The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 170
SECT. CLXX.
SAƲL's jealouſie of David, and his hatred againſt him doth now every day more and more appear, and it manifeſted it ſelf in theſe Particulars following.
1. The evil ſpirit coming upon him, he propheſied (a)Extra ſe rapitbatur & ſpiritu malo incitus ita ſermones actuſque ſuos componebat ut boni Prophetae ſolent acti a ſpiritu bono.in the midſt of the houſe, not as he had done before [Chap. 10.10.] when Samuel had newly anointed him, for then being inſpired with Gods Spirit, and endued with common graces he propheſied and praiſed God, together with the reſt of the Prophets; but now that Spirit being departed from him, and an evil ſpirit being permitted by God to poſſeſs him, he fell into ſtrange extaſies and raptures, and had ſuch kind of motions and actions as the Prophets when raviſhed out of themſelves uſed to have, ſee 2 King. 9.11. and while David played on his harp to compoſe his ſpirit, and allay his raging paſſions (as he▪ had formerly done) Saul having a Javelin in his hand, caſt it at him, intending to kill him, and this he attempted two ſeveral times, but David nimbly avoided the ſtroke, Ch. 18.10, 11.
2ly, Saul ſeeing how the Lord was with David, and preſerved him from great dangers, he feared he was the man whom God had choſen to be King in his room, and therefore having failed in theſe violent attempts againſt him, he reſolves to try other ways to deſtroy him; therefore he made him one of his Colonels, hoping he would at one time or other meet with his death in the Battel. And David behaved himſelf wiſely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him, and he led forth his Souldiers bravely to Battel, and as bravely brought them off again, and acted all his Military affairs with ſuch prudence and wiſe conduct, and was ſo proſperous in them that the people generally loved him, ver. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.
3ly, Saul under pretence of performing that promiſe made to him of giving him his daughter if he killed Goliath, he now offers him his eldeſt daughter Merab in marriage, but with deſign to expoſe him thereby to the Sword of the Philiſtines (b)Incidit Saul in ſoveam, quam Davidi fecerat, nam ipſe a Philiſtae is poſtea occiſus eſt.. He tells him he ſhall have her, but then he expects he ſhall be valiant for him, and not ſtick to expoſe himſelf to any dangers, and ready upon all occaſions to fight the Lords battels. Thus he hypocritically pretended zeal for Gods glory, when he maliciouſly intended David's ruin. David humbly anſwers, What is my parentage, education, or condition of life *Ver. 18. eſt, Enallage numeri, foreign?, that I ſhould think my ſelf worthy to be husband to a Kings daughter? So far was he from aſpiring to this honour, though ſo juſtly due to him. But though David ſufficiently approved his valour in fighting the Lords battels, and contrary to Saul's expectation eſcaped many dangers, and won much honour, yet Saul perfidiouſly broke his promiſe with him, and at the very time when he ſhould have married his daughter he gave her to Adriel the Son of Barzillai the Ephraimite, born at Meholah, ſee Judg. 7.22. David bears this great indignity patiently, without expreſſing any unbeſeeming reſentment of it. But God to whom vengeance belongeth, would not ſuffer the malice and wickedneſs of Saul expreſt herein to go unpuniſhed, for all the five Sons (d)They were certainly Adriels Sons by Merab, though they were brought up by Michal, of which ſee the note on 2 Sam. 21.that Adriel had by this daughter of Saul were hanged up to ſatisfie the Gibeonites for the cruelties which Saul had exerciſed upon them, as we may ſee 2 Sam. 21.8, 17, 18, 19.
