Saul Tries to Kill David
(Psalms 59:1–17)
Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. 1Sa 18:11Sa 18:9
But Jonathan delighted greatly in David, so he warned David, saying, “My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning; find a secret place and hide there. Pro 17:17Act 9:241Jn 3:12-141Sa 18:1-31Sa 20:2Act 23:16Psa 16:3Jhn 15:17-19 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, so I can ask about you. And if I find out anything, I will tell you.” 1Sa 20:131Sa 20:9
Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David; he has not sinned against you. In fact, his actions have been highly beneficial to you. Jer 18:20Gen 42:22Pro 31:8-91Sa 20:32Pro 17:131Sa 22:14Psa 109:4-5Psa 35:12 He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?” 1Ch 11:141Sa 11:131Sa 20:32Jdg 9:17Mat 27:41Sa 28:21Act 20:24Psa 119:109
Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.” Pro 26:24-25Jer 5:21Sa 14:391Sa 19:10-111Sa 28:10Psa 15:4
So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul to serve him as he had before. 1Sa 16:211Sa 18:131Sa 18:21Sa 18:101Ch 11:2Exo 4:10Gen 31:2Isa 30:33
When war broke out again, David went out and fought the Philistines and struck them with such a mighty blow that they fled before him. Psa 18:32-50Psa 27:3
But as Saul was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, a spirit of distress 1from the LORD came upon him. While David was playing the harp, 1Sa 16:141Sa 16:161Sa 18:10-11 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear. But the spear struck the wall and David eluded him, ran away, and escaped that night. 1Sa 18:111Sa 20:33Pro 21:301Sa 19:62Pe 2:20-22Hos 6:4Isa 54:17Jhn 10:39
Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!” Psa 59:1-17Jdg 16:2 So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped. Jos 2:152Co 11:32-33Act 9:24-25Psa 34:19
Then Michal took a household idol 2and laid it in the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. Gen 31:19Jdg 18:14Jdg 18:17Hos 3:4Jdg 17:5 When Saul sent the messengers to seize David, Michal said, “He is ill.” Jos 2:52Sa 16:17-192Sa 17:20
But Saul sent the messengers back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so I can kill him.” 1Sa 19:6Job 31:31Pro 27:3-4Psa 37:12Rom 3:15 And when the messengers entered, there was the idol in the bed with the quilt of goats’ hair on its head.
And Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away and he has escaped!” 2Sa 2:221Ki 21:201Sa 19:141Sa 22:171Sa 28:122Sa 17:20Exo 1:17-19Gal 4:16
Michal replied, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away, or I will kill you!’”
So David ran away and escaped. And he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. 1Sa 7:171Sa 15:341Sa 28:3Jas 5:16Psa 116:11
When Saul was told that David was at Naioth in Ramah, 1Sa 22:9-101Sa 23:191Sa 26:1Pro 29:12 he sent messengers to capture him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy. Jol 2:281Sa 10:5-6Jhn 7:321Co 14:24-251Sa 10:101Co 14:31Sa 19:111Sa 19:14
When this was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they began to prophesy as well. 2Ki 1:9-13Jer 13:23Jol 2:28Pro 27:22
So Saul tried again and sent messengers a third time, and even they began to prophesy.
Finally, Saul himself left for Ramah and came to the large cistern at Secu, where he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”
“At Naioth in Ramah,” he was told.
So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon even Saul, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah. Pro 16:91Sa 10:101Sa 19:20Num 24:21Co 13:2Jhn 11:51Mat 7:22Num 23:5 Then Saul stripped off his robes and also prophesied before Samuel. And he collapsed and lay naked all that day and night. That is why it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 1Sa 10:10-122Sa 6:20Isa 20:2Mic 1:82Sa 6:14Act 9:21Num 24:4