Text: 1 Samuel 18 - 21

Supplemental Text: The Fourth Thousand Years chapter 2

BYU Lecture 26: David exercises his faith in God and confronts Goliath, killing him with a rock and sling. David suddenly becomes a military hero to the people of Israel. He meets and befriends the crown prince of Israel, Jonathan – son of King Saul. With all the praise for David from the people of Israel, Saul becomes jealous and feels his power threatened, especially since the prophet Samuel informed Saul that God is planning to replace him with another man, a king worthy of God.

King Saul becomes psychotic and makes five failed attempts to kill David.

As tension rises, David slips through the land of Israel – seeking refuge in priestly tents, feigning madness in enemy courts, and secretly settles within his own homeland, the land of Judah. David begins to gather followers and allies. As counseled by the prophet Gad, David stays in Judah waiting upon the Lord until circumstances allow him to rise as king of Israel.