Author: Charlie Garrett

1 Samuel 19:1-14
He Set His Soul in His Palm, Part I

(Typed 14 December 2025) It is so easy to fly off the handle, losing control when we get upset. Sleep gets robbed from us, and we lie in bed stewing over whatever thing offended us, real or imagined.

If we encounter the person about our perceived wrong, the matter is likely to end in bad words, even if the person actually did nothing wrong! We make up something in our own minds that has nothing to do with the reality of the situation.

Then, as the long night hours drone on, we fabricate an even greater web of “wrongdoing” and how we are going to deal with it, usually with bad intentions toward the person with whom we are upset.

Saul seemed to do this chronically toward David. It wasn’t David’s fault that the women sang about him slaying myriads in contrast to Saul’s thousand. But Saul let that thought go to his head. That led him to conjuring up all kinds of perverse thoughts about David.

David had no idea that Saul was so miffed at him. He was a loyal subject and a brave warrior for Saul. But Saul couldn’t accept that such a capable person as David didn’t have thoughts of running the kingdom, assuming it at Saul’s expense.

Text Verse: “The God, the ‘giving avengement’ to me,
And he caused to arrange the peoples under me.
⁴⁸Escaping me from my hatings,
Yea, from ‘arisings me,’ You will raise me,
From man violence, You will cause to deliver me.” Psalm 18:47, 48 (CG)

The opening of Psalm 18 says, “To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.”

David eventually understood that whatever he did, Saul would relentlessly pursue him to kill him. At some point in David’s life, that ended, and as he often did, he wrote a psalm about it. It is probable that he never really understood how the animosity from Saul came about.

Throughout his life, David forgave people who intended him harm. At times, he would acknowledge that the one harming him was probably doing it because the Lord instructed him to do so, even if that wasn’t the case.

Because this was his attitude, Saul’s contempt must have been bewildering. But it existed, and he had to deal with it. David never did so in an attack against Saul. In fact, he made every attempt to prove to Saul that he bore him no ill.

It would be good if we, too, have David’s attitude. Instead of stewing over perceived wrongs all night long, we would sleep peacefully. May it be so for each of us. Letting go of offenses is a sound precept found in God’s superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. In the Hideaway (verses 1-8)

The verses that ended Chapter 18 said –

“And he saw, Saul, and he knew for Yehovah with David, and that Michal, ‘daughter, Saul’, she cherished him. ²⁹And he caused to add, Saul, to fear from ‘faces, David’ yet. And he was, Saul, hating David all the days. ³⁰And they went, ‘commanders, Philistines’. And it was, from ‘sufficiency, their going’, he deliberated, David, from all ‘servants, Saul’. And he enweighed his name vehemently.” 1 Samuel 18:28-30 (CG)

Saul sees that David is in his ascendancy in all ways. Thus, his paranoia concerning this increases to a feverish pitch. Therefore…

Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David;

Rather: vaydaber shaul el Yonathan b_eno v_eel kal avadav l_ehamith eth David – “And he spoke, Saul, unto Jonathan his son and unto all his servants, to cause to kill David.” The causative verb is applied to Saul, not Jonathan and his servants. In other words, Saul has not given an order to kill David. Rather, he is talking about killing David.

For all we know, he may have said, “David has become a problem, and he needs to be eliminated. I can no longer allow him to undermine my authority.” Something like that is on his mind.

Saul means Asked. But the spelling of his name is identical to Sheol, the pit, meaning the repository for the dead. One can think of the pit calling out for the souls of men.

Jonathan means Yah Has Given.

^{1 (con’t)} but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David.

vihonathan ben shaul khaphets b_edavid m_eod – “And Jonathan, son Saul, he inclined in David vehemently.” Despite Saul’s murderous intentions, we are reminded of the love Jonathan felt toward David. This sets up the narrative for what follows…

² So Jonathan told David,

vayaged y_ehonathan l_edavid – “And he caused to declare, Jehonathan, to David.” The spelling of Jonathan’s name changes here. He will be mentioned eight times in Chapter 19. In verse 1, it was spelled Jonathan. The next seven times it will say Jehonathan, adding in the letter hey (h), the fifth letter of the Hebrew aleph-beth, which means look, reveal, and breath.

