ISFP 9w1 Characters
Dominant Introverted Feeling—a self-knowledge and a desire to live under one’s personal values: David is very self-assured in his moral absolutes, and he makes decisions based both on what he feels is right and what he believes God wants for him to do. He does not hesitate to express his feelings or to go against people with whom he disagrees, because it does not occur to him that this could be dangerous. For example, when King Saul asks him which man his daughter should choose, David says none of them; she should marry me, because of his developing feelings for her. He also wants to tell her that God has chosen him to be the next king of Israel, which his brother advises him not to do, because it could get them all killed. The queen warning him off her daughter does not change how he feels about her or prevent him from spending time with her, and his father telling him not to go after the lion stalking their sheep alone has zero influence over him setting out (and succeeding) in killing it on his own. David is also very sensitive about being a “bastard,” but does not get around to asking his father to tell him the truth about his parentage for a long time. He loves to sing and to translate his feelings into songs and music, rather than to express them openly.
Auxiliary Extroverted Sensing—acting on one’s feelings through living in the moment and hands-on learning: He is very proactive and confident in his environment. As a child, his father warns him not to go beyond their boundaries; David does so, and winds up getting his mother killed by a lion when she hurries after him to protect him. Many years later, when the lion returns to stalk his sheep, David tracks and kills it without waiting for his brothers to provide help, challenging it and fighting it in a cave late one night. He can be impulsive, wanting to act on his feelings instantly, and does not understand why his father refuses to send him into battle, because he wants to fight. David excels with his slingshot and breaks pots to impress his brothers with his skills, but when thrown into an intense combat situation, does not react fast enough and has to be rescued by his brother (an ESTP). He rarely listens to others’ advice to stay put in favor of going out and experiencing life, wandering around the palace, seeing the king’s daughter in secret, etc.
Tertiary Introverted Intuition—specific insights and premonitions, and a singular state of mind: At first, David does not know how to interpret his visions and must ask the truth of Samuel about them; but he experiences very specific, Ni-ish futuristic impressions, about lions (him being one), seeing a vision of a warrior standing in the sea (to represent change, transformation, and a battle), and other such things. Once he becomes aware of his future purpose, David focuses on it and feels confident that one day, he will rule over Israel. He sits on the king’s throne in secret, to imagine when this day might come.
Inferior Extroverted Thinking—blunt and irritated by incompetence when under stress or overly focused on “the facts”: David mostly shows this function in his defiant attitude, and his decision-making skills, but also in his lack of logic. His brother has to warn him that his ambitions toward the princess might get them all killed, and that confiding in her just because he loves her is not a good idea, because David has no sense of the danger he is under or the consequences for his entire family. Nor does he understand why his father refuses to let him go to war; it’s what he wants and feels led to do, so why is he standing in the way? David has to be told that he is the favorite son, of the favored wife, and that his father does not want him to get slain on a battlefield.
Enneagram: 9w1
Enneagram 9—desires freedom from others’ influences, by going along with them and being tolerant, until it matters not to: David lives instinctually, with confidence that whatever he sets his hand to will come out all right. He initially has no interest in royalty and does not think of himself as important, but invites the princess to run away with him in the naïve belief that both of them can be happier away from the responsibilities of the court (he tells her you won’t have to be a princess anymore, or bear the weight of the throne). David is naïve and sweet, with a genuine kindness that radiates out of his actions, but also does not consult with other people. He ignores his father telling him not to brave the lion alone and does it anyway, out of a stubborn defiance and self-confidence. When he comes to court, at first he is overwhelmed by his environment and the expectations placed on him and has to be calmed down. Because he resents people trying to control or place limitations on him, he and his father argue about where his place is, and why he cannot go to war with his brothers. David is irritated but obedient, and remains with the sheep.
1 wing brings in a desire for moral rightness and perfection: He is firm in his moral views and his insistence that he will obey God, no matter what. Where others doubt that he can defeat Goliath, David is self-assured. They say he is not scared, and he admits that he is, but it will not stop him from doing the right thing. He unthinkingly corrects the queen when she references gods, by informing her there is only one. David comes across for awhile as a little “too” perfect in his ability to always do things right. He rarely second-guesses or questions himself.
