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1 Samuel
Chapter Nineteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 19
This
chapter relates the dangers David was exposed unto through Saul's enmity at
him, and his deliverance from them, as by the notice Jonathan gave him of his
father's designs against him, and by his kind interposition on his behalf, 1 Samuel 19:1; by
David's slipping out of Saul's presence, when he was about to cast a javelin at
him, 1 Samuel 19:8; by
Michal's letting him down through a window, when Saul sent messengers to kill
him, and by deceiving them with an image laid in his bed in the room of him, 1 Samuel 19:11, and
again by Samuel's protection of him at Naioth, whither David fled, and where
Saul sent messengers after him, and at length came himself; and instead of
laying hands on David, both he and the messengers were set a prophesying, 1 Samuel 19:18.
1 Samuel 19:1 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.
YLT
1And Saul speaketh unto
Jonathan his son, and unto all his servants, to put David to death,
And Saul spake to Jonathan his son,.... Who was heir to his
crown; and though he knew he loved David, and was in strict friendship with
him, yet he might hope, that as his succession to the kingdom was in danger, as
he thought, and that David was his rival in it, his mind would be alienated
from him; and that he would listen rather to a father than a friend, and would see
where his true interest lay, and abandon David, yea, seek his ruin, which Saul
was intent upon
and to all his servants; who yet pretended to
love David, and as he himself said they did, and some of them might; with these
he might rather hope to succeed, as they were attached to him, and might be
secretly enemies of David, and therefore to these, as well as to his son, he
spake, and gave his orders:
that they should kill David; as if he was a traitor,
and an usurper of his throne, and one that had a design upon that, and upon his
life; finding he could do nothing by the schemes, and snares, and stratagems,
he used in a private manner, he grew outrageous and furious, and openly
declared his views, and laid his injunctions on his son and servants to take away
David's life, as a very dangerous person to his crown and government.
1 Samuel 19:2 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.
YLT
2and Jonathan son of Saul
delighted exceedingly in David, and Jonathan declareth to David, saying, `Saul
my father is seeking to put thee to death, and, now, take heed, I pray thee, in
the morning, and thou hast abode in a secret place, and been hidden,
But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David,.... In his
company and conversation; he loved him with a love of complacency, and was
constant and steadfast in it, and which was a kind providence to David; for by
this means he came to the knowledge of Saul's designs upon him, and could the
better guard against him:
and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill
thee; to inform him of which was acting the part of a sincere and
faithful friend:
now therefore, I pray thee, take heed of thyself until the morning: it seems it
was now evening when he informed him of it; and as he knew not what emissaries
Saul might have out that night in quest of him, he advises him to take care of
himself, and not expose himself to any danger, and to keep a strict guard about
him; and in the morning he would try to conciliate his father to him, when he
might hope, having slept upon it, that he would be in a better temper, and more
disposed to hear what might be said to him:
and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself; he seems to
suggest as if it was not safe for him to be in his own house, and in his own
bedchamber that night, but that it was advisable to retire to some private
place, where it might not be known or suspected that he was there. By what
follows he means some field, and a private place in it.
1 Samuel 19:3 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.”
YLT
3and I -- I go out, and have
stood by the side of my father in the field where thou [art], and I speak of
thee unto my father, and have seen what [is coming], and have declared to
thee.'
And I will go out,.... In the morning, at the same time his
father used to take his morning walk:
and stand beside my father in the field where thou art; on that side
of him next to David, that he might not see him, and yet be so near, that David
might hear what passed between them:
and I will commune with my father of thee; speak in
favour of him, and endeavour to dissuade him from attempting to take away his
life, which was of so much importance and usefulness in the commonwealth of
Israel:
and what I see that I will tell thee; what David
could not well hear he would inform him of, and what he could perceive in the
countenance of Saul, as well as conclude from his words, that he would make
known to David, that so he might know better what he had to do, and provide for
his safety.
1 Samuel 19:4 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.
YLT
4And Jonathan speaketh good
of David unto Saul his father, and saith unto him, `Let not the king sin
against his servant, against David, because he hath not sinned against thee,
and because his works for thee [are] very good;
And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father,.... Observed
to him what a good man be was, and what good things he had done, what wisdom
and prudence he had shown in the management of all his affairs, what valour and
courage in all his expeditions, what faithfulness and integrity to his king and
country in every instance:
and said unto him, let not the king sin against his servant,
against David; by taking away his life; which would have been a great sin
indeed, a sin against the law of God, which forbids murder, and which would
have been attended with sad aggravations of cruelty and ingratitude:
because he hath not sinned against thee; had not
disobeyed any of his orders, but faithfully served him in everything, and much
less ever thought to take away his life, or seize his crown, as he might
imagine:
and because his works have been to thee-ward very good; by slaying
the Philistines, when he and his army were in the utmost terror; by driving
away the evil spirit from him, through playing on his harp before him; as well
as by commanding his troops, and leading them against the Philistines, and
obtaining victory over them.