4ly, David being thus treacherouſly defeated of Merab, Michal, Saul's youngeſt daughter falls in love with him. This being made known to Saul, he ſeemed to like it very well, hoping by that means to bring his purpoſe about of deſtroying David. So pleaſing to a malicious mind is the very hope of doing miſchief to a perſon whom he hates. Saul therefore reſolves to give this daughter to David to wife, that ſhe might be a ſnare to him, and a means one way or other to run him into danger, and he hoped that ſhe being his daughter would be brought to complot and join with him in effecting his ruin; but it pleaſed the Lord to croſs his deſign in this alſo, for he made Michal an inſtrument of preſerving him from the ſnare which her Father had laid for him, Chap. 19.11, 12. But to proceed, Saul carrying on this treacherous deſign againſt David in his mind, he tells him that though he failed him before, yet now he would make him amends; he had but two daughters, and one of them he reſolv'd he ſhould have, and if he became his Son-in-law by marrying either of them, he ſuppoſed it would be no great wrong to him though he had not the elder. David was not very forward to believe Saul in this propoſal, nor greedy to embrace this motion, having been before deceived by him. Saul perceiving this, ſet his Courtiers to perſwade him (as of themſelves) that the King very much delighted in him, and that all his ſervants loved and highly valued him, and therefore why ſhould he not readily accept of this honour that was offered him to be the Kings Son-in-law? David anſwers them, Seemeth it to you a light and ſmall thing to be Son-in-law to a King? and do you think me worthy of it, who am a poor man, and not able to give a Dowry (e)In thoſe days and long before it was the cuſtom to give Dow…ies to their wives, and not as now to receive portions. See Gen. 34.12. Exod. 22.16. Deut. 22.29. and the Dowry was at the womans diſpoſing, and if her husband died before her, ſerved for her maintenance, and education of her children if no other portion were left them.fit for the Kings daughter; and poſſibly upon that account I was ſlighted before when I ſhould have had his other daughter. The Courtiers relate to Saul what David had ſaid, Saul bids them go to him again, and tell him that he deſired not any Dowry for his daughter, but only an hundred foreskins of the Philiſtines, to take thereby ſome revenge on them, they being his and his peoples enemies. This was that which Saul hypocritically pretended, whereas his great deſign was to make David fall in the attempt, or elſe to provoke the ſurviving Philiſtines to revenge themſelves on him if he did effect it. And obſervable it is that he requires their foreskins not their heads, the more to enrage them againſt David; for he knew that the circumciſing and cutting off the foreskins of the ſlain Philiſtines would be looked upon by their ſurviving brethren as a matter of the greateſt ſcorn and diſgrace that could be put upon them. However David hearing on what terms he might be the Kings Son-in-law, (namely if he brought him ſo many foreskins of the Philiſtines within ſuch a time, and finding the time was not yet expired) he accepts the terms, and accordingly went out with his men, and ſlew of the Philiſtines two hundred, and brought their foreskins and gave them in full tale to the King; and having thus perform'd double to what was required of him, and within the time limited, Saul had no colour or pretenſe to deny him his daughter, and therefore forthwith gave him Michal to wife. However Saul ſeeing and finding by continual experience that God proſpered David in all his ways, and bleſſed him in all his concernments, he was the more afraid of him, apprehending that he was the man whom God would ſet up in his ſtead, and upon that account he became his implacable enemy. The Princes of the Philiſtines beſides former provocations, being now extreamly enraged at the ſlaughter David had lately made among them when he kill'd two hun-hundred of them, and eſpecially at the diſhonour he had put upon their Nation, by cutting off their foreskins, and bringing them to Saul, they with their forces invade the land of Iſrael, and David though a new married man (and ſo by the Law, Deut. 24.5. exempted from going to war this year) yet (it ſeems) readily went out and behaved himſelf more prudently and valiantly in this expedition than any of Saul's Commanders, ſo that his name became very precious and renowned among the Iſraelites, from v. 20, to the end.
