Saul against David – 1st Samuel, chapter 19 (1st Kings)

Other attempts of Saul upon David’s life. He cometh to Samuel. Saul’s messengers, and Saul himself prophesy.

[1] And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan the son of Saul loved David exceedingly. [2] And Jonathan told David, saying: Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: wherefore look to thyself, I beseech thee, in the morning, and thou shalt abide in a secret place and shalt be hid. [3] And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art: and I will speak of thee to my father, and whatsoever I shall see, I will tell thee. [4] And Jonathan spoke good things of David to Saul his father: and said to him: Sin not, O king, against thy servant, David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and his works are very good towards thee. [5] And he put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought great salvation for all Israel. Thou sawest it and didst rejoice. Why therefore wilt thou sin against innocent blood by killing David, who is without fault?

[6] And when Saul heard this he was appeased with the words of Jonathan, and swore: As the Lord liveth he shall not be slain. [7] Then Jonathan called David and told him all these words: and Jonathan brought in David to Saul, and he was before him, as he had been yesterday and the day before. [8] And the war began again, and David went out and fought against the Philistines, and defeated them with a great slaughter, and they fled from his face. [9] And the evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, and he sat in his house, and held a spear in his hand: and David played with his hand. [10] And Saul endeavoured to nail David to the wall with his spear. And David slipt away out of the presence of Saul: and the spear missed him, and was fastened in the wall, and David fled and escaped that night.

[11] Saul therefore sent his guards to David’s house to watch him, that he might be killed in the morning. And when Michol David’s wife had told him this, saying: Unless thou save thyself this night, tomorrow thou wilt die, [12] She let him down through a window. And he went and fled away and escaped. [13] And Michol took an image and laid it on the bed, and put a goat’s skin with the hair at the head of it, and covered it with clothes. [14] And Saul sent officers to seize David: and it was answered that he was sick. [15] And again Saul sent to see David, saying: Bring him to me in the bed, that he may be slain.

[16] And when the messengers were come in, they found an image upon the bed, and a goat’s skin at its head. [17] And Saul said to Michol: Why hast thou deceived me so, and let my enemy go and flee away? And Michol answered Saul: Because he said to me: Let me go, or else I will kill thee. [18] But David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel in Ramatha, and told him all that Saul had done to him: and he and Samuel went and dwelt in Najoth. [19] And it was told Saul by some, saying: Behold David is in Najoth in Ramatha. [20] So Saul sent officers to take David: and when they saw a company of prophets prophesying, and Samuel presiding over them, the spirit of the Lord came also upon them, and they likewise began to prophesy.

[21] And when this was told Saul, he sent other messengers: but they also prophesied. And again Saul sent messengers the third time: and they prophesied also. And Saul being exceedingly angry, [22] Went also himself to Ramatha, and came as far as the great cistern, which is in Socho, and he asked, and said: In what place are Samuel and David? And it was told him: Behold they are in Najoth in Ramatha. [23] And he went to Najoth in Ramatha, and the spirit of the Lord came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied till he came to Najoth in Ramatha. [24] And he stripped himself also of his garments, and prophesied with the rest before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and night. This gave occasion to a proverb: What! is Saul too among the prophets?

Commentary

[18] “Najoth”: It was probably a school or college of prophets, in or near Ramath under the direction of Samuel.

[20] “Prophesying”: That is, singing praises to God by a divine impulse. God was pleased on this occasion that both Samuel’s messengers and himself should experience the like impulse, that he might understand, by this instance of the divine power, how vain are the designs of man against him whom God protects.