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
The Pharisees G5330 heard G191 that the people G3793 murmured G1111 such things G5023 concerning G4012 him; G846 and G2532 the Pharisees G5330 and G2532 the chief priests G749 sent G649 officers G5257 to G2443 take G4084 him. G846
And when they came H935 thither to the hill, H1389 behold, a company H2256 of prophets H5030 met H7125 him; and the Spirit H7307 of God H430 came H6743 upon him, and he prophesied H5012 among H8432 them.
After H310 that thou shalt come H935 to the hill H1389 of God, H430 where is the garrison H5333 of the Philistines: H6430 and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither H935 to the city, H5892 that thou shalt meet H6293 a company H2256 of prophets H5030 coming down H3381 from the high place H1116 with a psaltery, H5035 and a tabret, H8596 and a pipe, H2485 and a harp, H3658 before H6440 them; and they shall prophesy: H5012 And the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 will come H6743 upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy H5012 with them, and shalt be turned H2015 into another H312 man. H376
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
And the LORD H3068 came down H3381 in a cloud, H6051 and spake H1696 unto him, and took H680 of the spirit H7307 that was upon him, and gave H5414 it unto the seventy H7657 elders: H2205 H376 and it came to pass, that, when the spirit H7307 rested H5117 upon them, they prophesied, H5012 and did not cease. H3254 But there remained H7604 two H8147 of the men H582 in the camp, H4264 the name H8034 of the one H259 was Eldad, H419 and the name H8034 of the other H8145 Medad: H4312 and the spirit H7307 rested H5117 upon them; and they were of them that were written, H3789 but went not out H3318 unto the tabernacle: H168 and they prophesied H5012 in the camp. H4264
Then G3767 came G2064 the officers G5257 to G4314 the chief priests G749 and G2532 Pharisees; G5330 and G2532 they G1565 said G2036 unto them, G846 Why G1302 have ye G71 not G3756 brought G71 him? G846 The officers G5257 answered, G611 Never G3763 man G444 spake G3779 G2980 like G5613 this G3778 man. G444 Then G3767 answered G611 them G846 the Pharisees, G5330 Are G4105 ye G5210 also G2532 deceived? G4105 G3361 Have any G3387 of G1537 the rulers G758 or G2228 of G1537 the Pharisees G5330 believed G4100 on G1519 him? G846 But G235 this G3778 people G3793 who G3588 knoweth G1097 not G3361 the law G3551 are G1526 cursed. G1944 Nicodemus G3530 saith G3004 unto G4314 them, G846 (he that came G2064 to Jesus G846 by G4314 night, G3571 being G5607 one G1520 of G1537 them,) G846 Doth G2919 our G2257 law G3551 judge G2919 G3361 any man, G444 before G4386 G3362 it hear G191 G3844 him, G846 and G2532 know G1097 what G5101 he doeth? G4160 They answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 Art G3361 G1488 thou G4771 also G2532 of G1537 Galilee? G1056 Search, G2045 and G2532 look: G2396 for G3754 out of G1537 Galilee G1056 ariseth G1453 no G3756 prophet. G4396
But G1161 if G1437 all G3956 prophesy, G4395 and G1161 there come in G1525 one G5100 that believeth not, G571 or G2228 one unlearned, G2399 he is convinced G1651 of G5259 all, G3956 he is judged G350 of G5259 all: G3956 And G2532 thus G3779 are G1096 the secrets G2927 of his G846 heart G2588 made G1096 manifest; G5318 and G2532 so G3779 falling down G4098 on G1909 his face G4383 he will worship G4352 God, G2316 and report G518 that G3754 God G2316 is G2076 in G1722 you G5213 of a truth. G3689
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.