יוֹנָתָ֗ן
יְהוֹנָתָ֜ן

Adding the letter hey indicates the presence of the Spirit. The numerical value, five, refers to grace.

^{2 (con’t)} saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you.

lemor m_evaqesh shaul avi lahamithekha – “to say, ‘Seeking, Saul, my father, to cause to kill you.” The NKJV’s rendering of verse 1 was wrong. Saul wasn’t ordering Jonathan and his men to have David killed. Rather, he was speaking of killing David. Even if someone argues he was implying they should do it, no order to do so was given.

Because of Saul’s intentions, as well as his feelings for David, Jonathan goes around Saul to advise David of his peril…

^{2 (con’t)} Therefore please be on your guard until morning,

Again, the NKJV, based on the faulty KJV, gives an incorrect rendering: v_eatah hishamer na vaboqer – “And now, you must cause to guard, I pray, in the morning.” Jonathan understood that Saul had designs to kill David, but there was no imminent threat (until). Instead, Saul may have gone to bed when Jonathan came to David, telling him to be on guard “in the morning.”

Sticking with a shoddy translation is like reading a paraphrase. You will get the overall sense of what is being said, but without the proper nuances, there is no way to rightly understand what God is conveying as it points to Christ, His work, and how it pertains to His people.

The morning generally signifies the time when a change takes place. It could thus be identified as new beginnings, but that has to be taken in the sense of change in what is, not necessarily something entirely new.

In other words, the day starts at evening. It is the same day in the morning, but the change from dark to light is complete. Jonathan’s words to David continue…

^{2 (con’t)} and stay in a secret place and hide.

veyashavta vasether v_enakhbetha – “And you sat in the hideaway, and you were secreted.” Jonathan gave advice for David to be on guard in the morning. He doesn’t tell him where to hide, and yet, the next verse indicates that he already knows where David will do so. David will write about his hideaway several times in the psalms, such as –

“You – Hideaway [sether] to me,
From distress You will guard me,
Cheers deliverance – You will surround me! Selah”
Psalm 32:7 (CG)

Wherever David hid, the physical spot was within his greater spiritual Hideaway in whom he trusted with every fiber of his being. As for the place indicated by Jonathan…

³ And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, 

Jonathan’s words are emphatic: vaani etse v_eamadti l_eyad avi basadeh asher atah sham – “And I, I will go out, and I stood to ‘hand, my father’ in the field where ‘you, there.’” At no time in the preceding chapters has there been any mention of a field or a hideaway for David. And yet, Jonathan speaks as if it were plainly understood by both.

It may be a place Saul frequented, of which both were aware, or it may be that Jonathan conveyed more to David than is recorded, such as, “I will take Dad for a walk to talk to him.” However, that is totally speculative.

In the Bible, the field represents the world. This is understood from Jesus’ words of Matthew 13:38, where He says, “The field is the world.” Of this place, Jonathan says…

^{3 (con’t)} and I will speak with my father about you.

The emphatic nature of his words continues: vaani adaber b_ekha el avi – “And I, I will speak in you unto my father.” Jonathan intends to convey good words (in you) to Saul, to convince him that his machinations from the previous night were out of line and short-sighted concerning David.

This clause tells us that it wasn’t Jonathan’s intent for Saul to hear their conversation, but to be able to quickly convey the words to David. If David were off in some other location, Jonathan would have to travel there. Thus, it could arouse Saul’s suspicions concerning a scheme existing between him and David.

