leave the sheep he was tending. Jesse sent David to King Saul with a gift on a donkey. David was loved greatly by Saul, and he became his armorbearer. Then Saul sent a message to Jesse, asking that he please let David stay with him. Whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.
D — The Three Oldest Brothers of David Were Soldiers for King Saul
1 Samuel 17 “13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15 But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.”
1 Samuel 17 “28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, ‘Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.’ 29 And David said, ‘What have I done now? Is there not a cause?’ 30 Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.”
Comments: Three of David’s brothers (the three oldest) were soldiers in Saul’s army, and David went back and forth between King Saul and his father’s sheep in Bethlehem. David brought some food from his father to his three brothers in the army camp at the valley of Elah where the battle lines were drawn. When David asked questions about the reward for the man who killed Goliath, his oldest brother Eliab came to him full of anger and sarcasm. David said simply, “Is there not a cause?” and turned away from Eliab to question others about the matter.
E — David Became a Great Leader of Saul’s Troops
1 Samuel 18 “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.”’”
Comments: David behaved wisely as he went out wherever Saul sent him and Saul set him over the men of war. After the killing of Goliath there is no more mention of David’s brothers, so it is implied that they were still part of King Saul’s army during much of the ongoing battle with the Philistines. The song recorded in verse 7 is what began the jealousy of Saul toward David that would continue until Saul’s death.
F — David Had to Leave His Own House to Escape from Saul
1 Samuel 19 “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.”
Comments: Even though David had become a valiant warrior and leader of troops, he continued to play the harp to calm Saul’s spirit. There is still no mention of David’s brothers, though it is likely they continued to serve in the army even as Saul’s jealousy of David grew stronger. David was able to escape when Saul threw his spear to pin David to the wall as he played. Then David was let down by his wife through a window at night, because men that Saul had sent were waiting at the door to kill David in the morning. Jonathan met with David according to a prearranged plan, and this became their final meeting. David never returned to Saul after that attempt on his life, and David’s brothers were not with him as he sought refuge.
G — David Took Refuge in the Cave of Adullam
1 Samuel 21 “10 Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, ‘Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands”?’ 12 Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them, feigned madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, ‘Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? 15 Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?’”
1 Samuel 22 “1 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him. 3 Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, ‘Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.’ 4 So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.”
Comments: It seems rather odd that David would go to Gath of the Philistines, especially since Goliath whom David had killed, had been from Gath. But if he had been able to stay, it is unlikely that Saul would have found him there. David’s brothers went to him when the rest of his father’s house joined him at Adullam, and most likely that would have been all seven brothers. There is no further mention about them or of any sons they may have had. Many others who were in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over about four hundred men. David made a request before the king of Moab which was granted, so he took his father and mother to Mizpah of Moab and they dwelt there all the time that David was in the stronghold. Even though David was the youngest son, he took this responsibility for his parents.
Reflections in Prayer
Lord, I thank you that though David was the last son born to Jesse the Bethlehemite, he was very faithful as the shepherd of his father’s sheep, even to the point of defending the flock from a bear and a lion. There is no indication that he ever had any superior attitude toward any of his brothers after Samuel had anointed him following the rejection of all of his brothers by you LORD. Though Eliab criticized David for asking about the Philistine who was defying the armies of the living God, David simply said there is a cause. Then David became a valiant leader of Saul’s troops after he had slain Goliath with confidence that God would make him victorious. David had decisive victories as he led battles against the Philistines, with no mention of his three brothers who were part of the army. When David made the cave of Adullam his stronghold, his brothers and the house of his father Jesse went to him. By this time it seems that the brothers must have realized that David had truly been chosen by you LORD, and that he had not been driven by pride. I thank you LORD for the quiet conclusion regarding David’s older brothers. May I be careful not to envy or criticize anyone who has a leadership position over me. Amen.
Published 15 September 2020