Ex Gratia: (with reference to the payment of money) as a favour or from a sense of moral obligation rather than because of any legal requirement
1 Samuel 17:25
And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.
David a little Shepherd boy was sent to deliver food to His military brothers and yet He had been setup by God to go obtain a reward that by all means should have been befitting for a military Man.
The opportunity was in the face of all the strong men but a little shepherd boy carrying food for the strong men took the opportunity.
1 Samuel 18:28-29
²⁸And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him. ²⁹And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually.
Severally, David was set up by Soul to have occasion against His and take His life away but 1 Samuel 18:1-4 tells us how Jonathan and David’s souls were knit together that Jonathan more or less handed over the kingdom to David being a Prince and Heir to the throne.
In vs 20, Saul’s daughter also loved David, another would have been very excited yet king Saul was to use anything to get David into entrapment by reason of Love and false elevation. (1 Samuel 18:17-18)
1 Samuel 18:22-25
²²And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king’s son in law.²³And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? ²⁴And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. ²⁵And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
Even when David said He could not afford bride price, another trap was set up for to die where the source of His reward would be.
‘Opportunity may be found in adversity’
Davids reward was based on Grace, every snare setup for Him did not work against but for Him. Open You eyes and see Gods way.
1 Samuel 18:5
And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
1 Samuel 18:14-15
¹⁴And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. ¹⁵Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
Prophetic Utterance:
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
I will fulfill my purpose
Guiding text:
Psalms 91:1-8
¹ He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.²I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.³Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.⁴He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.⁵Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;⁶Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.⁷A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
1 Samuel 18:20-21
²⁰And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. ²¹And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.