^{3 (con’t)} Then what I observe, I will tell you.”

v_eraiti mah v_ehigadti lakh – “and I saw what, and I caused to declare to you.” Whatever Jonathan gleans from the matter, that is what he will pass on to David. Therefore, in the morning…

⁴ Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father,

vaydaber y_ehonathan b_edavid tov el shaul aviv – “And he spoke, Jehonathan, in David, good unto Saul his father.” As he promised, Jonathan conveyed good concerning David (in David) to Saul, hoping to elicit a favorable response from him. Specifically…

^{4 (con’t)} and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you,

vayomer elav al yekheta ha’melekh b_eavdo v_edavid ki lo khata lakh – “And he said unto him, ‘Not you will sin, the king, in his servant, in David. For not he sinned to you.” Jonathan understands that the king is sinning through his intent to kill David. As the king, he has the right to judge, sentence, and impose whatever penalty he deems appropriate on his subjects, but his judgments are to be just and based on what is true.

However, Jonathan’s logic is that David has not sinned against Saul. As such, Saul’s actions would, in fact, be sin because they would be unjust. Further…

^{4 (con’t)} and because his works have been very good toward you.

v_ekhi maasav tov l_ekha m_eod – “And for his works – good to you, vehemently.’” The word “toward” signifies motion focused directionally. The NKJV gives an updated amendment to the KJV, which says, “his works have been to theeward very good.” There is no such locative aspect in the Hebrew. Such faulty renderings confuse what is being said.

Jonathan is conveying that David’s deeds have been beneficial to Saul. It is not that they were directed to Saul, but that whatever David did was helpful to Saul, his kingship, and by extension, his kingdom. That is specifically noted next…

⁵ For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine,

The words are similar to what Jephthah said concerning himself in Judges 12:3: vayasem eth naphsho b_ekhapo vayakh eth ha’p_elishti – “And he put his soul in his palm, and he caused to strike the Philistine.” Not a single translation or scholar properly rendered this clause. A palm, kaph, is not a hand, yad. They have different meanings, both in the text and metaphorically.

The, kaph, palm (and sole) signifies possession and/or the state of something. David took his soul, meaning his being, and set it in his possession. One can think of something precious and brittle being set in the palm. Without care, it could tumble out and crash to the floor, shattering it.

In other words, Goliath’s challenge was accepted by David. The winner of the challenge would possess the very being of the other. If the text said hand, it would signify power and authority. The two thoughts, though similar in intent, have completely different ultimate signification.

Jonathan is reminding Saul of the great thing David did and the outcome of it. At the cost of his very being, he killed Goliath.

Philistine signifies Weakener.

^{5 (con’t)} and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel.

vayaas Y_ehovah t_eshuah g_edolah l_ekhal Yisrael – “And he made, Yehovah, ‘salvation, whopping’ to all Israel.” Jonathan’s words are carefully stated. Despite David placing his soul in his palm, it was the Lord, working through him, who brought salvation to Israel. As this is so, it would be an act tantamount to shunning the Lord to kill David when he had done nothing wrong. Even Saul knew this at one time…

^{5 (con’t)} You saw it and rejoiced.

raitha vatismakh – “You saw, and you brightened.” Saul faced the enemy for forty days. Neither he nor any man of Israel was willing to even try to face the Philistine. And yet, when David appeared to tend to his brothers, he immediately said he would accept the challenge. Saul agreed, David prevailed, and Saul rejoiced in the victory over the Philistines.

Jonathan is reminding his father of what took place, hoping it will convince him that his thoughts are awry concerning David…

^{5 (con’t)} Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”

v_elamah tekheta b_edam naqi l_ekhamith eth David khinam – “And to why you will sin in ‘blood, innocent’ to cause to kill David gratuitously?” Jonathan restates his earlier thought so that Saul understands the gravity of killing David. It is tantamount to cold-blooded murder of an innocent man. And that, for no reason at all.

⁶ So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan,

vayishma shaul b_eqol y_ehonathan – “And he heard, Saul, in ‘voice, Jehonathan’.” To hear signifies more than audible listening. It indicates that he heard Jonathan and then determined not to go forward with his decision. And more…

^{6 (con’t)} and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.”

vayishava shaul khai Y_ehovah im yumath – “and he was sevened, Saul, ‘Alive, Yehovah, if he will be caused to die.’” Saul sevened himself. It is as if he swore seven times over the matter. That is seen in what he said. He made an adjuration on the name of Yehovah that he would not take the life of David.

