Explaining the Discrepancy: Saul, David, and the Goliath Encounter

1 Samuel 16:19

19 Why Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send me David your son, which is with the sheep.

1 Samuel 16:23

23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was on Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

1 Samuel 17:56

56 And the king said, Inquire you whose son the stripling is.

The apparent discrepancy between Saul’s initial meeting with David as a musician and his later inquiry about David’s parentage is explained by the progressive development of Saul’s mental illness, David’s humble return to his shepherd life, and the specific focus of the king's question regarding David’s legal lineage. 🌟

The Initial Introduction and Ministry

David’s first public appearance occurred when he was recommended to Saul as a talented musician to soothe the king’s troubled mindPTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.4. Saul, suffering from an "evil spirit" or a spirit of melancholy after the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, specifically requested Jesse to send David to the court 1 Samuel 16:14-19BHOTV4 83.1.

• The Royal Request: Saul sent messengers to Jesse saying, "Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep" 1 Samuel 16:19PTUK May 26, 1898, page 330.4.

• A Soothing Influence: When the distressing spirit came upon Saul, David played the harp, which refreshed the king and caused the evil spirit to depart 1 Samuel 16:23.

• Early Promotion: During this period, Saul loved David greatly, and the young man even became his armor-bearer 1 Samuel 16:21ASC 77.1.

David’s Return to Obscurity

Remarkably, after being anointed as the future king and serving in the royal court, David did not seek to remain in a position of powerPTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.4. Instead, he returned to the hills of Bethlehem to continue his lowly work of tending his father’s flocks as though nothing had happenedPP 637.1+1.

• Meekness in Service: David was a man according to God’s heart, possessing a "meek and lowly" spirit that allowed him to transition from a royal musician back to a simple shepherdPTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.4+1.

• The Passage of Time: By the time the war with the Philistines began, David was back at home, and three of his older brothers had joined Saul's army while David remained with the sheep 1 Samuel 17:13-15.

The Question of Parentage After Goliath

When David appeared on the battlefield and defeated Goliath, Saul’s inquiry to Abner was not necessarily about David's face, but specifically about his family lineage and legal status 1 Samuel 17:55-56.

• Saul’s Mental State: The king’s unreasoning passion, jealousy, and the "demon of passion" that often slumbered in his breast likely clouded his memory of the youth who had formerly ministered to himST November 2, 1888, par. 1+1.

• Legal Implications: Saul had promised to enrich the man who killed Goliath and make his "father’s house free in Israel" 1 Samuel 17:25. Therefore, his question, "Inquire thou whose son the stripling is," was a formal inquiry into the family he was now legally obligated to reward and exempt from taxes 1 Samuel 17:56PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.4.

• The Hero’s Identity: When David was brought before Saul with the head of the Philistine, he simply identified himself by his father's name: "I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite" 1 Samuel 17:58KJV — 1Samuel 17:58.

Spiritual and Intellectual Lessons

This history illustrates that God uses an educational process of gradual development to prepare His servantsBHOTV4 3.4.

• Proving the Armor: David’s victory was a result of his personal, conscious dependence on God rather than human meansBHOTV4 91.1. He could not use Saul's armor because he had "not proved it," choosing instead the simple tools of his shepherd life to show that the battle was the Lord’s 1 Samuel 17:39-47PTUK May 17, 1894, page 306.8.

• Divine Choice: While man looks on the outward appearance, the Lord looks at the heart, choosing the faithful shepherd boy over those with high stature or dignified appearance 1 Samuel 16:74aSG 77.5.