On the Run But Not Alone

King Saul and David have an interesting and intertwining history. We have talked some about that -

Their lives overlap in rivalry, mentorship, friendship (through Jonathan), and conflict. Saul’s decline makes room for David’s rise, yet their stories cannot be told apart. Each man’s journey shapes and defines the other, making their relationship one of the most complex and fascinating narratives in Scripture.

1 Samuel 19 is another chapter that makes a comparison between David and Saul.

Saul isn’t hiding his animosity: In 1 Sam 18:10-11 we find where two unsuccessful attempts on David’s life have already been made

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1 Samuel 19:1 KJV 1900

1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

And what follows is a record of three attempts at the murder of David.

It sounds as though peace talks were successful between Jonathan - King Saul’s son and his father about David.

1 Samuel 19:1–7 KJV 1900

1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. 2 But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee. 4 And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good: 5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? 6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain. 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

But then… there is always something going to test the limits and boundaries of a relationship:

Murder Attempt 1 -

1 Samuel 19:8–10 KJV 1900

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 javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand. 10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.

Reasons:

Of course we know it was the evil spirit - but it seems to have been enflamed by:

The success of David in warfare -

his growing popularity

and the straw that broke the camel’s back was the number one folk song of that era, “Saul has slain his thousands, but David his ten-thousands”

This song was so popular that even the Philistines had heard it and knew about it - it had gone viral

They reference it on two occasions:

1 Samuel 21:11 “11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?”

1 Samuel 29:5 “5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?”

This song really irrated and stirred Saul’s jealously

1 Samuel 18:8 “8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?”

From this point on David becomes a man on the run - an outcast with regard to the royal court -a fugitive - fleeing from the irrational fear and wrath of King Saul.

For the next 8-14 years depending on how you calculate David is on the run

It is so bad that David laments to King Saul:

1 Samuel 24:14 KJV 1900

14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.

And again

1 Samuel 26:20 KJV 1900

20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

Some speculate that Psalm 69:4 is a reference to this pursuit:

“4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: They that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: Then I restored that which I took not away.”

also:

Psalm 22:1 KJV 1900

1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

David was on the run from a man who had lost reason and was tormented by this evil spirit.

David had hardly got away from Saul and his javelin - for the third time - and had barely made it home when his wife - Michal (Me-cull) 1 Samuel 19:11 “told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.”

Michal you remember is Saul’s daughter - I don’t know if she had been warned or just knew her father well enough

Because Saul had sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him and slay him in the morning.

Michal let David down through a window - and he fled into the night. - It is very possible that David’s house was situated along the outer city walls - in a similar fashion to that of Rahab.

She then took an image - this term usually refers to rather small household deities or gods - but it obviously was large enough to give the impression of a person in the bed

Most modern English translations - use the term “idol - or household idol”

One has to ponder why David would have an idol in his house. Some have speculated that Michael had brought it from Saul’s house. Others say syncretism had already begun its dastardly work among the united kingdoms.

Then she places over the head of this image/idol a quilt of goats hair, or wig like fixture of goats hair.

There has been some confusion over this term - as the translators of the Septuagint confused the Hebrew word “quilt” which transliterated would be spelled “kebir” with “kabed” meaning “liver” (Remember this was all handwritten script and could easily be misread or miswritten)

Josephus the historian adopted this interpretation and in his Antiquities of the Jews suggested that a palpitating liver was placed in the bed to give the impression of life.

But then Michal covers it all with a blanket - creating the illusion of a sleeping body.

It’s a literal cover-up. This deception buys David time.

The messengers come to fulfill the orders of King Saul in the morning - they were met with Michal’s word that David was sick - and she may have even shown them the bed with the image in it.

When the messengers go back and tell Saul - he sends them right back with a new order:

1 Samuel 19:15 “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.”

The “cover up” was exposed - 1 Samuel 19:16 “16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster.”