There is no reason to assume that Saul was being dishonest. David will again be in the presence of Saul. Only when David increases in his victories will Saul return to his evil intentions…

⁷ Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things.

vayiqra y_ehonathan l_edavid vayaged lo y_ehonathan eth kal ha’d_evarim ha’eleh – “And he called, Jehonathan, to David. And he caused to declare to him, Jehonathan, all the words, the these.” The narrative leaves a lot unstated, and we have to guess at some of the events. Saul was with Jonathan and then wasn’t.

For whatever reason, Saul departed. After that, Jonathan called out for David, who was also in the field, but hiding somewhere. Once together, Jonathan told David the substance of what was said between him and his father.

^{7 (con’t)} So Jonathan brought David to Saul,

vayave yehonathan eth David el shaul – “And he caused to bring, Jehonathan, David unto Saul.” Jonathan’s care for David continues to be seen. Saul gives assurance that he will not harm David, and so Jonathan personally brings him into Saul’s presence. It would be a reminder of the oath as Jonathan stood there. Therefore…

^{7 (con’t)} and he was in his presence as in times past.

vayhi l_ephanav k_eethmol shilshom – “And he was to his faces according to time, trebly.” It is a Hebrew idiom seen elsewhere. It indicates that David was before Saul today and three days past, rightly paraphrased as “in times past.” Everything was back to the way it was. However, things will again go south when Saul’s jealousy of David returns…

⁸ And there was war again;

vatoseph ha’milkhamah lihyoth – “And it caused to add, the battle, to be.” The words are given for the purpose of directing the past narrative into the next one. It is, therefore, an anticipatory thought concerning why things will return to the way they were. That continues to develop with the next words…

^{8 (con’t)} and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him.

vayetse David vayilakhem bap_elishtim vayakh bahem makah g_edolah vayanusu mipanav – “And he went out, David, and he was fought in the Philistines. And he caused to strike in them ‘wound, whopping’. And they fled from his faces.” This would have been in a campaign with the thousand men he had charge over, as noted in verse 18:13. There may have been others, but David was charged with this size of force as a part of the greater army.

He is credited with a punishing victory over those he faced. One can see the runners rushing back to Saul about the battle, reporting that David thoroughly stomped on the enemy. However, all of the superlative language heaped upon David’s efforts would have had exactly the opposite effect on Saul…

Alive Yehovah! I will do as I say
I will not do wrong, as I planned to do
For sure, it will be this way
Alive Yehovah! My word is true

And yet, I failed, doing wrong again
Sin just keeps creeping up in me
I am no better than any other men
The law is a burden to carry, so I need to be free
Who will free me from this body of sin and death?
I want to do right, but it keeps escaping me

I have failed from my first breath
O God, send someone to rescue me!

II. And He Bolted (verses 9-14)

⁹ Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul

There is no definite article: vat_ehi ruakh Y_ehovah raah el shaul – “And it was, ‘breath, Yehovah’, evilness unto Saul.” The words are the same as 1 Samuel 16:14. So far, the words have mostly said either “breath, evil” or “breath, God.” Now, however, it returns to being more personal, using the divine name to indicate the source.

To understand why I chose to say “breath” rather than “spirit,” refer to the 1 Samuel 16:14-23 sermon. However, to build upon that and show the same pattern in Genesis, look at the account in Genesis 1 –

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

“And the Lord [Y_ehovah] God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7

The narrative begins general and moves to the specific. The same pattern occurs here, but the reason is that Saul made an oath in the name of Yehovah. Therefore, the name of God is also defined as the source of the breath. When this breath comes, Saul is unable to control his inner rage…

^{9 (con’t)} as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand.

v_ehu b_eveitho yoshev vakhanito b_eyado v_edavid m_enagen b_eyad – “And he in his house sitting, and his spear in his hand. And David thrumming in hand.” This is similar to verse 18:10. Saul was having an attack, and David was called to thrum to calm Saul down while Saul sat with his spear in his hand.

