1 Samuel 19

AND Saul spake to Jonathan his son Whom, though lately engaged in a League of Friendship with David, he thought to oblige to it by sense of his own Interest, as being the next Heir of the Crown, and likely to suffer most by David's advancement., and to all his servants What before he secretly designed, now he openly and impudently avowed., that they should kill David.

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 thy self until the morning Lest he kill thee before I discourse with him, and endeavour to reconcile him to thee; which I think not fit to attempt as yet, whilst he is in the fit of Rage against thee; but I intend to do in the morning, when I may hope to find him in a better temper., and abide in a secret place, and hide thy self.

And I will go out and stand by my father in the field, where thou art In the Field where my Father useth to walk, where also I would have thee to hide thy self, that I may know where to find thee at hand, to acquaint thee with the success of my indeavours, that thou maist accordingly either return to Court, or speedily depart., and I will commune with my father of thee, and what I see, that I will tell thee.

¶ And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father Which he could not do without hazard to himself. Herein therefore he performed the Duty of a true Frīend, and of a valiant Man., and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David: because he has not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good.

For he did put his life in his hand i. e. He exposed his life to em... t hazard. See the Notes on Iudg. 12. 3., and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoyce: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan, and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain This great change is not to be ascribed to any true Repentance for his sin against David, or any better affection which he now had to him; but merely to his own worldly Interest; because he was convinced by Ionathan's discourse, that he could not kill him, without great inconvenience and shame to himself..

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.

¶ 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 the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul David's successes against the Philistines, which should have cheered his heart, made him sad, and the Devil watched the opportunity to improve his Melancholy, as before he had done., as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.

And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin: but he slipt away out of Sauls presence; and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.

Saul also sent messengers unto David's house to watch him, and to slay him in the morning Why not in the Night? Ans. Partly, because it would have been barbarous, and most dishonourable to Saul, to break into David's House by Night, and kill him in his own House and Bed; and it seemed more expedient to kill him as he came out of his House in the Morning: partly, because the Night might give David some opportunity of escaping, which the Day-light would prevent: and principally, by Gods singular Providence, infatuating Saul's mind to take the worst course, that David might be delivered from him.: and Michal Davids wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain Which she might learn, either by information from Ionathan, or some other Courtier that was privy to the design: or from her own observation of some suspicious or dangerous Persons hovering about the House..

¶ So Michal let David down thorow a window Because they lay in wait for him at the Doors of the House, whensoever he should come forth there.: and he went and fled, and escaped.

And Michal took an image Heb. Teraphim, which was an Image made in human shape: which she might keep secretly, either out of a superstitious regard to it, or out of mere curiosity. This stratagen... she used, because knowing her Fathers unquiet, and jealous, and furious temper, she suspected he might come or send, to see whether David was there or no., and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats hair for his bolster Or, put great Goats hair upon his Bolster, i. e. upon the head and face of the Image, which lay upon his Bolster, that it might have some kind of resemblance of David's head and hair, at least in a sick man's Bed, where there useth to be but a glimmering light. Goats is here put for Goats hair, as it manifestly is, Exod. 25. 4. and 26. 7. and 35. 26. It is acknowledged by Learned Writers, that in those Eastern Countries, Goats had much longer hair than ours have, and were shorn like Sheep; and that their hair was not unlike to a Mans or Womans hair; as may also be gathered from Cant. 4. 1. thy hair is as a flock of Goats, i. e. as the hair of a flock of Goats. And as there was Goats hair of several colours, (as the Wool of Sheep in divers parts is of very differing colours, as white, or black, or yellow, &c.) so it is most probable... he took that colour which was likest the colour of David's hair. And she took this rather than the hair of another man, because the procuring and ordering of that would have taken up some time; whereas she had Goats hair of all sorts at hand, as being used in Spinning or Weaving, &c. Or, the sense may be this, according to our Translation, That she put a Pillow of the softest part of Goats hair under the head of the Image, as they used to put under the heads of sick Men; whereby also the head of the Image sinking into the Pillow, might be less discerned, especially when it was either wholly or in part covered with a Cloath. And all this art was used, that David being supposed, and, by some Persons who were sent to inquire, perceived, as they thought, to be in the Bed, Saul might be hindred from pursuing and overtaking him before he had got into some secure place., and covered it with a cloth Upon pretence of his being sick, and needing some such covering, but really in design to prevent the discovery of her deceit..