So Saul wanted answers - and goes to his daughter -

1 Samuel 19:17 “17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?”

Michal’s actions are noteworthy on two accounts - in Jewish tradition and custom you would align yourself in loyalty to your father before your husband

Second - She is the feminine counterpart to Saul - Saul lost his opportunity to establish a dynasty - Michal will lose her opportunity to establish a family - remember she chastises David for dancing before the Lord - and David refuses her children.

This was such a traumatic event in David’s life that he writes a Psalm about it - Psalm 59 - both a lament and an imprecatory prayer (prayer of judgment)

I’d like to read it:

Psalm 59 KJV 1900

To the chief Musician, Al-taschith {all-task-kith}, Michtam {meek-tom} of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. 1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: Defend me from them that rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from bloody men. 3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: The mighty are gathered against me; Not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord. 4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault: Awake to help me, and behold. 5 Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, Awake to visit all the heathen: Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. 6 They return at evening: They make a noise like a dog, And go round about the city. 7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: Swords are in their lips: For who, say they, doth hear? 8 But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them; Thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. 9 Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: For God is my defence. 10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies. 11 Slay them not, lest my people forget: Scatter them by thy power; And bring them down, O Lord our shield. 12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips Let them even be taken in their pride: And for cursing and lying which they speak. 13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: And let them know that God ruleth in Jacob Unto the ends of the earth. Selah. 14 And at evening let them return; And let them make a noise like a dog, And go round about the city. 15 Let them wander up and down for meat, And grudge if they be not satisfied. 16 But I will sing of thy power; Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: For thou hast been my defence And refuge in the day of my trouble. 17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: For God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.

After his escape David flees to Samuel at Ramah -

It is interesting that Saul no longer has official audience with the Prophet - but that is where David flees.

David is taken under Samuel the prophets protection at a compound in Ramah.

word gets back to King Saul

Well that can’t happen so he sends an envoy to take David captive and bring him back

While we are never told if the messengers see David or not -we are told they see Samuel and a group of prophets prophesying - possibly a teaching session as they would gather around the prophet and he would teach them things they needed to know about prayer, communing with God how to receive words from God and how to give them etc...

As these people - the KJV uses the word “messengers” but really they were assassins came up to this group - and before they could begin their search for David the power of God overwhelms them - and without any teaching - they began to prophesy

Word gets back to Saul so he sends another group - and the same thing happens again -

so a third time he sends assassins and the same thing - they are overpowered by the Spirit of God and begin to prophesy

So Saul - losing patience and wanting to get this guy - says, “If you want something done right you just gotta do it yourself” and he heads toward Ramah

He comes to a well in Sechu (Say-coal) and inquired of the wherabouts of Samuel and David - he was told they were at the compound - so on his way there - Saul too was overpowered by the Spirit of God and he prophesied - and he prophesied - and he prophesied - and he couldn’t quit prophesying

Robert Bergen in the NAC has written:

1, 2 Samuel (11) God’s Spirit Rescues David from Saul and His Troops (19:18–24)

But in a climactic tour de force, the Spirit of God made a mockery of the most ardent efforts of David’s opponent. Saul’s first servants had not begun prophesying until they arrived at Naioth; however, Saul began prophesying as “he walked along” some distance from Naioth. Then when he actually arrived at his destination, the Spirit of God so overwhelmed him that “he stripped off his robes” (v. 24) as he continued to prophesy “in Samuel’s presence.”79

The Hebrew language and context of verses 1 Sam 19:23-24 emphasizes the fact that Israel’s most powerful citizen was subjugated by the power of God.

His loss of royal attire in the presence of the God’s spirit is a powerful image and visual confirming the prophetic judgments of Samuel - Saul wasn’t permitted to wear his clothing of royalty in God’s presence -

Prophesying and possibly in a trance like state.

Experience alone doesn't change someone.

Saul had an amazing experience prophesied so much people thought he became one. He acted like one talked like one convinced people he was, but it didn't change him.

Even Jonathan his son was convinced. So convinced he was ready for David to come home.

When the test comes in 1 Sam 20 however, Saul was just as vile and unforgiving as before.

we will look at how this continues to transpire next time.