11 Saul H7586 also sent H7971 messengers H4397 unto David's H1732 house, H1004 to watch H8104 him, and to slay H4191 him in the morning: H1242 and Michal H4324 David's H1732 wife H802 told H5046 him, saying, H559 If thou save H4422 not thy life H5315 to night, H3915 to morrow H4279 thou shalt be slain. H4191
And it was told the Gazites, H5841 saying, H559 Samson H8123 is come H935 hither. And they compassed him in, H5437 and laid wait H693 for him all night H3915 in the gate H8179 of the city, H5892 and were quiet H2790 all the night, H3915 saying, H559 In the morning, H1242 when it is day, H216 we shall kill H2026 him.
[[To the chief Musician, H5329 Altaschith, H516 Michtam H4387 of David; H1732 when Saul H7586 sent, H7971 and they watched H8104 the house H1004 to kill him.]] H4191 Deliver H5337 me from mine enemies, H341 O my God: H430 defend H7682 me from them that rise up H6965 against me. Deliver H5337 me from the workers H6466 of iniquity, H205 and save H3467 me from bloody H1818 men. H582 For, lo, they lie in wait H693 for my soul: H5315 the mighty H5794 are gathered H1481 against me; not for my transgression, H6588 nor for my sin, H2403 O LORD. H3068 They run H7323 and prepare H3559 themselves without my fault: H5771 awake H5782 to help H7125 me, and behold. H7200 Thou therefore, O LORD H3068 God H430 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel, H3478 awake H6974 to visit H6485 all the heathen: H1471 be not merciful H2603 to any wicked H205 transgressors. H898 Selah. H5542 They return H7725 at evening: H6153 they make a noise H1993 like a dog, H3611 and go round about H5437 the city. H5892 Behold, they belch out H5042 with their mouth: H6310 swords H2719 are in their lips: H8193 for who, say they, doth hear? H8085 But thou, O LORD, H3068 shalt laugh H7832 at them; thou shalt have all the heathen H1471 in derision. H3932 Because of his strength H5797 will I wait H8104 upon thee: for God H430 is my defence. H4869 The God H430 of my mercy H2617 shall prevent H6923 me: God H430 shall let me see H7200 my desire upon mine enemies. H8324 Slay H2026 them not, lest my people H5971 forget: H7911 scatter H5128 them by thy power; H2428 and bring them down, H3381 O Lord H136 our shield. H4043 For the sin H2403 of their mouth H6310 and the words H1697 of their lips H8193 let them even be taken H3920 in their pride: H1347 and for cursing H423 and lying H3585 which they speak. H5608 Consume H3615 them in wrath, H2534 consume H3615 them, that they may not be: and let them know H3045 that God H430 ruleth H4910 in Jacob H3290 unto the ends H657 of the earth. H776 Selah. H5542 And at evening H6153 let them return; H7725 and let them make a noise H1993 like a dog, H3611 and go round about H5437 the city. H5892 Let them wander up and down H5128 H5128 for meat, H398 and grudge H3885 if they be not satisfied. H7646 But I will sing H7891 of thy power; H5797 yea, I will sing aloud H7442 of thy mercy H2617 in the morning: H1242 for thou hast been my defence H4869 and refuge H4498 in the day H3117 of my trouble. H6862 Unto thee, O my strength, H5797 will I sing: H2167 for God H430 is my defence, H4869 and the God H430 of my mercy. H2617
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 19
Commentary on 1 Samuel 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 19
1Sa 19:1-7. Jonathan Discloses His Father's Purpose to Kill David.
1. Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David—The murderous design he had secretly cherished he now reveals to a few of his intimate friends. Jonathan was among the number. He prudently said nothing at the time, but secretly apprised David of his danger; and waiting till the morning, when his father's excited temper would be cooled, he stationed his friend in a place of concealment, where, overhearing the conversation, he might learn how matters really stood and take immediate flight, if necessary.
4-7. Jonathan spake good of David—He told his father he was committing a great sin to plot against the life of a man who had rendered the most invaluable services to his country and whose loyalty had been uniformly steady and devoted. The strong remonstrances of Jonathan produced an effect on the impulsive mind of his father. As he was still susceptible of good and honest impressions, he bound himself by an oath to relinquish his hostile purpose; and thus, through the intervention of the noble-minded prince, a temporary reconciliation was effected, in consequence of which David was again employed in the public service.
1Sa 19:8-17. Saul's Malicious Rage Breaks Out against David.
8-10. David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter—A brilliant victory was gained over the public enemy. But these fresh laurels of David reawakened in the moody breast of Saul the former spirit of envy and melancholy. On David's return to court, the temper of Saul became more fiendish than ever; the melodious strains of the harp had lost all their power to charm; and in a paroxysm of uncontrollable frenzy he aimed a javelin at the person of David—the missile having been thrown with such force that it pierced the chamber wall. David providentially escaped; but the king, having now thrown off the mask and being bent on aggressive measures, made his son-in-law's situation everywhere perilous.
11, 12. Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him—The fear of causing a commotion in the town, or favoring his escape in the darkness, seemed to have influenced the king in ordering them to patrol till the morning. This infatuation was overruled by Providence to favor David's escape; for his wife, secretly apprised by Jonathan, who was aware of the design, or by spying persons in court livery watching the gate, let him down through a window (see on Jos 2:15).
13, 14. And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed—"an image," literally, "the teraphim," and laid, not in the bed, but literally on the "divan"; and "the pillows," that is, the cushion, which usually lay at the back of the divan and was stuffed with "goat's hair," she took from its bolster or heading at the upper part of the divan. This she placed lower down, and covered with a mantle, as if to foster a proper warmth in a patient; at the same time spreading the goat's hair skin, so as to resemble human hair in a dishevelled state. The pretext was that David lay there sick. The first messengers of Saul, keeping at a respectable distance, were deceived; but the imposition was detected on a closer inspection.
15. Bring him to me in the bed—a portable couch or mattress.
1Sa 19:18-23. David Flees to Samuel.
18-23. David fled, … and came to Samuel to Ramah—Samuel was living in great retirement, superintending the school of the prophets, established in the little hamlet of Naioth, in the neighborhood of Ramah. It was a retreat congenial to the mind of David; but Saul, having found out his asylum, sent three successive bodies of men to apprehend him. The character of the place and the influence of the sacred exercises produced such an effect on them that they were incapable of discharging their commission, and were led, by a resistless impulse, to join in singing the praises of God. Saul, in a fit of rage and disappointment, determined to go himself. But, before reaching the spot, his mental susceptibilities were roused even more than his messengers, and he was found, before long, swelling the ranks of the young prophets. This singular change can be ascribed only to the power of Him who can turn the hearts of men even as the rivers of water.
1Sa 19:24. Saul Prophesies.
24. lay down naked—that is, divested of his armor and outer robes—in a state of trance. Thus God, in making the wrath of man to praise Him, preserved the lives of all the prophets, frustrated all the purposes of Saul, and preserved the life of His servant.