1. 1 Samuel 22:7 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What did Saul mean when he suggested that David would provide his own men with fields and make them commanders?

1 Samuel 22:7 (ESV)

7 And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, people of Benjamin; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,

Saul is speaking to the men that come from his tribe.1 It appears as if they were his close confidants and commanders. Since David was from the tribe of Judah, Saul argued that David would not be able to provide them with the same privileges that they enjoy whilst Saul is king. He suggested that should David become king, David would favour men from his own tribe of Judah. There was thus no reason for them (his close commanders) to offer any support to David.2