Imagine Saul mentally turning over what he had heard about the greatness of David’s victory, mulling and stewing over it. Unable to control himself, the rage welling up in him, it next says…

¹⁰ Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear,

vayvaqesh shaul l_ehakaoth bakhanit b_edavid uvaqir – “And he sought, Saul, to cause to strike in the spear in David, and in the wall.” As noted previously, the khanith, spear, is identical to the feminine form of the word grace. Also, the qir, wall, signifies a revelation of character.

Saul intended to pin David to the wall with his spear. Interesting typology can be derived from what is being conveyed. As in Chapter 18, it says…

^{10 (con’t)} but he slipped away from Saul’s presence;

vayiphtar mip_ene shaul – “And he cleaved from ‘faces, Saul’.” A new and rare word, patar, to cleave or burst through, is seen. One use is in the proverbs as a general lesson on restraint. But the other three are notably set in the Bible when an important moment in redemptive history takes place or is referred to.

David cleaves from Saul’s presence, sparing the messianic line. Jehoiada did not cleave the divisions of the priests on the Sabbath when the six-year-old Joash was anointed king to regain the throne from Athalia, thus restoring the messianic line. Also, it is seen in the 22^nd Psalm, a prophecy concerning Christ’s cross –

“All seeing Me, they will cause to deride,
To Me, they will cause to cleave [patar] in lip,
They will cause to waver head.” Psalm 22:7 (CG)

If nothing else, the word is placed here to indirectly point to the coming of Christ’s ministry.

^{10 (con’t)} and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.

vayakh eth ha’khanith baqir v_edavid nas vayimalet balaylah hu – “And he caused to strike the spear in the wall. And David, he fled, and he was eluded in the night, it.” Saul missed, but David realized the danger he was in. He was told by Jonathan about when Saul sevened himself, but that moment had passed. Therefore, it was best to get away while he could…

¹¹ Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning

vayishlakh shaul malakhim el beith David l_esham_ero v_elahamitho baboqer – “And he sent, Saul, messengers unto ‘house, David’ to guard him, and to cause to kill him in the morning.” Psalm 59 was written in response to these events taking place in David’s life. The intro to the psalm says –

“To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him.”

This time, Saul has gone beyond personal intent to kill David. Instead, he has sent out a strike force to do so. Not only has he broken his oath with which he sevened himself, but he has the full intention of committing murder through the power of his kingship.

Saul’s rule failed because he failed to honor the Lord, the law under which he existed, and the common morality by which humans are expected to interact with one another.

The reason David was guarded until the morning instead of being killed immediately may be seen in the next words…

^{11 (con’t)} And Michal, David’s wife,

vataged l_edavid mikhal ishto – “And she caused to declare to David, Michal his wife.” It could be that Saul didn’t want harm to come to Michal, either physically or mentally. If he sent in the assassins to kill David, she could be harmed in the fray. At the same time, she would know Saul ordered his execution.

However, if David was killed when one or the other was gone, Saul could make an excuse. That possibility seems weak, though. David would have told Michal his side of things. That seems evident from the next clause.

Another possibility is that people in other houses in the area could become aware of the situation and defend David. But that could occur in the day or at night. Therefore, it seems likely that Michal is the main reason for waiting out the night.

Michal means Who Is Like God.

^{11 (con’t)} told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.”

lemor im en_ekha m_emalet eth naphsh_ekha halaylah makhar atah mumath – “to say, ‘If you not ‘elude your soul’ the night, tomorrow you ‘being caused to die’.’” Michal would not be persuaded by Saul, even if he were trying to hide the situation from her. She already knows the truth of the matter from David, and probably from her own understanding of Saul’s mental condition.

Her words are a sound warning to David based on the circumstances. Therefore, David takes her advice…

¹² So Michal let David down through a window.

vatored mikhal eth David b_ead ha’khalon – “And she caused to descend, Michal, David through the window.” A window in the Bible, based on its various uses, is probably best described as “anticipation of a result.”

In this instance, the account of the spies at Rahab’s house, and Paul’s escape in Damascus, the anticipation of a result is deliverance and salvation.