5ly, Saul now ſeeing that none of his ſecret deſigns againſt David took effect, but that he proſpered in all his undertakings, and ſo gained more and more reputation among his Courtiers and all the people, he now openly gives command to Jonathan, and to his ſervants to kill him. Jonathan (who truly loved and much delighted in David) gives him notice of his Fathers bloody purpoſe towards him, and adviſes him to look to himſelf that night following, and to hide himſelf in ſome Cave or ſecret place of the field where Saul was wont to walk and take the air, and thither he himſelf would accompany him, and would ſpeak to him in his behalf, and what he ſaw to be his temper and inclination towards him, he would diſcover to him. Jonathan accordingly waited upon his Father into the field, and there ſpake good of David to him; and though he knew he was ſometimes troubled with frantick fits, and might in a rage do him a miſchief for it, yet he reſolves to hazard that, rather than deſert his friend in a righteous cauſe. 'Tis true, whilſt David was eſteem'd a favourite with Saul, all his Courtiers carried it fair towards him [Ch. 18.5.] and faun'd upon him, but now when Saul had openly diſcovered his ill will to him, not a man among them would open his mouth for him, or do any thing to prevent the danger he was in; however Jonathan that truly loved him, reſolv'd to ſpeak for him, and therefore he ſaid to his Father, Let not the King ſin againſt his ſervant, againſt David, for he hath not ſinned againſt thee, but his works and deeds have been very good towards thee; for he put his life in his hand, and ſlew the Philiſtine, and the Lord wrought a great Salvation for all Iſrael thereby; thou ſaweſt it, and didſt rejoice therein. Wherefore then wilt thou ſin againſt God, and ſhed innocent blood, and ſlay David without a cauſe? How high a degree of ingratitude and injuſtice will it be ſo ill to requite ſo noble an exploit, which did at that time ſo exceedingly affect thee? Saul was ſo melted with theſe words of Jonathan, that he ſolemnly ſware to him at that time that David ſhould not die; but great and frequent ſwearers do often forget what they have ſworn, and do not ſtick to forſwear themſelves, and break their Oaths, as we ſhall ſee Saul ſoon did. However Jonathan not knowing what was in his heart, calls David and acquaints him with what his Father had ſaid and promiſed, and ſo he brought him again to the Court, and he was in the preſence of Saul as in time paſt. During his continuing there, the Philiſtines again made an inroad into the Land, and David went out and fought againſt them with great courage, and ſlew them with a great ſlaughter, and the reſt of them fled to their own Country, Ch. 19. from 1, to 9.
6ly, The evil ſpirit being again upon Saul, and he having a Javelin in his hand, as David played upon his harp before him, in a frantick fit he ran his Javelin ſo violently at him as if he intended to have pinned him to the wall, but David nimbly avoiding the ſtroke, the Javelin ran into the wall. And this was the third time that Saul had ſought to kill him with his own hand. David therefore thought it now high time to ſhift for himſelf, and ſo he left the Court, and went to his own houſe. From v. 9, to 11.
7ly, Saul then ſent meſſengers to David's houſe to lye in wait about the houſe in the night, and to ſlay him in the morning when he came out. Michal either caſually diſcovering Saul's ſervants watching about the houſe, and gueſſing at their errand, or elſe having ſome ſecret intelligence from Court of Saul's deſign againſt her husband, ſhe acquaints David with it, that he might look to himſelf, and then to prevent his preſent danger ſhe let him down thorough a window *See Act. 9.25., and ſo he fled and eſcaped. And further to delude the watchmen, (if by violence they ſhould break into the houſe) and to gain longer time for David to eſcape, ſhe laid an Image (b)Humanam quidem non Idololatricam qualis illa, Gen. 31.19.in a bed, and put a pillow of Goats-hair under the head of it, and covered it with a cloth, thereby intending to make them believe that David was ſick in bed, and therefore in all humanity at preſent not to be diſturb'd. When the meſſengers whom Saul had ſent to watch about the houſe had waited till morning, and ſaw he came not forth as they expected, they went and told Saul of it, who ſent them back again with a