1 Samuel 19:15

Listen to 1 Samuel 19:15
15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, ā€œBring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him. ā€

1 Samuel 19:15 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 19:15

And Saul sent the messengers [again] to see David
Not to visit him, or to see how he was, or inquire of his health, in a kind manner, but to see his person, whether he was sick or not, and whether he was there or not; for Saul might suspect some deceit was used, because the messengers took the report of Michal, and saw not David, nor attempted to see him; but now they have strict orders to see him, and not take Michal's word as before, ( 1 Samuel 19:14 ) ; wherefore the supplement again may be left out:

saying, bring him up to me in the bed;
if so bad that he was not able to rise, or not fit to be taken out of his bed, his orders were, that he should be brought to him in it; resolved he was to have him, sick or well:

that I may slay him:
not content that he should die a natural death, or willing to wait for it, he is in haste, being full of wrath and malice, to slay him himself.

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1 Samuel 19:15 In-Context

13 Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head and covered it with the clothes.
14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, ā€œHe is sick. ā€
15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, ā€œBring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him. ā€
16 And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head.
17 Saul said to Michal, ā€œWhy have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped? ā€ And Michal answered Saul, ā€œHe said to me, ā€˜Let me go. Why should I kill you? ā€™ā€
The Holy Bible, English Standard VersionĀ® (ESVĀ®) Ā© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025