The First Book of Samuel

Chapter 19

Jonathan discloses his father's purpose to kill David, 1-3. He persuades his father to reconciliation, 4-7. By reason of David's good success in a new war, Saul's malicious rage breaks out against him, 8-11. Michal deceives her father with an image in David's bed, 12-17. David comes to Samuel in Naioth, 18, 19. Saul's messengers, sent to take David, 20, 21, and Saul himself, prophesy, 22-24.

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 seeks to kill you. Now, therefore, I pray you, take heed to yourself until the morning, abide in a secret place, and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are and I will commune with my father about you. And what I see, that I will tell you." 4 And Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father and said to him, "Do not let the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you and because his works have been very good toward you. 5 For he put his life in his hand and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood to slay David without a cause?" 6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. And Saul swore, "As the LORD lives, he shall not be slain." 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told 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 with his hand. 10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin, but he slipped away from Saul's presence as he drove the javelin into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

11 Saul also sent messengers to David's house to watch him and to slay him in the morning. And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be slain." 12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he went, fled, and escaped. 13 And Michal took an image, laid it in the bed, put a pillow of goat's hair for his bolster, 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 back to see David, saying, "Bring him to me in the bed so 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 goat's hair for his bolster. 17 And Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me like this and sent away my enemy so that he has escaped?" And Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go. Why should I kill you?'"

18 So David fled and escaped, and he 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 to 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 he went 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 there 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?"

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - 1st Samuel, Chapter 19[➚]

Notes

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