Eliab & Goliath, Chapter 5: Jealousy and Bitterness
The fire crackled merrily in the fireplace, bestowing its warmth and light to the room. It lent itself to a cheerful atmosphere, as people bustled in and out of the inn. Delicious aromas wafted through the room as hungry patrons dug into the steaming plates of roast lamb placed before them. In the corner of the room, a young man grinned at his companion as they washed their dinner down with cups of finely spiced wine.
“So… what do you think?”
“Not bad,” Eliab nodded appreciatively, savouring the taste of his drink. “Not bad at all.”
“I was just joking,” Eliab responded dryly, resisting the urge to say something more sarcastic. “It is very good. Although I would have thought you would be used to fine fare by now. Don’t you sup at the king’s table every day?”
“I guess.” David shrugged. “Maybe a few days a week.”
Eliab frowned. David had sent word back about how he was doing, but they always seemed strangely elusive when they came to the king. He had mentioned the king’s son plenty of times, and the various nobles that he had met as well as the sights that he had seen. But he was here on a more permanent basis now to play his lyre for the king. It was his job, so shouldn’t he be talking about it more?
“You don’t play for the king every day?”
“Not really.”
Frustrated at his brother’s laconic replies, Eliab fished for more conversation topics. Tales of David’s exploits had reached the family. Father had been very proud. Much as Eliab wished he could claim credit for teaching David, he knew that David’s deeds told of much more than just fancy swordwork. They were feats that no other ordinary human could achieve. God was with him still.
“We have heard,” he offered. “That you have killed many Philistines and won the hand of the king’s daughter. Father is very proud.”
“That’s good,” David shrugged again.
This conversation was going nowhere. It was almost like David was stonewalling him on purpose. Pushing down his annoyance with an effort, he tried once again.“You have met with success on success. Surely you must have found favour in King Saul’s eyes. He has seen God’s spirit in you, after all.”
David said nothing in reply, and instead took a long gulp of his drink. He fixed Eliab with a measuring gaze, as the silence stretched out between them.
“What?” Eliab said sharply, breaking the pregnant pause. “What did I say?”
“Nothing.” David fidgeted with his cup uncomfortably. “It’s just that…”
He glanced around the tavern furtively, before beckoning to Eliab to lean in closer.
“We should take a walk outside,” he murmured, in such a low voice that it was almost washed away in the conversations flowing around them. “Some fresh air would be good.”
Eliab would gladly have throttled his younger brother for being so enigmatic, but it appeared there was only one way to get to the bottom of this mystery. Hastily gulping down the last of his dinner, he followed David outside, where his brother steered them away into a more secluded area in a small grove of trees.
Eliab waited, but David still said nothing, instead leaning his back against a trunk and letting the breeze ruffle his hair. Finally, Eliab could stand it no longer.
“Come on!” he burst out. “You’ve kept me in suspense long enough. Why are you being so secretive? One would think you were doing something wrong! The Lord is with you, so I know that’s not it. So what is it?”
David sighed. “I know. He is. But Eliab… I fear for my life.”
“What?!” Eliab blinked. David, who had faced down a giant without batting an eyelid, was afraid? “Why?”
“King Saul is not himself,” David told him solemnly. “Most of the time he is at peace, but there are times when I’m playing for him, when he suddenly… changes.”
“What do you mean?” Eliab pressed. “What kind of change?”
“First he stops what he’s doing.” David said slowly. “He pauses in his work and becomes lost in thought. He withdraws into himself, paying no attention to the surroundings. And then he starts to stare at me… and he gets an odd glint in his eye sometimes. And it makes me feel like something awful is going to happen. And it did... He threw his spear at me last week, and I barely managed to slip out of the way.”
“What!” Eliab’s eyes widened and he gripped David forcefully by the forearm. “Why would he do that?! What does he have against you?”
“I wish I knew.” David sighed. “I don’t understand. The servants have all been telling me that he likes me and wants to offer Michal’s hand to me in marriage. She is a wonderful lady - she loves me and is of gentle character. But why would he do that if he was trying to kill me? I’ve seen the way he looks at me sometimes and I can’t help but feel that he doesn’t like me. None of it makes sense!”
“That’s horrible.” Eliab shuddered. “David, you can’t stay here! Something must have happened. The king is not sound of mind. It’s not safe for you here. Leave. Come back home with me.”
“I can’t, Eliab,” David looked pained. “I have to stay here.”
“Why?” Eliab demanded. “Why should you stay here?! There are no obligations for you here, and it is full of personal dangers. Surely you are not so interested in winning glory for your name that you are going to ignore the threat to your own life?”
“Of course not!” David shook his head vigorously, as Eliab berated himself for his lapse in judgement. David was not after personal gain, he knew. He had never sought such a thing in all this time. It was unlikely he would start now. “That’s the least of my concerns. But I know that God has work for me still.”
“But it’s dangerous-”
“He’ll protect me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” David squared his shoulders. “He has plans, Eliab. For Israel. For His people. And for you and me. Great plans. And if He wants me to help fulfill them, who am I to turn away? No… I have to stay.”
“You sound like how you did when you were about to fight Goliath,” Eliab groaned. And he looked the same, too. David was calm and confident. It seemed like despite all the fears he had mentioned, his faith was unshaken. “There’s no dissuading you from this path, is there?”
David shook his head.
“Fine,” Eliab said dryly. Sometimes he almost thought David took after him in terms of stubbornness. “Just… let me know if you need anything. I can help.”
After all, God had plans for everybody. Maybe He would use Eliab in some way too.
“Pray for me,” David said quietly. “Plead with God on my behalf. Ask him to keep me safe. And look after the rest of the family and Father for me.”
“You never could take the easy way out. You always have to do the most difficult, dangerous things and make us all worry, don’t you?” Eliab meant to say it jokingly, but he winced at how sarcastic he sounded. “Sorry. You know I’m just… concerned.”
“I know,” David nodded solemnly. “I know. I promise, Eliab. I’ll be okay.”
“You’d better,” Eliab’s chin jutted out the same way David’s always had when he was determined to do something. Perhaps they were not so different after all. “We’ll be waiting - and praying - for you.”