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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Samuel 19:8 - 19:17
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Michal Saves David's Life.
v. 8. And there was war again, for the Philistines would not remain quiet; and David went out, marched forth to battle, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter, administered a decisive defeat; and they fled from him.
v. 9. And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul; a judgment of the covenant God upon the reprobate king, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand; and David played with his hand, for he had again taken his position as harpist.
v. 10. And Saul, apparently in a fit of jealousy on account of the latest success of David, sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin, by driving the spear through his body; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, dodging the threatened blow once more, and he smote the javelin into the wall. And David fled, and escaped that night.
v. 11. Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, which he had reached before nightfall, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning; and Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If thou save not thy life tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be slain. The description given by David in Psalms 59, where he tells of this event, shows that there were jealous courtiers in attendance upon Saul, who were anxious to remove their powerful rival and therefore even added fuel to Saul's jealousy.
v. 12. So Michal let David down through a window. And he went, and fled, and escaped, for Saul's watchmen were guarding only the door.
v. 13. And Michal took an image, a picture of a household god, such as the Israelites still retained as the remnant of the idolatrous practices brought from their Chaldean home, Gen_31:19-34, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, a braided or woven quilt, and covered it with a cloth. Thus the figure, covered with the upper garment which served as a covering at night, looked very much like that of a human being.
v. 14. And when Saul sent messengers to take David, in the morning, she said, He is sick, for she probably thought, by telling this falsehood, to gain time for David, in order that he might have a longer start on his pursuers.
v. 15. And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed that I may slay him; he was determined to carry out his purpose this time.
v. 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 the deceit was discovered.
v. 17. And Saul, angry because he had been duped, said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so and sent away mine enemy, the expression implying that the enemy of the father should be the enemy of the daughter as well, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, her fear of her father and her anxiety to save her own life causing her to tell another falsehood, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee? There is no wrong in throwing raging, ravening, murderous pursuers off the track, for such murderers are the instruments of Satan, who seeks to destroy the children of God in every possible manner.