Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Samuel · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
Verſ. 1. ANd Saul ſpake to Jonathan his ſonne, and to all his ſervants, that they ſhould kill David.] Hitherto Saul had done all that he did againſt David ſecretly; but now he grew impudent and ſhameleſſe, Saul ſpake to Jonathan his ſonne, and to all his ſervants, that they ſhould kill David: For in theſe words there are two things that diſcover how violently Sauls paſſion and rage againſt David, did at length break forth: The firſt, that he did not impart his deſire to have him ſlain, to ſome few of his truſtieſt ſervants, but generally to them all. The ſecond, that though he knew the great league that was betwixt David and Jonathan, yet he moued him alſo to joyn in this plot, hoping no doubt to prevail with him, by urging his fear of Davids getting the crown from him.
Verſ. 2. And Jonathan told David, ſaying, Saul my father ſeeketh to kill thee, &c.] Whileſt David was eſteemed Sauls favourite, all his Courtiers carried a fair ſhew towards him, chap. 18.5. He was accepted in the ſight of all the people, and and alſo in the ſight of Sauls ſervants: and who then could fawn upon him more then they? ver. 22. Behold, the king hath a delight in thee, and all his ſervants love thee, now therefore be the kings ſonne in law. But when Saul had once diſcovered the ill will he bare him, and openly enjoyned them to make him away, not a man amongſt them would open his mouth to Saul for him; or do any thing to prevent the danger he was in: onelyonly Jonathan that did indeed truly love him, did then diſcover to David his fathers bloudy purpoſe, and afterwards ſpake to his father in his behalf, though he now forbare to ſay any thing for the preſent, becauſe he ſaw that now he was in a rage, and judged it therefore better to ſtay a while, till his fury was over.
Now therefore, I pray thee, take heed unto thy ſelf untill the morning, and abide in a ſecret place, and hide thy ſelf.] Jonathan here counſells David, firſt, that he ſhould be very carefull to look to himſelf, that no evil was done him the following night, before he could ſpeak to his father for him, take heed to thy ſelf untill the morning. And then ſecondly, that the next day he ſhould hide himſelf in ſome ſecret place, to wit, in the field where Saul was wont to walk out & take the aire, (and no doubt they agreed about the very place) that ſo David might heare what paſſed betwixt his father and him, when they talked together concerning David: for that this is the meaning of thoſe words, abide in a ſecret place, and hide thy ſelf, is evident by the words that follow, ver. 3. And I will go out and ſtand beſide my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father, &c. OnelyOnly he addes, that if Saul ſpake ſo that David could not heare him, then he would afterwards tell David what he ſaid, which is added in the laſt clauſe, and what I ſee, that I will tell thee.
Verſ. 4. And Jonathan ſpake good of David unto Saul his father, &c.] Though he knew that his father was troubled with frantick fits, and might in rage ſeek to kill him for ſpeaking in Davids behalf; yet he reſolved to hazard this rather then deſert David in a righteous cauſe. And obſervable it is, that venturing himſelf thus for David, God ſo awed the ſpirit of Saul, that Jonathan ſuffered no evil by it.
Verſ. 5. For he did put his life in his hand, and ſlew the Philiſtine, &c.] Concerning this phraſe, he put his life in his hand, ſee the note, Judg. …2.3. By pleading the good ſervice that David had done to the Church and Common-wealth of Iſrael, in killing that formidable gyant Goliath, he ſought to convince Saul, what an hainous ſinne it would be to ſeek now to kill him. But moſt obſervable are the following words, wherein he preſſeth this further upon Saul, thou ſaweſt it, and didſt rejoyce: for by putting Saul in mind what a wonderfull joy it was to him at that time when he ſtood by, and ſaw the Philiſtine fall by the hand of David, he intimates what an high degree of ingratitude it would be, ſo ill now to repay that noble exploit of his, which when time was did ſo exceedingly affect him, that he would then have thought no good he could have done him, a ſufficient requitall of his great merits.
Verſ. 10. And Saul ſought to ſmite David, &c.] See the note chap. 18.11.
