Bible Problem: 1 Samuel 16:21 & 1 Samuel 17:55. Saul’s Armourbearer was David, but Saul Claimed Not to Know Him.
Problem:
In 1 Samuel 16:21 we read:
And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
But in 1 Samuel 17:55 it says:
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
How is it possible that Saul could not recognize David when David had already been his armourbearer for several months?
Solution:
Let’s pay closer attention to 1 Samuel 17:55:
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
The Philistine David went to fight was the giant Goliath. King Saul was impressed, so naturally he wanted to know about David’s father.
Saul was not asking about David, he was asking about David’s father when he said “whose son is this youth?”
David’s father Jesse was mentioned to Saul in 1 Samuel 16:18, but this took place several months earlier and Saul had simply forgotten the name of David’s father.