Even when Saul was our king, you were the one who led us into battle. And you were the one who brought Israel back home from war. And the Lord himself said to you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people, the Israelites. You will be the ruler over Israel.’”
Saul told them, “Say this to David, ‘David, the king doesn’t want you to pay money for his daughter! [167] Saul wants to get even with his enemy. So the price for marrying his daughter is 100 Philistine foreskins.’” That was Saul’s secret plan. Saul thought the Philistines would kill David.
Saul said to his officers that were standing around him, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Do you think the son of Jesse (David) will give you fields and vineyards? Do you think David will promote you and make you officers over 1,000 men and officers over 100 men?
“A king will force your sons to become soldiers. That king will choose which of your sons will be officers over 1,000 men and which will be officers over 50 men.