Michal’s house may have been on a wall of the city. If so, it would make the escape far easier than into a city street. Also, city gates were usually shut at night. This would complicate any later attempt to leave the city.

Simply for the sake of a scenic view, it would make sense that David and the king’s daughter would have a home along the wall. Regardless, the wall was high enough that David needed something tied off to allow him to go down its side. Michal could easily pull that back up and hide the fact that he escaped that way.

^{12 (con’t)} And he went and fled and escaped.

vayelekh vayivrakh vaymimalet – “and he went, and he bolted, and he was eluded.” It is unlikely they would live outside of a city. Their home being on a city wall is the most likely explanation. It would also explain why guards didn’t see him departing the house. Otherwise, one would think they would have guarded all entrances and windows.

No matter what, he was able to get away, eluding Saul and his men in the process.

¹³ And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed,

vatiqakh mikhal eth ha’t_eraphim vatasem el hamitah – “And she took, Michal, the teraphim, and she put unto the bed.” Despite the words being clear, it is unknown what teraphim are.

It is a plural word here. In fact, the singular is never used. They were first seen in Genesis 31:19, where Rachel stole her father’s teraphim. In verse 31:30, Laban specifically calls them his gods. In 1 Samuel 15, the word is used in a negative sense –

“So Samuel said:
‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
²³ For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry [teraphim].
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.’” 1 Samuel 15:22, 23

There are fifteen uses of teraphim in the Old Testament, but none of them clearly define what they are. Whatever they are, they include something large enough to be used as a decoy for David. In this case, it could be that it is not anything cultic at all, but that it merely is intended to represent a living being. This fact alone may make it a teraphim.

It is ironic, however, that something that has no breath in it is used in the actions of saving David, the Lord’s anointed. Once she had the teraphim in the bed, it says…

^{13 (con’t)} put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes.

v_eeth k_evir ha’izim samah m_eraashothav vat_ekhas ba’baged – “And ‘quilt, the goats’ she put – his headpieces, and she plumped in the garment.” A new word, kabir, something of intertwined materials, is seen. It is derived from kabar, to plait together.

The word is only seen here and in verse 16. Translations and scholarly opinions vary on what it is. As it is something plaited, my guess of “quilt” is as good as any.

Further, to support this, the word ha’izim, the goats, is used. In other words, goats’ hair was used to fashion the kabir. It is likely that this is a quilt that was plaited from goats’ hair. It was then rolled up into the area where his head would be, like a pillow.

This word, meraashoth, is from rosh, head, first, headship, etc. Strong’s believes the plural signifies it is to be used adverbially. Thus, “headpieces” would mean at his headrest or at his pillow.

As a point of reference, the word, izim, goats, is the term used for the sin offering, including the one mandated on the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16:5.

With all that in place, the last thing she did was plump it up, meaning to cover it. Michal is dealing covertly against Saul by covering her teraphim and plumping it up to make it look like a body. These items will look like a human in the bed. The covering is what provides the “plumping” over all the convolutions.

*¹⁴ So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”

vayishlakh shaul malakhim laqakhath eth David vatomer kholeh hu – “And he sent, Saul, messengers to take David. And she said, ‘Rubbed, he.’” The verses today end on a lying word from Michal. She bought time for David’s escape by saying he was sick. As for the word khalah, rubbed, it is used in various contexts.

It can signify being sick, petitioning someone, being grieved, etc. When something is rubbed, it can show favor, like rubbing someone’s face. It can show sickness, like being worn down in health. It can also apply in a spiritual sense, like being worn down in spirit, grieved, etc.

Michal did what any wife would do if she loved her husband. She cannot be charged with an offense when it is to serve a higher moral intent.

This is a good spot to stop and pick up the narrative next week. We will hopefully be able to determine why God placed this story in the word. There are a ton of details to sort through and more in the final eleven verses.

If nothing else, we will understand various events that allowed the plan of redemption, already prophesied in highly detailed passages, to continue until the coming of Jesus. It is through David, not Saul, that the messianic line is established.

