Angry, afraid, and jealous, Saul attempted to take David's life on several occasions. Three times Saul unsuccessfully hurled a spear at David (1 Sam. 18:10-11; 19:9-10). Saul encouraged David to engage in war, with the purpose of putting him in danger (18:13, 17, 25). Saul gave his daughter, Michal, to David in marriage with the intention that she would be a snare to him (18:20-21). Jonathan and other men were explicitly told to kill David (19:1, 11-17), only to be foiled by Jonathan's and Michal's love for David. When David escaped to Samuel, Saul sent men three times to capture him, only to have them fail (19:18-24). Saul ordered Jonathan to bring David to him, at which Jonathan warned David to flee (20:1-42). Saul continued to hunt David, twice driving him into Philistine territory (21:10; 27:1ff.). Despite the repeated attempts on his life, David spared Saul's life on two occasions—at En Gedi (24:1-7) and in the wilderness of Ziph (26:6-12).