1 Samuel 19:5 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?”
YLT
5yea, he putteth his life in
his hand, and smiteth the Philistine, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation for
all Israel; thou hast seen, and dost rejoice, and why dost thou sin against
innocent blood, to put David to death for nought?'
For he did put his life in his hand,.... Exposed himself to
the utmost danger, when no one in all the camp of Israel would do the like:
and slew the Philistine; Goliath of Gath, who
defied the armies of Israel; against him he went unarmed, only with his sling and
stones, and fought him, and slew him:
and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel; by his hand,
so that they were delivered from their enemies, who fled before them, and they
pursued them, and got a complete victory over them:
thou sawest it, and didst rejoice; he was an
eyewitness of David's going forth against the Philistine, and slaying him, and
of all the happy effects of it, which then greatly affected him, and he could
not forbear expressing great joy on that occasion:
wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David
without a cause? and so entail the guilt of it on himself and family.
1 Samuel 19:6 6 So Saul heeded the voice
of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he
shall not be killed.”
YLT
6And Saul hearkeneth to the
voice of Jonathan, and Saul sweareth, `Jehovah liveth -- he doth not die.'
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan,.... Not only
heard him out what he had to say, but was affected with it, and wrought upon by
it, and was convicted for the present that he was wrong in seeking the life of
David, and therefore would desist from it; the Lord working upon his mind by
what Jonathan said, and inclined him to listen to it, and act accordingly:
and Saul sware, as the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain; this oath he
added to what he said to Jonathan, for the confirmation of it; and which was
taken either with a real intention to keep it, though that intention did not
long continue; or with a view to deceive Jonathan, that he might acquaint David
with it, and so prevent his flight and escape, and that he might the more
easily fall into his hands; but the former seems rather to be the case.
1 Samuel 19:7 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.
YLT
7And Jonathan calleth for
David, and Jonathan declareth to him all these words, and Jonathan bringeth in
David unto Saul, and he is before him as heretofore.
And Jonathan called David,.... Out of his lurking
place in the field, after Saul was returned home:
and Jonathan showed him all these things: which had
passed between him and his father, and particularly the oath he had made that
he should not be slain:
and Jonathan brought David to Saul: introduced him at court
again, and into the presence chamber of Saul; who, in appearance, received him
courteously, and a reconciliation was seemingly made:
and he was in his presence as in times past; when he was
first received at court, and in great esteem both with Saul and his courtiers.
1 Samuel 19:8 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.
YLT
8And there addeth to be war,
and David goeth out and fighteth against the Philistines, and smiteth among
them -- a great smiting, and they flee from his face.
And there was war again,.... Between Israel and
the Philistines; it does not appear that either of them sent out their whole
force, only some parties or detachments, between which there were skirmishes:
and David went out and fought with the Philistines; he went out
with his thousand men, over which he was made captain, 1 Samuel 18:13; for
he had not the command of the whole army; that belonged to Abner:
and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him; he killed
many of them in his engagements with them, and the rest fled, and he returned
victorious; which stirred up the envy and increased the jealousy of Saul, to
observe which this is related.
1 Samuel 19:9 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.
YLT
9And a spirit of sadness
[from] Jehovah is unto Saul, and he is sitting in his house, and his javelin in
his hand, and David is playing with the hand,
And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul,.... His
melancholy and frantic disorder returned upon those victories of David, and he
grew envious, jealous, spiteful, and malicious:
as he sat in his house with his javelin his hand; which either
describes the posture he was in when the evil spirit came upon him; or the
effects of it, he became dull and melancholy, did not care to go abroad, but
kept at home, and was suspicious of everybody; and therefore kept a javelin in
his hand to defend himself; or it may be rather to dispatch David with it, when
an opportunity should offer, which quickly did:
and David played with his hand; on some
instrument of music, particularly the harp, to drive away the evil spirit, the
melancholy disorder, from Saul; which showed his humility, that though he was
an officer in the army, had a considerable post in it, yet deigned to act the
part of a musician to Saul, and his great kindness and affection for him his
sovereign, willing to serve him what he could to promote his health and
comfort, and the trust and confidence he put in his promise and oath, or rather
in the providence of God for his protection in the way of his duty, though he
knew how spiteful and injurious Saul had been to him.