Verſ. 11. Saul alſo ſent meſſengers unto Davids houſe, to watch him, and to ſlay him in the morning.] It is hard to ſay what the reaſons were that moved Saul to give theſe directions to the meſſengers that he ſent to ſlay David, not to break preſently in upon him, and to ſlay him in the night, but to lie in wait about the houſe, & then to ſlay him in the morning. Some conceive it was, becauſe when he came forth in the morning, they might happely kill him ſuddenly and ſecretly, no body taking notice who had done it; and that this Saul deſired for fear of the diſpleaſure and outcries of the people againſt him: ſecondly again, others hold on the contrary, that this courſe was preſcribed, becauſe the more openly it was done, the more likely the people would be to think that it was done for ſome treachery of Davids, and juſtly done; whereas their doing it in the night would make them ſuſpect that they did it cauſeleſſely, and durſt not avow the doing of it: and thirdly, others ſay, (and that I think moſt probably) that this courſe was onelyonly taken, to make ſure that David might not eſcape their hands; (for indeed when Saul had openly already commanded his ſervants and ſonne to ſlay David, there was no thinking to do it ſo, that Sauls malice againſt him ſhould be concealed.) Had they attempted the breaking in upon his houſe in the night, his wife, or ſervants, or friends might by ſome means in the dark convey him away; but in the morning he could not ſo eaſily ſlip away from them: and therefore they were ordered to lie in wait ſecretly about the houſe in the night, and then early in the morning to break in upon him. But however, there was doubtleſſe an hand of providence that did bend Sauls reſolutions to this courſe, whatever the reaſons were that moved him thereto, that ſo David might not be ſuddenly ſurprized in his houſe, but might have the more time and leaſure to provide for his eſcape.
And Michal Davids wife told him, ſaying, If thou ſave not thy life to night, to morrow thou ſhalt be ſlain.] For knowing the cauſe why David fled ſo lately from Saul, and having perhaps caſually diſcovered that Sauls ſervants were watching about the houſe; ſhe might eaſily gueſſe their errand, or elſe ſome friend might ſend her word of it.
Verſ. 13. And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats hair for his bolſter, &c.] After ſhe had let down her husband out of a window, that ſo he might eſcape away for his life, ſhe uſed this further project to prevent the meſſengers ſurprizing of him; expecting every moment that they would break into the houſe to look for him; and conceiving that if they found him not in the houſe, they would conclude he was eſcaped away, and ſo would preſently get them forth to purſue after him. To prevent this, ſhe reſolved to make them believe he was ſick in bed, and to that end laid an image in his bed, as if a ſick man had lien there; that ſo the meſſengers being deluded hereby, might not ſuſpect his eſcape, and ſo might be quite beaten off from ſeeking further after him; or at leaſt, that though they ſhould diſcover this deceit, yet they might for a while be thereby brought into ſuch a demurre, that her husband might have the more time to get away, beyond any likelihood of their overtaking him. The word here tranſlated an image, is in the Original teraphim, whereby in the Scripture is uſually meant certain idols which the idolaters of thoſe times did make uſe of as their Oracles, as is formerly noted upon Judg. 17.5. But withall it may well be, that hereupon any image or ſtatue was alſo called teraphim: and ſo this which Michal now uſed▪ might be merely a ſtatue, perhaps Davids own ſtatue; or elſe ſome ſuperſtitious image which ſhe kept in the houſe in ſecret, David knowing nothing of it. As for the pillow of goats hair which ſhe uſed for a bolſter, ſome conceive that this was laid, that the curled locks of the goats hair about the head of the image, might reſemble the hair of Davids head: for ſay they, Davids hair was yellow, and ſo was the hair of thoſe goats that were bred in the land of Gilead; whence is that Cant. 4.1, Thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from mount Gilead. But becauſe the ground of this conceit is altogether uncertain, I rather think that this was laid under the head of the image, becauſe for the ſoftneſſe and warmth ſuch pillars were ordinarily uſed for them that were ſick.
Verſ. 14, And when Saul ſent meſſengers to take David, ſhe ſaid, He is ſick.] duplicate page duplicate page It is but a weak conceit me thinks, which I find in ſome Expoſitours, to wit, that this is not ſpoken of thoſe meſſengers mentioned before, verſ. 11. that were firſt ſent to ſlay David; but of others ſent after them: The firſt ſay they, waiting for Davids coming forth, did not go into the houſe, and ſo Saul ſent others with the ſame directions that he gave to the firſt. But this is ſuppoſed without any juſt ground in the text, who can think that the firſt would wait ſo long for Davids coming forth, and never go to ſearch for him in the houſe, till Saul ſhould ſuſpect they neglected their charge, and ſo ſend others after them? No doubtleſſe, theſe were the firſt meſſengers mentioned before; onelyonly Sauls ſending them, is here repeated again. And the words therefore muſt be thus underſtood: When Saul ſent meſſengers to take David ſhe ſaid, He is ſick, that is, when the meſſengers came that Saul had ſent, (which doubtleſſe they did betimes in the morning) ſhe anſwered, He was ſick; and carrying them up to his chamber, ſhewed them the image in the bed; which they thought had indeed been here husband, and ſo went away.
Verſ. 16. And when the meſſengers were come in, beh…ld there was an image in the bed, &c.] Before happely when they went in to Michal they might onelyonly look upon the bed afarre off, and ſo the room being dark, as it is wont to be where ſick folks lie, they might eaſily be deceived by the cunning of Michal▪ and think it was David that lay there a bed. But being now ſent back again by Saul, and appointed to bring him ſick or well, they went up now to the bed to lay hold on him▪ and then Michals fraud was ſoon diſcovered; And the unexpectedneſſe of this which they found is here implyed in this word behold. Behold there was an image in the bed; They thought verily before, that they had ſeen David there, and when they came now again they found nothing there, but an image of wood or ſtone dreſſed up like a ſick man.
