1Sa 19:1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
That they should kill David - Saul’s enmity now burst forth, in the avowed purpose of putting David to death. Nothing less than the especial interposition of God could have saved David’s life, when every officer about the king’s person, and every soldier, had got positive orders to despatch him.
Saul spake to Jonathan his son - Who was heir to his crown; and though he knew he loved David, and was in strict friendship with him, yet he might hope, that as his succession to the kingdom was in danger, as he thought, and that David was his rival in it, his mind would be alienated from him; and that he would listen rather to a father than a friend, and would see where his true interest lay, and abandon David, yea, seek his ruin, which Saul was intent upon
That they should kill David - as if he was a traitor, and an usurper of his throne, and one that had a design upon that, and upon his life; finding he could do nothing by the schemes, and snares, and stratagems, he used in a private manner, he grew outrageous and furious, and openly declared his views, and laid his injunctions on his son and servants to take away David's life, as a very dangerous person to his crown and government.
1Sa 19:2 But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:
Take heed to thyself until the morning - Perhaps the order was given to slay him the next day; and therefore Jonathan charges him to be particularly on his guard at that time, and to hide himself.
Take heed to thyself until the morning - it seems it was now evening when he informed him of it; and as he knew not what emissaries Saul might have out that night in quest of him, he advises him to take care of himself, and not expose himself to any danger, and to keep a strict guard about him; and in the morning he would try to conciliate his father to him, when he might hope, having slept upon it, that he would be in a better temper, and more disposed to hear what might be said to him:
Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David - In his company and conversation; he loved him with a love of complacency, and was constant and steadfast in it, and which was a kind providence to David; for by this means he came to the knowledge of Saul's designs upon him, and could the better guard against him:
1Sa 19:3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee.
stand beside my father in the field where thou art - on that side of him next to David, that he might not see him, and yet be so near, that David might hear what passed between them:
I will commune with my father of thee - speak in favor of him, and endeavor to dissuade him from attempting to take away his life, which was of so much importance and usefulness in the commonwealth of Israel :
what I see that I will tell thee - what David could not well hear he would inform him of, and what he could perceive in the countenance of Saul, as well as conclude from his words, that he would make known to David, that so he might know better what he had to do, and provide for his safety.
1Sa 19:4 And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:
Jonathan spake good of David - Observed to him what a good man be was, and what good things he had done, what wisdom and prudence he had shown in the management of all his affairs, what valor and courage in all his expeditions, what faithfulness and integrity to his king and country in every instance: It is evident that Jonathan was satisfied that David was an innocent man; and that his father was most unjustly incensed against him.
let not the king sin against his servant - by taking away his life; which would have been a great sin indeed, a sin against the law of God.
he hath not sinned against thee - had not disobeyed any of his orders, but faithfully served him in everything, and much less ever thought to take away his life, or seize his crown, as he might imagine:
his works have been to thee very good - by slaying the Philistines, when he and his army were in the utmost terror; by driving away the evil spirit from him, through playing on his harp before him; as well as by commanding his troops, and leading them against the Philistines, and obtaining victory over them.
1Sa 19:5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?
For he did put his life in his hand - Exposed himself to the utmost danger, when no one in all the camp of Israel would do the like:
slew the Philistine - Goliath of Gath, who defied the armies of Israel ; against him he went unarmed, only with his sling and stones, and fought him, and slew him:
the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel - by his hand, so that they were delivered from their enemies, who fled before them, and they pursued them, and got a complete victory over them:
1Sa 19:6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.
Saul sware, as the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain - this oath he added to what he said to Jonathan; and which was taken either with a real intention to keep it, though that intention did not long continue; or with a view to deceive Jonathan, that he might acquaint David with it, and so prevent his flight and escape, and that he might the more easily fall into his hands; The former seems rather to be the case. This reconciliation, unfortunately, did not last long.
1Sa 19:7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.