1 Samuel 19:10 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.
YLT
10and Saul seeketh to smite
with the javelin through David, and through the wall, and he freeth himself
from the presence of Saul, and he smiteth the javelin through the wall; and
David hath fled and escapeth during that night.
And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with his javelin,.... To strike
it through him, and fasten him to the wall with it, as he had attempted before,
1 Samuel 18:11,
but he slipped away out of Saul's presence: he perceived
his design, and being of great agility of body, moved out of his place before
him very nimbly:
and he smote the javelin into the wall; he threw it
with suck force that it entered into the wall, and stuck there; so great was
his resolution to destroy David, and such the rage and passion that he was in,
and such his strength of body, and which, in person; in his circumstances, is
strangely exerted at times:
and David fled, and escaped that night; it being
towards night, or in the evening, very probably, when this affair happened;
upon which he departed from Saul's court, and went to his own house, and so
escaped the danger he was exposed to for the present.
1 Samuel 19:11 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.”
YLT
11And Saul sendeth messengers
unto the house of David to watch him, and to put him to death in the morning;
and Michal his wife declareth to David, saying, `If thou art not delivering thy
life to-night -- tomorrow thou art put to death.'
And Saul sent messengers unto David's house,.... Supposing
that he was gone thither; where this was is not said, very likely in Gibeah,
where Saul lived:
to watch him; that he might not get out from thence in
the night:
and to slay him in the morning; the reason why he did
not order them to break into the house, and slay him at once, but wait till
morning, seems to be, lest should he be alarmed by their breaking in, he might
take the advantage of the night, and easily escape, or another person through
mistake might be slain for him; and therefore, that they might be sure of him,
they were to watch till it was broad daylight, when they could not well miss
him. JosephusF4Antiqu. l. 6. c. 11. sect. 4. says, the orders to
watch him until morning were, that he might be taken and brought to a court of
judicature, and be condemned and put to death, which was usually held in a
morning; but Saul's orders to the messengers were to put him to death
themselves, and he had no notion of dealing with him according to a formal process
of judgment:
and Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, if thou save not thy
life tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be slain; meaning, if he did not
take the benefit and advantage of the night to make his escape, he would not be
able to do it in the morning; the house being so beset, as she perceived, by
persons whom she might suspect were sent by Saul to destroy him, knowing the
ill will her father bore to him, or a messenger at the same time might be
dispatched to her, either from her brother Jonathan, or from one of her friends
at court, acquainting her with the design against David, and the danger he was
in. Upon this occasion David penned the fifty ninth psalm, see Psalm 59:1.
1 Samuel 19:12 12 So Michal let David down
through a window. And he went and fled and escaped.
YLT
12And Michal causeth David to
go down through the window, and he goeth on, and fleeth, and escapeth;
So Michal let David down through a window,.... In like
manner as Rahab let down the spies from her house in Jericho, when the king's
messengers were in quest of them, Joshua 2:15; and as
the disciples let down the Apostle Paul at Damascus, to preserve him from the
designs of the Jews upon him:
and he went, and fled, and escaped; he departed from his
house, and ran with all the haste he could, and escaped the messengers that had
beset the house, and were waiting for him.
1 Samuel 19:13 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.
YLT
13and Michal taketh the
teraphim, and layeth on the bed, and the mattress of goats' [hair] she hath put
[for] his pillows, and covereth with a garment.
And Michal took an image,.... Or
"teraphim", as the word is; which, if the same with those that Rachel
stole from her father, they seem to be of the same sort with the penates or
household gods of the Heathens, which were privately kept by Michal; for, had
David known of them, he would not have suffered them to have been in his house.
Aben Ezra supposes they were images made in the form of men under such a
constellation, a sort of talismans, to receive the heavenly influences, and
which being consulted, foretold things to come; and R. Isaiah is of opinion,
that Michal chose and placed these in the bed, that her father might conclude,
when he should hear of them, that David had found them; and by thus means know
that his intention was to kill him, and therefore fled; but to consult such
images was very far from David, and without it he knew Saul's intention.