Verſ. 18. So David fled, and eſcaped, and came to Samuel▪ &c.] To wit, to bewail to him his miſery, and to ſhew, how farre otherwiſe things went with him then he expected▪ in regard Samuel had anointed him to ſucceed Saul in the throne, and withall, to be adviſed by him what he ſhould do.
And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.] Which was a Colledge of prophets: whither Samuel brought David. Firſt, becauſe Saul was not likely to look him there. Secondly, becauſe here Samuel hoped he ſhould be as in a little ſanctuary, and as it were in a ſpeciall manner put into Gods cuſtody. And thirdly, becauſe with that holy company, and ſacred exerciſes there uſed, David might be much comforted in his afflictions.
Verſ. 20. And Saul ſent meſſengers to take David.] To wit, at Naioth, where he heard David was, as is expreſſed in the foregoing verſe. Doubtleſſe they that told him that he was at Naioth, told him alſo that he was with Samuel there. And yet he gave no order to his meſſengers to meddle with Samuel, becauſe he had entertained the man, whom he purſued, but onelyonly to take David. It was a ſigne of extreme rage that he would have David fetched away by force out of the Colledge of the prophets: But yet withall it argued ſome remainders of reſpect towards Samuel that were ſtill in Sauls heart; that all the while the leaſt word was not ſpoken againſt him.
And when they ſaw the company of the prophets propheſying, and Samuel ſtanding as appointed over them, &c.] That is, when the meſſengers came and found the prophets propheſying, and Samuel as the chief of the quire, or as their inſtructer and chief moderatour in thoſe holy and ſpirituall exerciſes wherein they were employed, then they propheſied with them, as men that had quite forgot the bloody errand they came about, and were changed into other men. And indeed, not much unlike this, was that which befell the meſſengers ſent by the Phariſees to apprehend Chriſt, John 7.45, 46. Then came the officers to the chief Priests and Phariſees, and they ſaid to them, Why have you not brought him? The officers anſwered, Never man ſpake as this man. What is meant by the propheſying of theſe prophets, ſee before in the note upon chap. 10.5.
Verſ. 23. And he went on & propheſied, untill he came to Naioth in Ramah.] When Saul had heard that the three companies of his ſervants whom he had ſent to Naioth to apprehend David, propheſied when they came there, & never minded the buſineſſe that he had given them in charge, he reſolved to go and fetch David himſelf: though once before he himſelf had propheſied amongſt the prophets, by the ſupernaturall working of Gods ſpirit upon him, chap. 10.6. (concerning which, ſee the note there) Yet he reſolved, that he would now fetch David out of his ſanctuary, as if he had done it in defiance of God. And behold, whereas his ſervants propheſied not till they came amongſt the prophets, he propheſied as he went, and when he came there, fell down in a trance, &c. So that the more he hardened himſelf againſt God, the more did God ſhew his power upon him.
Verſ. 24. And he ſtript off his clothes alſo, and propheſied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked &c.] That is, he laid aſide his upper garments, his princely robes and military apparell, behaving himſelf now as any other common perſon. And this is all the nakedneſſe intended in the following words, as in the ſame regard, the like is ſaid of the prophet Iſaiah, Iſa. 20.2. At the ſame time ſpake the Lord by the prophet Iſaiah the ſonne of Amos, ſaying, Go and looſe the ſack-cloth from thy loins, and put off thy ſhoe from thy foot: And he did ſo, walking naked and barefoot. And of David, 2. Sam. 6.20. Who uncovered himſelf to day in the eyes of his handmaids of his ſervants, &c. And of the prophet Micah, chap. 1.8. I will go ſtript and naked. As for that which is ſaid here of his lying down, or falling down, ſome underſtand this onelyonly of his falling down to humble himſelf in prayer as the other did: But I rather conceive, that this is to be underſtood of his falling down and lying in a trance, as Balaam did, Numb. 24.4. When he had propheſied a while with the other, this at length befell him peculiarly: For, hereby the power of God was the more magnified, and Saul expoſed to ſhame and reproch amongſt all that ſhould ſee, how in the midſt of his fury he was caſt down, bound and manacled by the mighty power of God, and then withall, David had the freer, and longer liberty to eſcape for his life. It is expreſſely ſaid, that all this was done before Samuel, which ſeems to contradict what was ſaid before, chap. 15, 35. But of that, ſee the note there.
Wherefore they ſay, Is Saul alſo among the prophets?] See the note, chap. 10.11.