Therefore, knowing these stories and thinking on them allows us to have a greater surety that God is fully in control of conducting the events within time to get the world to the time of the Messiah’s arrival. If that is so, we should not fret that He has a clear plan for those of us who are His now that the Messiah has come.

There should be no fear or dread concerning the events that surround us. David, having gone through this ordeal, didn’t break down and fret his life away. Instead, he wrote a psalm about it. Wouldn’t it be great if we had that same attitude each time we faced great trials?

We can remember his example, and other heroes of faith recorded in the Bible, and we can confidently claim that our lives are on the good and proper path, even when things may seem to be falling apart. That is, if we truly belong to Jesus. To be sure you have that confidence, let me take a minute to explain how you can be sure of the eternal hope found in Him…

Closing Verse: “Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
Defend me from those who rise up against me.
² Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,
And save me from bloodthirsty men.” Psalm 59:1, 2

Next Week: 1 Samuel 19:15-24 Despite the ordeal, he remained calm, it is true… (He Set His Soul in His Palm, Part II) (42^nd 1Samuel Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He is the One who abases the haughty and exalts the humble. He regards the lowly, and the proud, He knows from afar. So yield yourself to Him, trust Him, and believe His word. In this, He will do great things for you and through you.

1 Samuel 19:1-14 (CG)

1 And he spoke, Saul, unto Jonathan his son and unto all his servants, to cause to kill David. And Jonathan, son Saul, he inclined in David vehemently. ²And he caused to declare, Jehonathan, to David, to say, “Seeking, Saul, my father, to cause to kill you. And now, you must cause to guard, I pray, in the morning. And you sat in the hideaway, and you were secreted. ³And I, I will go out, and I stood to ‘hand, my father’ in the field where ‘you, there’. And I, I will speak in you unto my father, and I saw what, and I caused to declare to you.”

⁴And he spoke, Jehonathan in David, good unto Saul his father. And he said unto him, “Not you will sin, the king, in his servant, in David. For not he sinned to you. And for his works – good to you, vehemently. ⁵And he put his soul in his palm, and he caused to strike the Philistine. And he made, Yehovah, ‘salvation, whopping’ to all Israel. You saw, and you brightened. And to why you will sin in ‘blood, innocent’ to cause to kill David gratuitously?”

⁶And he heard, Saul, in ‘voice, Jehonathan’, and he was sevened, Saul, “Alive, Yehovah, if he will be caused to die.” ⁷And he called, Jehonathan, to David. And he caused to declare to him, Jehonathan, all the words, the these. And he caused to bring, Jehonathan, David unto Saul. And he was to his faces according to time, trebly.

⁸And it caused to add, the battle, to be. And he went out, David, and he was fought in the Philistines. And he caused to strike in them, ‘wound, whopping’. And they fled from his faces.

⁹And it was, ‘breath, Yehovah’, evilness unto Saul. And he in his house sitting, and his spear in his hand. And David thrumming in hand. ¹⁰And he sought, Saul, to cause to strike in the spear in David, and in the wall. And he cleaved from ‘faces, Saul’. And he caused to strike the spear in the wall. And David, he fled, and he was eluded in the night, it.

¹¹And he sent, Saul, messengers unto ‘house, David’ to guard him, and to cause to kill him in the morning. And she caused to declare to David, Michal, his wife, to say, “If you not ‘elude your soul’ the night, tomorrow you ‘being caused to die’.” ¹²And she caused to descend, Michal, David through the window, and he went, and he bolted, and he was eluded. ¹³And she took, Michal, the teraphim, and she put unto the bed. And ‘quilt, the goats’ she put – his headpieces, and she plumped in the garment. ¹⁴And he sent, Saul, messengers to take David. And she said, “Rubbed, he.”

 

1 Samuel 19:1-14 (NKJV)

Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David. ² So Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. ³ And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you.”

⁴ Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. ⁵ For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”

⁶ So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.” ⁷ Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So 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 struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him.

⁹ Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. ¹⁰ Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.

¹¹ Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” ¹² So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. ¹³ And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. ¹⁴ So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”