1 Samuel

Chapter Introduction

God raises a friend when needed most.  Saul’s envy became murderous.  It is a struggle between the anointed king and the usurper king.  This is a similar struggle Jesus faced when Satan tried to usurp his place as King of Kings. 

1 Samuel 19:1-7

In his fifth plot to kill David, Saul speaks to Johnathon and the servants, commanding them to kill him.  Saul plotted to kill David simply because the Lord was with him.  This hatred wasn’t based on anything reasonable and probably made no sense to all the others.  It certainly made no sense to Jonathon.  The servants also loved David and saw how well he had served Saul.  Yet the King gave a command.  To disobey could cost one his life. 

Saul was probably pressuring Johnathon because he was convinced David would steal the throne from him.  David needed to be eliminated so Johnathon could be king someday.

Jonathon’s loyalty and love for David were more significant than his love for his father.  He not only refused to be part of a plot to murder an innocent man, but he also actively worked against it.  He spoke well of David and did so to his father.  He tried to talk some sense into Saul.  David was to be on guard. 

Johnathon would meet Saul in a field near David so he could hear Saul’s response and determine whether it was safe.  Johnathon reasoned with his father.  David had been loyal to Saul and worked on his behalf to deliver Israel. 

Saul heeded the voice of Jonathon and swore not to kill David.  Johnathon brought him back into Saul’s presence, and things went back to normal – or at least as close as possible after your life has been threatened for the fifth time.  I can imagine that by now, David is constantly looking over his shoulder.

1 Samuel 19:8-10

Normal only lasted until another visit from the terrifying spirit.  David served Saul and the people well when he fought against the Philistines and was successful.  The picture of Paul in his home with his spear in hand indicates his mental suffering has returned.  David once again played the harp for Saul when the king threw his spear in an attempt to pin him to the wall.

This was Saul’s sixth attempt on David’s life.

1 Samuel 19:11-17

In the seventh attempt, Saul took his rage to new levels.  He sent “messengers” to David’s house.  But Michal knew her father was sending hitmen to kill David.  Much like Johnathon, she is more loyal to David than to her father.  She warned David and let him down from the window to escape, very much like David’s great, great-grandmother Rahab had done at Jericho.

Michal stayed behind and put an image on David’s bed, covered it with a blanket, and made it look like he was still in bed.  The image was a teraphim, which is a life-sized idol.  These teraphim were household idols that had a role in divination.  In Genesis 31, Rachel had teraphim and hid them under her saddle, so they weren’t always large.  What in the world were these doing in David’s home?  Some see this as the snare Michal brought on David.

When the assassins arrived, she told them David was sick in bed, buying him time to escape.  The messengers apparently left, not wanting to catch what David had.  Saul sent them back to get David and bring him to Saul so he could kill him himself.   This constituted the eighth attempt on his life.  That’s when they discovered the ruse.

When Saul questioned why she did this, she said David had threatened her life, so she had to let him go.  Saul had made David his enemy, even though David didn’t want it that way. 

1 Samuel 19:18-24

David escaped and went a couple miles east to Ramah, to the home of Samuel.  He and Samuel went to Naioth, which probably means tent camp.  This place was associated with Ramah.

Saul had followers everywhere, someone dropped a dime on David and Saul knew where he was.  We can imagine the strange loyalties people developed.  Some wanted to please the king while others recognized he was slipping a cog.  It’s interesting that strangers sent info to Saul when his own children deceived him. 

For the ninth attempt, Saul sent his assassins to get David.  When they got there and approached a group of prophets prophesying, the spirit of God came on them, and they also prophesied.  We can imagine men coming to inflict harm and with evil motives suddenly overcome with the Spirit and praising God in the Spirit.  This was the Lord’s protection of David.  It was divine intervention and protection of the one anointed by the Lord. 

Saul found out about this failure and sent another group after David, making the tenth attempt on his life. The same thing happened to this team; they began to prophesy.

Saul decided to do it himself and went to Ramah.  This would have been the eleventh attempt on David’s life, but it didn’t go well for Saul.  He was also overcome with the Spirit as the Lord.  Some debate whether this was prophesying the word of the Lord or if it was just ecstatic mumbling.  Either way, the Spirit of God disarmed them.  As an additional measure, the Spirit stripped the king.  This may be emblematic of the kingdom being stripped away.  It would be the equivalent of being in his underwear before the Lord.  This would be humiliating for a prideful man who refused to submit to the Lord.  He was overcome by the Spirit and forced to submit. 

This was another clear indication from the Lord that God was in charge of this situation, not Saul.  His power, army, authority, height, wealth, and good looks meant nothing before the Lord. 

Saul is again the object of a Proverb.  This was the second time he had been among the prophets. The first time was the beginning of his reign.  This was a clear message to Saul.

For David, this begins a ten-year stint on the run from Saul, during which the Lord grew him into a leader and King.

The Big Idea

We’ve seen two kings facing off. 

• Saul: Prideful, characterized, and driven by so many fears. Ruled by a distressing spirit.  No longer the king in God’s eyes, but a usurper of power.
• David, with the humble heart of a shepherd.  Ruled by love.  Filled with the Spirit of God.  Ordained as God’s king.  Empowered by the Almighty. 

David would not pick up the spear and throw it back.  He would not ambush the king or take his life.  Saul was God’s business.  The Lord preserved His king.  For every attempt on his life, God was there with a deliverance.

The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. (Psalm 34:7)

©2004 Doug Ford; Further Study and Revision 2015, 2024