_A.M. 2941. B.C. 1063._ Saul is pacified by Jonathan, 1 Samuel 19:1. Attempts again to kill David, 1 Samuel 19:8. Is deceived by Michal, who sends David away, 1 Samuel 19:11. David flies to Ramah, and Saul prophesies, 1 Samuel 19:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saul spake to Jonathan, and all his servants_ When he could not destroy David by craft, he declares open enmity to him; and commands his son and his whole court to make him away; some of whom he thought would obey him. It is strange he should speak to Jonathan to murder David, if he knew the friend... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Jonathan delighted much in David, and told David_ Jonathan disobeyed the command, and, instead of murdering David, pleads his innocence and merits, as reasons for saving him. He also discovered his father's design and fixed resolution to destroy him, and certainly in neither case acted inconsis... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will stand by my father in the field_ In which it is likely Saul used to walk in the morning and take the fresh air. Thereabouts he advised David to lurk in some secret place; that he might speedily acquaint him with the issue of his discourse with his father, 1 Samuel 19:4. _Jonathan spake good... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saul sware, As the Lord liveth_ And, without all doubt, he intended what he said, feeling a real change in himself for the present. “God,” says Mr. Henry, “inclined the heart of Saul to hearken to the voice of Jonathan.” From this, however, and other similar instances, it appears that Saul was of a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saul sought to smite David with the javelin_ “How sad and shocking a scene was this! David labouring with all his study and skill to relieve Saul's anguish; and Saul, in the same instant, meditating his destruction! sitting sullen and determined, with his javelin in his hand, watching his opportuni... [ Continue Reading ]
_To slay him in the morning_ As he went out of the door of his house. By this it is apparent, when Saul missed his blow, he was the more enraged, and implacably pursued David's destruction. _And Michal, David's wife, told him_ She had intelligence either from her brother Jonathan, or some other frie... [ Continue Reading ]
_He fled and escaped_ It seems likely that a considerable part of the eighteenth Psalm, namely, from the 1st to the 29th verse, refers to this escape of David. The 29th verse seems entirely descriptive of it, and applicable to no other event of David's life that we read of. “By thee I have run throu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Michal took an image_ In the Hebrew it is _teraphim;_ which teraphim, as Dr. Dodd observes, it plainly appears from hence, must have been figures of the human form; for the design of Michal was manifestly to deceive the messengers of Saul, by showing them something in a bed so far resembling a man... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saul sent messengers to take David_ As he did not come out of doors, where they waited for him, Saul sent other messengers to take him in the house. _She said, He is sick_ Her affection for David, and fear for his life, induced her to tell a plain lie, in which she is neither to be justified nor im... [ Continue Reading ]
_David escaped and came to Samuel_ Both for comfort and direction in his distress, and for safety, supposing that Saul would be ashamed to execute his bloody designs in the presence of so venerable a person as Samuel. _And told him all that Saul had done to him_ Which, while it afforded relief to th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saul sent messengers to take David_ His implacable hatred had abolished all respect and reverence for Samuel, (under whose protection David now was,) and for the college of the prophets, which was a kind of sanctuary to those that fled to it. _Samuel standing as appointed over them _ To instruct an... [ Continue Reading ]
_He sent other messengers_ Strange obstinacy, to contend so long with the Spirit of God. _And they prophesied likewise_ That is, they joined with the rest in praising God. “Instead,” says Henry, “of seizing David, they were themselves seized.” Thus God again secured David, put an honour on the sons... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he stripped off his clothes also_ His royal robes. Perhaps this was intended to signify the taking away of his kingdom from him; _and lay down_ Hebrew, _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 o... [ Continue Reading ]