1 SAMUEL 19 - Saul tries to kill David 

NOTES BY VERSE

Note: each ** comment in this document is listed in numerical order according to the verse(s) from this chapter

** Saul wanted to kill David but Jonathan interceded and convinced his father not to kill him

• Saul’s promise, however, did not last long when David returned

• David avoided several attempts on his life by Saul

• Jonathan continued to help David flee from his father

1 Samuel 19:1-6 NIV

[1] Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David [2] and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there. [3] I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.” [4] Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. [5] He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?” [6] Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”

1 Samuel 19:7,9-10 NIV

[7] So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before. [9] But an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre, [10] Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

** David's wife (Saul's daughter) helped him escape and Saul asked Michal why she deceived him

• How significant that two of Saul’s children took sides with David against their own father

• We too need to act on what we believe is right, regardless of the cost  <R1795>

1 Samuel 19:11-13 NIV

[11] Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” [12] So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped. [13] Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.

1 Samuel 19:16-17 NIV

[16] But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair. [17] Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?” Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’ ”

** David visited Samuel when fleeing from Saul; every time Saul sent men to kill David, they were overcome by God’s spirit when encountering Samuel and ended their pursuit

1 Samuel 19:18-20 NIV

[18] When David had fled and made his escape, 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. [19] Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah”; [20] so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s men, and they also prophesied.

** This was the last time the Spirit of God was to rest on Saul directing him to prophecy  <M130>

1 Samuel 19:23 NIV

[23] So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth.