11 Saul H7586 also sent H7971 messengers H4397 unto David's H1732 house, H1004 to watch H8104 him, and to slay H4191 him in the morning: H1242 and Michal H4324 David's H1732 wife H802 told H5046 him, saying, H559 If thou save H4422 not thy life H5315 to night, H3915 to morrow H4279 thou shalt be slain. H4191
12 So Michal H4324 let H3381 David H1732 down H3381 through a window: H2474 and he went, H3212 and fled, H1272 and escaped. H4422
13 And Michal H4324 took H3947 an image, H8655 and laid H7760 it in the bed, H4296 and put H7760 a pillow H3523 of goats' H5795 hair for his bolster, H4763 and covered H3680 it with a cloth. H899
14 And when Saul H7586 sent H7971 messengers H4397 to take H3947 David, H1732 she said, H559 He is sick. H2470
15 And Saul H7586 sent H7971 the messengers H4397 again to see H7200 David, H1732 saying, H559 Bring him up H5927 to me in the bed, H4296 that I may slay H4191 him.
16 And when the messengers H4397 were come in, H935 behold, there was an image H8655 in the bed, H4296 with a pillow H3523 of goats' H5795 hair for his bolster. H4763
17 And Saul H7586 said H559 unto Michal, H4324 Why hast thou deceived me so, H7411 and sent away H7971 mine enemy, H341 that he is escaped? H4422 And Michal H4324 answered H559 Saul, H7586 He said H559 unto me, Let me go; H7971 why should I kill H4191 thee?
18 So David H1732 fled, H1272 and escaped, H4422 and came H935 to Samuel H8050 to Ramah, H7414 and told H5046 him all that Saul H7586 had done H6213 to him. And he and Samuel H8050 went H3212 and dwelt H3427 in Naioth. H5121
19 And it was told H5046 Saul, H7586 saying, H559 Behold, David H1732 is at Naioth H5121 in Ramah. H7414
20 And Saul H7586 sent H7971 messengers H4397 to take H3947 David: H1732 and when they saw H7200 the company H3862 of the prophets H5030 prophesying, H5012 and Samuel H8050 standing H5975 as appointed H5324 over them, the Spirit H7307 of God H430 was upon the messengers H4397 of Saul, H7586 and they also prophesied. H5012
21 And when it was told H5046 Saul, H7586 he sent H7971 other H312 messengers, H4397 and they prophesied H5012 likewise. And Saul H7586 sent H7971 messengers H4397 again H3254 the third H7992 time, and they prophesied H5012 also.
22 Then went H3212 he also to Ramah, H7414 and came H935 to a great H1419 well H953 that is in Sechu: H7906 and he asked H7592 and said, H559 Where H375 are Samuel H8050 and David? H1732 And one said, H559 Behold, they be at Naioth H5121 in Ramah. H7414
23 And he went H3212 thither to Naioth H5121 in Ramah: H7414 and the Spirit H7307 of God H430 was upon him also, and he went H3212 on, H1980 and prophesied, H5012 until he came H935 to Naioth H5121 in Ramah. H7414
24 And he stripped off H6584 his clothes H899 also, H1571 and prophesied H5012 before H6440 Samuel H8050 in like manner, and lay down H5307 naked H6174 all that day H3117 and all that night. H3915 Wherefore they say, H559 Is Saul H7586 also among the prophets? H5030
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 19
Commentary on 1 Samuel 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 19
1Sa 19:1-7. Jonathan Discloses His Father's Purpose to Kill David.
1. Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David—The murderous design he had secretly cherished he now reveals to a few of his intimate friends. Jonathan was among the number. He prudently said nothing at the time, but secretly apprised David of his danger; and waiting till the morning, when his father's excited temper would be cooled, he stationed his friend in a place of concealment, where, overhearing the conversation, he might learn how matters really stood and take immediate flight, if necessary.
4-7. Jonathan spake good of David—He told his father he was committing a great sin to plot against the life of a man who had rendered the most invaluable services to his country and whose loyalty had been uniformly steady and devoted. The strong remonstrances of Jonathan produced an effect on the impulsive mind of his father. As he was still susceptible of good and honest impressions, he bound himself by an oath to relinquish his hostile purpose; and thus, through the intervention of the noble-minded prince, a temporary reconciliation was effected, in consequence of which David was again employed in the public service.
1Sa 19:8-17. Saul's Malicious Rage Breaks Out against David.
8-10. David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter—A brilliant victory was gained over the public enemy. But these fresh laurels of David reawakened in the moody breast of Saul the former spirit of envy and melancholy. On David's return to court, the temper of Saul became more fiendish than ever; the melodious strains of the harp had lost all their power to charm; and in a paroxysm of uncontrollable frenzy he aimed a javelin at the person of David—the missile having been thrown with such force that it pierced the chamber wall. David providentially escaped; but the king, having now thrown off the mask and being bent on aggressive measures, made his son-in-law's situation everywhere perilous.
11, 12. Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him—The fear of causing a commotion in the town, or favoring his escape in the darkness, seemed to have influenced the king in ordering them to patrol till the morning. This infatuation was overruled by Providence to favor David's escape; for his wife, secretly apprised by Jonathan, who was aware of the design, or by spying persons in court livery watching the gate, let him down through a window (see on Jos 2:15).
13, 14. And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed—"an image," literally, "the teraphim," and laid, not in the bed, but literally on the "divan"; and "the pillows," that is, the cushion, which usually lay at the back of the divan and was stuffed with "goat's hair," she took from its bolster or heading at the upper part of the divan. This she placed lower down, and covered with a mantle, as if to foster a proper warmth in a patient; at the same time spreading the goat's hair skin, so as to resemble human hair in a dishevelled state. The pretext was that David lay there sick. The first messengers of Saul, keeping at a respectable distance, were deceived; but the imposition was detected on a closer inspection.
15. Bring him to me in the bed—a portable couch or mattress.
1Sa 19:18-23. David Flees to Samuel.
18-23. David fled, … and came to Samuel to Ramah—Samuel was living in great retirement, superintending the school of the prophets, established in the little hamlet of Naioth, in the neighborhood of Ramah. It was a retreat congenial to the mind of David; but Saul, having found out his asylum, sent three successive bodies of men to apprehend him. The character of the place and the influence of the sacred exercises produced such an effect on them that they were incapable of discharging their commission, and were led, by a resistless impulse, to join in singing the praises of God. Saul, in a fit of rage and disappointment, determined to go himself. But, before reaching the spot, his mental susceptibilities were roused even more than his messengers, and he was found, before long, swelling the ranks of the young prophets. This singular change can be ascribed only to the power of Him who can turn the hearts of men even as the rivers of water.
1Sa 19:24. Saul Prophesies.
24. lay down naked—that is, divested of his armor and outer robes—in a state of trance. Thus God, in making the wrath of man to praise Him, preserved the lives of all the prophets, frustrated all the purposes of Saul, and preserved the life of His servant.