And when Saul sent messengers To wit, other Messengers in the Morning, supposing the former to be either slow or perfidious. to take David, she said, He is sick.

And Saul sent the messengers again to see David Or only, to see David, which they did not before, but went away satisfied (as it was fit they should) with her Report and Testimony of his sickness., saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.

And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats hairjor his bolster.

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 If thou dost not permit me to escape without discovery, I shall be forced for my own defence to kill thee. Though it is most likely, this was a lye, and a fiction of her own.?

¶ So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah Partly, for comfort and direction in his grert distress; and partly, for safety, supposing that Saul would be ashamed to execute his Bloody designs in the presence of so venerable a Person as Samuel, who had laid so great obligations upon Saul, and had such great and just Reputation with the People., and told him all that Saul had done to him: and he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah Or, near Ramah; the Hebrew preposition beth, in, being oft put for near, as it is apparently used, Numb. 33. 37, 38. Ios. 5. 13. Ier. 20. 2. and 32. 7. Naioth was either an House or Colledge in the Town of Ramah, or a Village in the Territory of Ramah, or near to the Town of Ramah; in which there was a Colledge of the Prophets, amongst whom Samuel thought David might be secure..

And Saul sent messengers to take David Thus Saul's wickedness and fury increased; and he that at first used only secret practices against David, now breaks forth into open and impudent Hostilities; plainly declaring, that he neither feared God, nor reverenced Man. He would have punished Samuel, as afterwards he did Abimeleck, for giving David entertainment, but that he feared the People, who had so great and unanimous a Veneration for him.: and when they saw the company of the Prophets prophesying i. e. Speaking of God, or of the things of God by Divine inspiration; either praising God, or instructing Men. Compare Numb. 11. 25. 1 Sam. 10. 5., and Samuel standing as appointed over them To instruct, moderate and direct them in those Holy exercises. For though they prophesied by Divine Inspiration, which Samuel could not govern; yet they were both to prepare and dispose themselves for it before-hand, and to make good improvement of it afterwards, in both which they needed Samuel's counsel and assistance. And whereas some might falsly pretend to those Raptures; or the Devil might transform himself into an Angel of Light, and convey some Evil or false Suggestions into some of their minds, Samuel's presence and judgment was necessary to prevent and to detect such Impostures. Besides, Samuel would by his present conjunction with them in those Holy Exercises, encourage them, and stir up others to the coveting of those Gifts, and the performance of such Religious Duties., the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied Being Inspired by God to do so, as wicked Balaam also was; that being wrapt up into such an extasie, their minds might be wholly taken up with those matters, and quite taken off from their design of seizing David..

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.

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 For, his Messengers not returning, he knew not exactly where they were.? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.

And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also It came upon him in the way; whereas it came not upon his Messengers till they came to the place. Whereby God would convince Saul of the vanity of all his designs against David, and that in them he Fought against God himself., and he went on, and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah:

And he stript off his clothes To wit, his Military or Royal Garments: which he did, either that he might suit himself and his habit to the rest of the Company; or, because his mind being altogether taken up with Divine things, he did not understand nor heed what he did. also This implies, that the Messengers which he sent, who probably were Military persons, had done so before him., and prophesied before Samuel This does not contradict 1 Sam. 15. 35. where it is said, that Samuel came no more to see Saul: for here Saul goes to Samuel, and that not with design to see him, but to surprize David. in like manner As the rest of the Prophets there did., and lay down Heb. fell, to wit, down upon the Earth; for his mind being in an Extasie, he had not the use of his Senses or Motion, as he, Numb. 24. 4. God so ordering it, that David might have an opportunity to escape. naked i. e. Stript of his upper Garments, as was said before and as the word Naked is oft used, as Isa. 20. 2. Mich. 1. 8. See also 2 Sam. 6. 20. Ioh. 21. 7. And it is here repeated to signifie how long he lay in that posture. all that day, and all that night So God kept him as it were in Chains, till David was got out of his reach.: wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the Prophets The same Proverb which was taken up upon a like occasion, 1 Sam. 10. 12. is here remembred and revived upon this new occasion, as an Evidence of Gods wonderful care over David; he made Saul in some sort a Prophet, that he might make David a King.?