new commiſſion to enter his houſe and take him. Michal thinking ſickneſs a fair pretence to keep them from too eager preſſing upon him, that ſhe might gain the more time for his eſcape, told them he was ſick in bed; they thinking it had been ſo, returned and acquainted Saul therewith. Saul ſuſpecting it was but a pretence of Michal's to preſerve her husband, ſends them back again to ſee whither it was ſo or no; however if he were ſick he charges them to bring him with them, though they brought him in his bed. They coming again to the houſe, and going up to lay hold on him, behold there was no David but only an Image in the bed. They then carry Michal before Saul, who angerly asks her why ſhe had deceived him, and ſent away his enemy? ſhe anſwers, He threatned to kill her if ſhe would not let him go. Here by the way we may obſerve that though her intire love to her husband be highly to be commended, yet her telling lyes to preſerve him cannot be excuſed, and further we may take notice, that if people once allow themſelves in lying, it will encreaſe upon them, and one lye will draw on another, and a leſſer will draw on a greater and. louder, as we ſee here in this example of Michal, who firſt told an officious lye (as they call it) to ſave her husband, and now tells a pernicious lye to ſave her ſelf; ſhe ſhould rather have imitated her brave brother Jonathans example, who ſpake boldly to his father in defence of her husbands innocence. From 11, to 18. David was ſo affected with this deliverance that he compoſed the 59 Pſalm upon this occaſion of Saul's ſending to his houſe to kill him, as may appear by the Title.
8ly, David thus eſcaping fled to Ramah to acquaint Samuel with all that had paſſed, and with what Saul had done unto him, and to crave his advice and counſel in theſe dangers and difficulties. Hereupon he and Samuel went down to Naioth near Ramah, where was a Colledg of Prophets, but ſome body or other quickly informed Saul that David was come thither, and he preſently ſent meſſengers to take him there; when the meſſengers came thither and found the Prophets prophecying, that is, praiſing God with Pſalms and Hymns, and ſpeaking of Divine matters, and Samuel among them ſitting as Preſident over them, and governing this holy aſſembly, the Spirit of the Lord fell upon them, and they (inſtead of apprehending David which was the buſineſs they were ſent about) propheſied alſo. Saul hearing of this, ſent other meſſengers upon the ſame errand a ſecond and a third time, and they propheſied *The like example we have in the High-Prieſts Officers who were ſent to apprehend Chriſt, Joh. 7.45, 46.alſo, that is praiſed God with Pſalms and Hymns, and magnified his name as the other before had done. Saul might by this miracle have been convinc'd of his ſin and folly in purſuing after David when he ſaw him thus miraculouſly preſerved and protected by God; but being thus diſappointed by his meſſengers, and his heart being hardened, he reſolves to go thither himſelf, and to fetch David thence even out of his Sanctuary; but it fell out quite contrary to his expectation, for whereas his meſſengers did not propheſie till they came into the company of the Prophets at Naioth, the Spirit of the Lord now falling upon him he propheſied †Donum Prophetandi aliquando Impiis concedit Deus ut Balaamo, vide Mat. 7.22.before he came thither, even in the way, and was chang'd from a Perſecutor into a Prophet, which plainly ſhews that the hearts of Kings are in the hand of the Lord, Prov. 21.1. He comes at laſt to Naioth, where he, Samuel and David being all met together, he propheſied for a while before them, praiſing God with Pſalms and Hymns, and then throwing aſide his Princely robe (or military habit) and falling down on the ground he lay in a trance or extaſie all that day, and the night following, ſee Numb. 24.4. And thus was Saul in the midſt of all his fury caſt down *See a like caſe in one of his name and Tribe, Act. 9., and as it were bound by the Almighty power of God, and expos'd to ſhame and contempt among all that ſaw him thus diſrobed, thus manacled and reſtrain'd; inſomuch that ſome of them ſaid, What is Saul (that hath ſhewed himſelf ſo great an enemy to David) now among the Prophets, and come hither to act as one of them? This was mercifully ordered for David, who hereby had liberty to eſcape for his life.
1 Sam. Ch. 19. whole Chapter.