He was in his presence, as in times past - By Jonathan’s advice he had secreted himself on that day on which he was to have been assassinated: the king having sworn that he should not be slain, David resumes his place in the palace of Saul .
Jonathan showed him all these things - which had passed between him and his father, and particularly the oath he had made that he should not be slain:
Jonathan brought David to Saul - introduced him at court again, and into the presence chamber of Saul; who, in appearance, received him courteously, and a reconciliation was seemingly made:
1Sa 19:8 And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him.
And there was war again - Between Israel and the Philistines; it does not appear that either of them sent out their whole force, only some parties or detachments, between which there were skirmishes:
David went out and fought with the Philistines - he went out with his thousand men, over which he was made captain, 1Sa_18:13; for he had not the command of the whole army; that belonged to Abner:
slew them with a great slaughter - he killed many of them in his engagements with them, and the rest fled, and he returned victorious; which stirred up the envy and increased the jealousy of Saul, So David continues his good service, though it was ill requited. They who are ill paid for doing good, yet must not be weary of well doing, remembering how bountiful a benefactor God is, even to the evil and unthankful.
1Sa 19:9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.
And the evil spirit from the Lord - His envy and jealousy again returned, producing distraction of mind, which was exacerbated by diabolic influence. His melancholy and frantic disorder returned upon those victories of David, and he grew envious, jealous, spiteful, and malicious:
he sat in his house with his javelin his hand - which either describes the posture he was in when the evil spirit came upon him; or the effects of it, he became dull and melancholy, did not care to go abroad, but kept at home, and was suspicious of everybody;
David played with his hand - on some instrument of music, particularly the harp, to drive away the evil spirit, the melancholy disorder, from Saul;
And the evil spirit from the Lord - The thought expressed is, that the growth of Saul's melancholy was a sign of the hardness of heart to which Jehovah had given him up on account of his impenitence. David happily escaped this javelin also. He slipped away from Saul, so that he hurled the javelin into the wall; whereupon David fled and escaped the same night, the night after this occurrence. This remark somewhat anticipates the course of the events, as the author, according to the custom of Hebrew historians, gives the result at once, and then proceeds to describe in detail the more exact order of the events.
1Sa 19:10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.
David fled and escaped that night - This was the beginning of David’s life as a fugitive and outcast.
But he slipped away - He found he could not trust Saul; and therefore was continually on his watch. His agility of body was the means of his preservation at this time.
Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with his javelin - To strike it through him, and fasten him to the wall with it, as he had attempted before, 1Sa_18:11,
1Sa 19:11 Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.
Saul sent messengers unto David's house - Saul’s plan was to surround the house at night, and to have David killed as soon as he came abroad unsuspectingly in the morning.
To slay him in the morning - When they might be able to distinguish between him and Michal his wife. Besides, Saul wished to represent him as a traitor; and consequently an attack upon him was justifiable at any time, even in the fullest daylight.
To slay him in the morning - the reason why he did not order them to break into the house, and slay him at once, but wait till morning, seems to be, lest should he be alarmed by their breaking in, he might take the advantage of the night, and easily escape, or another person through mistake might be slain for him; and therefore, that they might be sure of him, they were to watch till it was broad daylight, when they could not well miss him.
if thou save not thy life tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be slain - meaning, if he did not take the benefit and advantage of the night to make his escape, he would not be able to do it in the morning; the house being so beset, as she perceived, by persons whom she might suspect were sent by Saul to destroy him, knowing the ill will her father bore to him, or a messenger at the same time might be dispatched to her, either from her brother Jonathan, or from one of her friends at court, acquainting her with the design against David, and the danger he was in. Upon this occasion David penned the fifty ninth psalm, Psalms 59:1 To the Chief Musician. Do not destroy. A secret treasure of David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me.
Saul sent messengers unto David's house --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.
