1 Samuel 19:14

14 When Saul's men arrived to get David, she said, "He's sick in bed."

1 Samuel 19:14 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 19:14

And when Saul sent messengers to take David
Either the same who in the morning inquired for David, or those staying longer than Saul expected, and fearing they were negligent or corrupted, he sent others: to whom

she said, he [is] sick;
and in bed, and cannot be spoke with; this lie she told through her affection to David, and to preserve his life; and this stratagem she devised to gain time, that while she was amusing the messengers with this tale of hers, before they could discover the truth of the matter David would be out of their reach; whereas, had she denied his being at home, or signified that he had made his escape, they would have immediately pursued after him, and he would have been in danger of being taken by them.

1 Samuel 19:14 In-Context

12 She let him out of a window, and he made his escape.

13 Then Michal took a dummy god and put it in the bed, placed a wig of goat's hair on its head, and threw a quilt over it.

14 When Saul's men arrived to get David, she said, "He's sick in bed."

15 Saul sent his men back, ordering them, "Bring him, bed and all, so I can kill him."

16 When the men entered the room, all they found in the bed was the dummy god with its goat-hair wig!