1 Samuel 19

King James Version

Full text for 1 Samuel Chapter 19

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

2But 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:

3And 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.

4And 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:

5For 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?

6And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, [As] the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.

7And 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.

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.

9And 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.

10And 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.

11¶ Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.

12So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.

13And Michal took an image, and laid [it] in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' [hair] for his bolster, and covered [it] with a cloth.

14And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He [is] sick.

15And Saul sent the messengers [again] to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.

16And when the messengers were come in, behold, [there was] an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' [hair] for his bolster.

17And 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?

18¶ So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

19And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David [is] at Naioth in Ramah.

20And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing [as] appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

21And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.

22Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that [is] in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where [are] Samuel and David? And [one] said, Behold, [they be] at Naioth in Ramah.

23And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, [Is] Saul also among the prophets?

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

King Saul commanded David's death, but Jonathan intervened, temporarily reconciling David with Saul. However, Saul's evil spirit returned, prompting another attempt on David's life, from which David fled with Michal's help. David then sought refuge with Samuel in Ramah. Ultimately, Saul and his messengers were repeatedly overcome by the Spirit of God and prophesied, thwarting Saul's pursuit.

Medium Summary

King Saul, consumed by jealousy, ordered his son Jonathan and servants to kill David. Jonathan, however, warned David and then successfully pleaded with his father, reminding Saul of David's great service and the Lord's salvation through him, leading Saul to swear not to harm David. Despite this reconciliation, an evil spirit from the LORD again troubled Saul, causing him to hurl a javelin at David, who narrowly escaped. Saul then dispatched messengers to David's house to slay him, but David's wife Michal aided his escape through a window, using an idol and goats' hair to deceive the king's men. David fled to Samuel in Ramah, dwelling in Naioth. When Saul sent three successive groups of messengers to seize David, the Spirit of God came upon each group, causing them to prophesy. Finally, Saul himself pursued David to Naioth, where he too was overcome by the Spirit, prophesying and even stripping off his clothes, giving rise to the saying, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

Long Summary

The chapter opens with King Saul issuing a direct command to his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David, revealing the depth of his animosity. Jonathan, who deeply loved David, immediately warned his friend to hide and then acted as an intercessor before his father. Jonathan eloquently argued David's innocence and his significant contributions to Israel, particularly his slaying of Goliath and the great salvation wrought by the Lord through him. Saul, swayed by Jonathan's words and reminded of David's past loyalty, swore an oath by the Lord that David would not be slain, leading to a temporary reconciliation where David returned to Saul's presence. However, the peace was short-lived. Following another successful battle against the Philistines led by David, the evil spirit from the LORD again came upon Saul. While David played music, Saul, with a javelin in hand, attempted to pin David to the wall, but David skillfully evaded the attack and fled that very night. Saul's determination to kill David intensified, as he sent messengers to David's house to watch him and slay him in the morning. David's wife, Michal, alerted him to the danger and facilitated his escape by letting him down through a window. To buy David more time, Michal ingeniously placed an image (teraphim) in David's bed, covering it with a cloth and using goats' hair as a bolster, feigning his sickness. When Saul's messengers arrived, she claimed David was ill. Saul, suspicious, sent them back with orders to bring David in his bed so he could kill him himself. Upon discovering the deception, Saul confronted Michal, who fabricated a story that David had threatened her life if she did not help him escape. David, now a fugitive, fled to Samuel in Ramah and recounted all of Saul's actions. He and Samuel then went to dwell in Naioth. When Saul was informed of David's whereabouts, he dispatched messengers to seize him. Remarkably, each of the three groups of messengers sent by Saul, upon encountering the company of prophets prophesying under Samuel's leadership, were themselves overcome by the Spirit of God and began to prophesy. Undeterred, Saul himself journeyed to Naioth. As he approached, the Spirit of God also came upon him, causing him to prophesy continuously, even stripping off his clothes and lying naked all day and night, giving rise to the well-known proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" This divine intervention repeatedly thwarted Saul's murderous intent, protecting David.

Core Concepts

  • Jonathan's Loyalty and IntercessionJonathan, despite being Saul's son and heir, demonstrated profound loyalty to David, warning him of Saul's murderous intent and bravely interceding on David's behalf before his father. This highlights a strong bond of friendship and a moral stand against injustice.
  • Saul's Recurring Evil Spirit and JealousyThe chapter repeatedly shows Saul being afflicted by an "evil spirit from the LORD," which fuels his irrational jealousy and murderous attempts against David. This affliction underscores his deteriorating mental and spiritual state.
  • Divine Protection of DavidDespite Saul's relentless pursuit and multiple attempts on his life, David is consistently protected, first through Jonathan's warning, then by Michal's deception, and finally by the direct intervention of the Spirit of God upon Saul and his messengers. This illustrates God's safeguarding of His chosen one.
  • Michal's Deception and AidMichal, David's wife and Saul's daughter, actively aided David's escape by letting him down a window and then using an "image" (teraphim) and goats' hair to create a decoy in his bed, deceiving Saul's messengers. Her actions demonstrate her loyalty to David over her father.
  • Prophetic Ecstasy and Saul's HumiliationThe Spirit of God repeatedly falls upon Saul's messengers and then upon Saul himself, causing them to prophesy uncontrollably, even leading Saul to strip naked. This phenomenon, often called prophetic ecstasy, serves to thwart Saul's plans and publicly humiliate him, emphasizing divine sovereignty over human will.
  • The Proverb "Is Saul also among the prophets?"This well-known saying is reiterated in the chapter, arising from Saul's unexpected and undignified prophetic experience. It signifies the surprising and often ironic nature of God's Spirit acting upon individuals, even those hostile to His purposes.