t Saul was less noble in
nature than Jonathan his son was, and when one day, not long after
David had killed Goliath, the men, women and children from all the
cities of Israel, trooped out to meet King Saul, singing and dancing
and playing musical instruments in celebration of David's victory, and
the women sang--

"Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands."

This made Saul very angry and very jealous, for it was a revelation of
the strength of the national feeling against him, and as he heard the
shrill chant he exclaimed with fierce jealousy:

"They have ascribed unto David his ten thousands and to me they have
ascribed but thousands, and what can _he_ have more but the kingdom?"

From that moment, Saul was never fond of David, but always bitterly
envious of him, and watched to see how and when he could do the lad an
injury.

The violence of his rage and jealousy threw him into one of his old
paroxysms, and as of old, David was called to soothe him by the music
of his harp. But the sight of David threw Saul into a still worse fever
of madness, and in anger he hurled his spear, the symbol of his
royalty, at David, crying:

"I will smite David even to the wall with it," but David was quick
enough to avoid it, and when at another time Saul attempted the same
thing, David again slipped aside, and the spear simply struck the wall.
This agility of David's made Saul even more angry than before, and
increased his fear of the wonderful youth, whom Saul felt had the
blessing of God, which had been taken from him. So strong was Saul's
dislike of David now, that finally he sent him away from the house,
giving him a position where he would have less influence than formerly,
for he would be only captain over a thousand men, but the new position
only increased David's popularity. He ruled those under him with such
wisdom that all the people loved him, and Saul was, of course, more
jealous and angry than before, and yet afraid of him too, and he began
to think of another way to rid himself of the troublesome rival.

When David had fought Goliath, he was promised the hand of Saul's
eldest daughter in marriage, if he should be victorious, which promise
had not been kept as yet, and now Saul remembered this, and offered to
redeem the promise by giving David his daughter, Merab, as wife, hoping
that in this way, he would not only rouse David's gratitude, but make
him feel in honour bound to fight the Philistines