Saw the 2025 animated David movie today, and I absolutely loved it. Since I have a soft spot for complex characters, her is a short fic about the Eliab and his arc. Spoilers if you haven't seen the movie, so beware. Enjoy!
The role of the firstborn was a role Eliab carried with pride. As the oldest of Jesse's sons, he was the one expected to be the strongest, the wisest, and a leader. He shepherd the flock for years, helped the family, and became a soldier in Saul's army, a good one too. By every law of man, the favor of God should have rested on his shoulders.
He hadn't always resented David. In the early years, David was simply the "runt," a wide-eyed, enthusiastic boy who would trip over his own feet following him around, taught how to shepherd a flock and how to skip stones in the creek. Sure there was teasing-the kind of rough-edged prodding only brothers know-and Eliab often rolled his eyes wondering why the boy always seemed so favored by everyone. But there was no bite to it. Not until the day the Prophet Samuel came. Not until David was anointed.
That was the day the fire started to burn. Underneath the sneers Eliab threw at David, there wasn't just jealousy-there was a raw, bleeding insecurity. He wasn't good enough. If God didn't want the strongest son, then what was Eliab's purpose.
The resentment reached a boiling point the night Saul turned on David. Saul and his soldiers not only went after David, but Saul declared that anyone loyal to David was disloyal to him. While fleeing from the spears and flames, David ran into Eliab. Instead of protecting him, Eliab immediately accused David and blamed him for putting the family in danger. He had been so self-righteous. Eliab could still feel the rough wool of David's in his fist as he tried to haul him back, ready to hand him over to Saul, ignoring David's desperate pleas.
It wasn't until he saw David emerge from the cave, a piece of Saul's robe in his hand. David had been close enough to kill the king, yet he had chosen mercy. He had spared the man who had hunted him like an animal.
He saw how Saul embraced David, who embraced him back with such genuine and forgiving love. But then, Saul looked over David's shoulder and caught the eyes of his men. He saw their looks of disapproval, their silent judgement of his weakness. He pushed David away, and left with his army.
It was at that moment Eliab realized what a huge mistake he following Saul, a man he chose over his own brother. To make things worse, an even more horrifying thought had crossed his mind.
He had betrayed his baby brother.
He made the choice to follow his brother, but even then he still had doubts about David's leadership. He didn't even apologize.
Then a new nightmare: the Amalekites had taken their families. Eliab had rounded on David, after David had witnessed his best friend die.
What David did next changed everything.
Eliab had tried to stop him, thinking David must have been insane to go rescue their families and friends from the Amalekites. "I'm a shepherd, Eliab. What can I do but look after my sheep. And I trust my shepherd, to look after me." Those were David's words, so much trust in the Lord.
Eliab, however, dared to doubt.
David turned, "I would rather take my chances following the light, then choose living in the dark. Which do you choose, Eliab?"
As Eliab watched his youngest brother disappear in the smoke, was when he finally realized. Eliab had been so caught up in his own plans, with what he thought he deserved, that he had missed what God was doing. He understood why David was chosen now.
Perhaps, it was time to start trusting God.
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