שמואל א, פרק י״ח, פסוק י״א

A sudden fit of rage shatters the music filling the room, as an unstable mood pushes Saul into an unplanned act of violence. Acting on a passing thought, he hurls a spear at David. The primary approach among commentators is that Saul intended to deliver a blow so powerful that the weapon would pierce completely through David's body and pin him to the wall behind him. However, another perspective suggests that Saul was actually trying to mask his true intentions. According to [מלבי״ם], the king wanted the strike to look like a tragic accident, pretending he was merely aiming at the wall rather than at David.

Saul throws the weapon twice, but both attempts fail as David turns away. There are different views on exactly how David managed to escape. One approach explains that the young and agile David was fully aware of Saul's volatile state and consciously stepped aside to avoid the strike [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Conversely, another view emphasizes God's direct intervention. In this explanation, David never even saw what Saul was doing because his eyes were focused entirely on his harp. He shifted his body absentmindedly, guided directly by God to ensure his survival [מלבי״ם, רלב״ג].

Surviving these two attempts was more than just a physical escape; it marked a profound shift in awareness. Watching David evade the spear made it undeniably clear to Saul that God was protecting the young man and had departed from the king himself. Recognizing this divine backing filled Saul with fear. This realization ultimately drove him to distance David from his presence, appointing him as a commander of a thousand with the secret hope that he would fall in battle to the Philistines.