20140405 Saturday, April 5 2014
1 Samuel 19: The Parting of David and Saul

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"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"

Saul's animosity toward David had grown from petty jealousy (see 1 Samuel 18: The Rise Of David), to fear, and then to raw, irrational hatred. The day then came when Saul snapped: he ordered everyone to kill David. It was a bizarre situation; David went off to fight the Philistine enemies of King Saul, only to return home to where Saul had ordered David to be killed. Only Jonathan remained a trustworthy friend.

"19:1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. 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: 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." (1 Samuel 19:1-3 KJV)

Jonathan at first successfully reasoned with his father, "And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain."

"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: 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?

19:6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.

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." (1 Samuel 19:4-7 KJV)

Unfortunately, Saul was no longer in a state of mind where reason could persist. When David delivered another great victory to Saul, jealous Saul attempted to kill him for it.

"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.

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. 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." (1 Samuel 19:8-10 KJV)

Saul then attempted to kill David while he slept, but his wife, Saul's daughter, like her brother Jonathan, stood in defence of David.

"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. 19:12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 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.

19:14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.

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. 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.

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?" (1 Samuel 19:11-17 KJV)

David had already demonstrated that he would not run from a fight. He did however refuse to kill the king who was trying to kill him. David sought refuge with Samuel (see 1 Samuel 12: Samuel's Farewell), which was a gamble. No sane Israelite would have dared to attack the house of Samuel - but Saul was no longer sane. Nevertheless, a miracle happened as Saul approached Ramah - the Holy Spirit relieved Saul of his murderous spirit, for a time, until Saul let it come back upon him.

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

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. 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?" (1 Samuel 19:18-24 KJV)

Fact Finder: What does "Naioth" mean? What did Samuel do there?
See Naioth In Ramah