Consumed

17 Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the LORD." For Saul said to himself, "I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!"

 18 But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my family or my father's clan in Israel, that I should become the king's son-in-law?" 19 So ^[d] when the time came for Merab, Saul's daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.

 20 Now Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. 21 "I will give her to him," he thought, "so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David, "Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law."

 22 Then Saul ordered his attendants: "Speak to David privately and say, 'Look, the king is pleased with you, and his attendants all like you; now become his son-in-law.' "

 23 They repeated these words to David. But David said, "Do you think it is a small matter to become the king's son-in-law? I'm only a poor man and little known."

 24 When Saul's servants told him what David had said, 25 Saul replied, "Say to David, 'The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.' " Saul's plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.

 26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, 27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.

 28 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.

 30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success ^[e] than the rest of Saul's officers, and his name became well known. 1 Samuel 18:17-30

Saul's jealousy caused him to go after David with everything, even using his own daughters as bribes! You don't think jealousy will cause you to do crazy stuff, just read over this chapter again.

Just look at the deception in these verses:

Merab was already promised to David because of his defeat of Goliath, but David refused because he felt unworthy; Saul keeps pushing. "Okay, if you don't think you're good enough, I'll come at your pride by having her marry someone else. Let's see about your jealousy." Well that didn't work, got to find something else.

Saul finds out his other daughter Michal is in love with David and decides to use
her. How twisted is that? This is the man that just threw a javelin at David, right? Saul knows that there is nothing more intoxicating to a man than a woman full of praise and admiration; "so let's use her."

"And if that's not enough to get him drunk on admiration, let's give him a double. Tell all the servants to go tell him 'HE'S THE MAN'".

Any guy would be feeling the effects right now; the pride tank would be over flowing!

David decides not to drink from this well, not yet at least, and his excuse gives Saul even more room for deception.

"Oh, David thinks he can't afford her, what an opportunity! I can get him killed on this one!"

Ever been there, you see everything as an opportunity to take your rival down?

You start focusing on them, looking for anything; I mean anything to take a shot at them. If you have, think about how tormented Saul's life was and how those around him suffered…STOP IT! Not only are those around too precious, so are you to be headed down that path; it will only lead to a devastated life.

Wake up!