1Sa 19:12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
Let David down through a window - As Saul’s messengers were sent to David’s house to watch him, they would naturally guard the gate, or lie in wait in that place by which David would come out. Michal, seeing this let him down to the ground through a window probably at the back part of the house. In like manner as Rahab let down the spies from her house in Jericho, when the king's messengers were in quest of them, Jos_2:15 Then she let them go down by a cord through the window. For her house was on the town wall, and she lived on the wall and as the disciples let down the Apostle Paul at Damascus , to preserve him from the designs of the Jews upon him Acts 9:24-25 But their plot was known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night in order to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a basket.
1Sa 19:13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.
Michal took an image - an image, or bust in human form, and as large as life, of a kind of household god, to the worship of which the Israelites, and especially women, were much addicted. The Hebrew word appears to mean any kind of image, in any kind of form, as a representative of some reality. Here it must have been something in the human form; because it was intended to represent a man lying in bed indisposed.
Michal took an image - Michal's stratagem to gain time till David got to a distance was allowable, but her falsehood had not even the plea of necessity to excuse it, and manifests that she was not influenced by the same spirit of piety which had dictated Jonathan's language to Saul.
A pillow of goats’ hair - It was probably a quilt or blanket of goats’ hair and of common use as a bed-covering. Whether Michal drew it over the head of the image, as if for warmth, and so covered it, or whether she disposed it about the head so as to look like hair, is not clear.
A pillow of goats’ hair - Rather, the net-work of goat’s hair which seems to have been a kind of mosquito-net. Spreading the goat's hair skin, so as to resemble human hair in a dishevelled state.
A pillow of goats’ hair – 1 Samuel 19:13 And Melchol took images, and laid them on the bed, and she put the liver of a goat by his head, and covered them with clothes. (Septuagint)
1Sa 19:14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.
when Saul sent messengers to take David - Either the same who in the morning inquired for David, or those staying longer than Saul expected, and fearing they were negligent or corrupted, he sent others.
she said, he is sick; and in bed - and cannot be spoke with; this lie she told through her affection to David, and to preserve his life; and this stratagem she devised to gain time, that while she was amusing the messengers with this tale of hers, before they could discover the truth of the matter David would be out of their reach; whereas, had she denied his being at home, or signified that he had made his escape, they would have immediately pursued after him, and he would have been in danger of being taken by them.
1Sa 19:15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
Saul sent the messengers again to see David - Not to visit him, or to see how he was, or inquire of his health, in a kind manner, but to see his person, whether he was sick or not, and whether he was there or not; for Saul might suspect some deceit was used, because the messengers took the report of Michal, and saw not David, nor attempted to see him; but now they have strict orders to see him, and not take Michal's word as before, 1Sa_19:14;
bring him up to me in the bed - if so bad that he was not able to rise, or not fit to be taken out of his bed, his orders were, that he should be brought to him in it; resolved he was to have him, sick or well: His sickness would not matter given the ultimate end Saul had planned for him.
that I may slay him - not content that he should die a natural death, or willing to wait for it, he is in haste, being full of wrath and malice, to slay him himself.
1Sa 19:16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.
1Sa 19:17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?
Why should I kill thee - To avert Saul’s anger from herself, she pretended that David had threatened her life unless she facilitated his escape. This she said to excuse herself to her father: as a wife she could do not less than favor the escape of her husband, being perfectly satisfied that there was no guilt in him. There were 2 parts to the lie here: 1) that David threatened her with death if she did not allow him to escape and 2) that David came up with the idea of escaping.
why hast thou deceived me so - for deceiving his messengers was deceiving him, by pretending David was sick and in bed, when she had placed an image there, and had let him down through a window.
sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped - as if she was more obliged to gratify the wicked passion of a father and king, than to provide for the safety of her husband:
1Sa 19:18 So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.
