1 Samuel 19:14

14 And Saul sent messengers to arrest David, but she said, "He [is] ill."

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 So Michal lowered David through the window, and he went and fled and escaped.

13 Then Michal took the household god and put it on the bed and put a quilt of goat's hair at its head and covered [it] with the clothes.

14 And Saul sent messengers to arrest David, but she said, "He [is] ill."

15 So Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, so that I can kill him."

16 When the messengers came, {to their surprise} the idol [was] on the bed [with] the quilt of goat's hair at the head.