Following the monumental victory over the Philistine, a profound shift occurs in David's life. He transitions from a simple shepherd who only occasionally visits the palace into a permanent member of the royal court. King Saul formally brings David into his home, putting an end to the previous arrangement where David would travel back and forth between his royal duties and tending his father's sheep [מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד].
The decision to keep David at the palace permanently stems from honorable intentions. Following David's heroic act, Saul plans to fulfill his public vow to give his daughter in marriage to the victor. It would be entirely undignified and inappropriate for the king's future son-in-law and close confidant to continue working in the pastures as a shepherd [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל, חומת אנך].
The exact placement of this event in the broader biblical narrative carries deep significance. The story specifically records Saul taking David into his home before the famous event where the women sing, praising David for defeating tens of thousands while attributing only thousands to Saul. That song eventually sparks intense jealousy and anger in the king. If David's permanent move to the palace had been recorded after the song, one might suspect that Saul kept him close for dark, calculated reasons—positioning him as an easy target for assassination. By establishing this detail earlier, the narrative emphasizes that Saul's original intentions were completely pure and positive [חומת אנך].
Saul's favorable disposition toward David is also inspired by the remarkable friendship he sees developing between David and his own son, Jonathan [חומת אנך]. Their bond is so powerful that Jonathan, despite being the crown prince, never treats David as an inferior. Instead, in a profound display of love and loyalty, Jonathan strips off his royal coat and uniform and gives them to David. This striking gesture symbolizes Jonathan's deep, internal recognition that David is the one truly destined to inherit the throne in his place [אברבנאל].