David fled, and escaped to Samuel - He, no doubt, came to this holy man to ask advice; and Samuel thought it best to retain him for the present, with himself at Naioth, where it is supposed he had a school of prophets.
came to Samuel to Ramah - the place where Samuel dwelt: to him David chose to come, by whom he had been anointed king, that he might have some advice and direction from him what he should do, and what course he should take in his present circumstances, and that he might receive some comfort from him under his present troubles:
dwelt in Naioth - Here being a school or college of the prophets, might be a kind of an asylum, and where it might be thought Saul would not attempt to lay hands on David, should he know where he was; for if the Philistines gave no disturbance to the hill of God, and the prophets in it, 1Sa_10:5; it might be reasonably concluded Saul would not;
1Sa 19:19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.
David is at Naioth, in Ramah - Ramah was the name of a hill, or mountain, so called from its height, and Naioth the name of a place on it; it signifies pastures and pleasant places, as meadows and pastures are; and here in the fields near Ramah was the house of doctrine, as the Targum calls it, or the school of the prophets, being pleasant and retired, and fit for study.
1Sa 19:20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
The Spirit of God was upon the messengers - They partook of the same influence, and joined in the same exercise; and thus were prevented from seizing David.
Saul sent messengers to take David - Notwithstanding the sacred place he was in, so bent was he upon his destruction:
they saw the company of the prophets prophesying - or praising, as the Targum; singing hymns and songs of praise to God, under the inspiration and influence of the Spirit of God; these prophets belonged to the school or college of prophets at Naioth.
Samuel standing as appointed over them - he stood to instruct and teach them in the knowledge of divine things: so the Targum,"standing, teaching over them or by them,''and to direct and assist them in singing their songs of praise:
1Sa 19:21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.
he sent other messengers - The same thing happened to a second and third company of messengers, whom Saul sent one after another when the thing was reported to him.
And when it was told Saul - That the messengers he had sent, instead of seizing on David, were prophesying of him, or however were attending to services of a different nature than what they were sent upon:
they prophesied also - joined the rest in singing praises, or foretelling future events.
1Sa 19:22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.
To a great well - Some large well-known cistern at Sechu, the site of which is uncertain, which Saul passed on his way from Gibeah to Ramah.
Then went he also to Ramah - That is, Saul; his messengers not returning to him, when he sent one after another to take David, at length he set out himself from Gibeah to Ramah:
1Sa 19:23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
He went on, and prophesied - The Divine Spirit seemed to have seized him at the well of Sechu; and he went on from that prophesying - praying, singing praises, etc.; till he came to Naioth.
prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah - in this he differed from his messengers; they did not prophesy till they came to that place, but Saul began to prophesy before he came thither, as he was in his way from the well to it. It came upon him in the way; whereas it came not upon his messengers 'till they came to the place. Hereby God would convince Saul of the vanity of his designs against David, and that in them he fought against God himself.
1Sa 19:24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
He stripped off his clothes - Threw off his royal robes or military dress, retaining only his tunic; and continued so all that day and all that night, uniting with the sons of the prophets in prayers, singing praises, and other religious exercises, which were unusual to kings and warriors; and this gave rise to the saying, Is Saul also among the prophets? By bringing both him and his men thus under a Divine influence, God prevented them from injuring the person of David. The whole history affords another instance of the protection of God vouchsafed to His servants, which forms so frequent a topic of the Psalms of David.
he stripped off his clothes also - Not all his clothes, but his upper garments, as men in such circumstances used to do, as the prophets sometimes did, and as it seems his messengers had done;
prophesied before Samuel in like manner - as the messengers had done, singing such like songs, or foretelling such like things as they did; he and they speaking not of themselves, but as they were moved by the Holy Spirit of prophecy; for such gifts have sometimes been bestowed on men that were destitute of the grace of God, as Balaam, Caiaphas, and others: 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.
naked all that day - not entirely naked, both without his upper garment or royal robes, or else his armor; so an unarmed man is said to be naked, though otherwise he has his clothes on:
Lay down all that day and night - Heb. fell, down upon the earth; for his mind being in an ecstasy, he had not the use of his senses. God so ordering it, that David might have an opportunity to escape.
