1 Samuel 19

1 And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

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.

3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father about thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee."

4 And Jonathan spoke well 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 toward thee very good.

5 For he put his life in his hands and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel. Thou sawest it and didst rejoice. Why then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?"

6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, "As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain."

7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.

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.

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 music with his hand.

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.

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 tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be slain."

12 So Michal let David down through a window; and he went and fled, and escaped.

13 And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for its head, and covered it with a cloth.

14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick."

15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him."

16 And when the messengers had come in, behold, there was an image in the bed with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.

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?'"

18 So David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

19 And it was told Saul, saying, "Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah."

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.

21 And when it was told to Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.

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 are at Naioth in Ramah."

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.

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. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

1 Samuel 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

Jonathan reconciles his father to David, Saul again tries to slay him. (1-10) David flees to Samuel. (11-24)

Verses 1-10 How forcible are right words! Saul was, for a time, convinced of the unreasonableness of his enmity to David; but he continued his malice against David. So incurable is the hatred of the seed of the serpent against that of the woman; so deceitful and desperately wicked is the heart of man without the grace of God, ( Jeremiah 17:9 ) .

Verses 11-24 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. In flying to Samuel, David made God his refuge. Samuel, as a prophet, was best able to advise him what to do in this day of distress. He met with little rest or satisfaction in Saul's court, therefore went to seek it in Samuel's church. What little pleasure is to be had in this world, those have who live a life of communion with God; to that David returned in the time of trouble. So impatient was Saul after David's blood, so restless against him, that although baffled by one providence after another, he could not see that David was under the special protection of God. And when God will take this way to protect David, even Saul prophesies. Many have great gifts, yet no grace; they may prophesy in Christ's name, yet are disowned by him. Let us daily seek for renewing grace, which shall be in us as a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Let us cleave to truth and holiness with full purpose of heart. In every danger and trouble, let us seek protection, comfort, and direction in God's ordinances.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 19

This chapter relates the dangers David was exposed unto through Saul's enmity at him, and his deliverance from them, as by the notice Jonathan gave him of his father's designs against him, and by his kind interposition on his behalf, 1Sa 19:1-7; by David's slipping out of Saul's presence, when he was about to cast a javelin at him, 1Sa 19:8-10; by Michal's letting him down through a window, when Saul sent messengers to kill him, and by deceiving them with an image laid in his bed in the room of him, 1Sa 19:11-17, and again by Samuel's protection of him at Naioth, whither David fled, and where Saul sent messengers after him, and at length came himself; and instead of laying hands on David, both he and the messengers were set a prophesying, 1Sa 19:18-24.