1 Samuel 19:7-17

7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.

8 And there was war again, and David went out and fought with the Philistines and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him.

9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand, and David played with his hand.

10 And Saul sought to smite David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, who smote the spear into the wall; and David fled and escaped that night.

11 Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house to watch him and to slay him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be dead.

12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he went and fled and escaped.

13 Then Michal took an image and laid it in the bed and put a pillow of goats’ hair at his head and covered it with a cloth.

14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.

15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed that I may slay him.

16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed with a pillow of goats’ hair at his head.

17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so and sent away my enemy that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; if not, I shall kill thee.

1 Samuel 19:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 19

This chapter relates the dangers David was exposed unto through Saul's enmity at him, and his deliverance from them, as by the notice Jonathan gave him of his father's designs against him, and by his kind interposition on his behalf, 1Sa 19:1-7; by David's slipping out of Saul's presence, when he was about to cast a javelin at him, 1Sa 19:8-10; by Michal's letting him down through a window, when Saul sent messengers to kill him, and by deceiving them with an image laid in his bed in the room of him, 1Sa 19:11-17, and again by Samuel's protection of him at Naioth, whither David fled, and where Saul sent messengers after him, and at length came himself; and instead of laying hands on David, both he and the messengers were set a prophesying, 1Sa 19:18-24.