Abarbinel makes mention of several sorts of teraphim, some for idolatry, some
to draw down the heavenly influences, some to know the time of the day, a sort
of dials; some were made after the form of a man known, and like him in his
form and features; and women, he says, used to have the forms or statues of
their husbands, that they might have them continually before them, because of
the great love they had to them; and of this sort he supposes were the teraphim
of Michal, and which is approved of by Abendana; and that this image had the
likeness of an human face is very probable, or it could not have so well
answered her purpose:
and laid it in the bed; where David used to lie,
that it might seem to be he himself:
and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster; she took the
finest of the goats' hair, which she had in the house, women being used to spin
in those days, even great personages, and put it into a pillow, and made a
bolster of it, and put it under the head or block of the image, which would
sink it, being soft, and so look like a sick man, whose face could not easily
be discerned; though some think this goats' hair was put about the head of the
image, to make it look the more like an human head; goats' hair being very much
like human hairF5Vid. Stockium, p. 509. , and of different colours,
and such a colour might be chosen as was most like David's, see Song of Solomon 4:1;
the Targum interprets it, a bottle of goats skins, that is, a leathern bottle
or bag made of goats skins, such as they used to put wine into; hence the
conceit in the MidrashF6Apud Kimchium & Abarbinel. in loc. ,
that a bottle of wine was put instead of David: but the pillow or bolster had
the form of a leathern bag or bottle; the Septuagint version is very odd,"and
put the liver of goats at his head;'and so Josephus saysF7Ut supra.
(Antiqu. l. 6. c. 11. sect. 4.) ; and it is observedF8Vid. Hudson.
not. in ib. , that the liver of a goat will move a long time after it is taken
out, and so make a show of the palpitation of the heart: but then this was put,
not within the bed, but at the head of the image:
and covered it with a cloth; to keep her sick husband
warm, as she would have it understood.
1 Samuel 19:14 14 So when Saul sent
messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”
YLT
14And Saul sendeth messengers
to take David, and she saith, `He [is] sick.'
And when Saul sent messengers to take David,.... Either
the same who in the morning inquired for David, or those staying longer than
Saul expected, and fearing they were negligent or corrupted, he sent others: to
whom
she said, he is sick; and in bed, and cannot
be spoke with; this lie she told through her affection to David, and to
preserve his life; and this stratagem she devised to gain time, that while she
was amusing the messengers with this tale of hers, before they could discover
the truth of the matter David would be out of their reach; whereas, had she
denied his being at home, or signified that he had made his escape, they would
have immediately pursued after him, and he would have been in danger of being
taken by them.
1 Samuel 19:15 15 Then Saul sent the
messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed,
that I may kill him.”
YLT
15And Saul sendeth the
messengers to see David, saying, `Bring him up in the bed unto me,' -- to put
him to death.
And Saul sent the messengers again to see David,.... Not to
visit him, or to see how he was, or inquire of his health, in a kind manner,
but to see his person, whether he was sick or not, and whether he was there or
not; for Saul might suspect some deceit was used, because the messengers took
the report of Michal, and saw not David, nor attempted to see him; but now they
have strict orders to see him, and not take Michal's word as before, 1 Samuel 19:14;
wherefore the supplement again may be left out:
saying, bring him up to me in the bed; if so bad
that he was not able to rise, or not fit to be taken out of his bed, his orders
were, that he should be brought to him in it; resolved he was to have him, sick
or well:
that I may slay him: not content that he
should die a natural death, or willing to wait for it, he is in haste, being
full of wrath and malice, to slay him himself.
1 Samuel 19:16 16 And when the messengers
had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair
for his head.
YLT
16And the messengers come in,
and lo, the teraphim [are] on the bed, and the mattress of goats' [hair], [for]
his pillows.
And when the messengers were come in,.... To
David's house, and into the room where he was supposed to lie:
behold, there was an image in the bed to their great
surprise; they expected to see David, but instead of him the teraphim, as
in 1 Samuel 19:13; if
they had been in the room before, and thought they had seen David in the bed,
they might be the more surprised to find that it was only an image they saw:
with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster; See Gill on 1 Samuel 19:13.
1 Samuel 19:17 17 Then Saul said to Michal,
“Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has
escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I
kill you?’”
YLT
17And Saul saith unto Michal,
`Why thus hast thou deceived me -- that thou dost send away mine enemy, and he
is escaped?' and Michal saith unto Saul, `He said unto me, Send me away: why do
I put thee to death?'
And Saul said unto Michal,.... After the messengers
returned and reported what they had seen, when Saul either came to her at her
house, or sent for her to his palace:
why hast thou deceived me so; for deceiving his
messengers was deceiving him, by pretending David was sick and in bed, when she
had placed an image there, and had let him down through a window, and he was gone:
and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? as if she was
more obliged to gratify the wicked passion of a father, than to provide for the
safety of her husband:
and Michal answered Saul, he said unto me, let me go, why should I
kill thee? though she was concerned for the preservation of her husband,
yet not for his honour and credit, nor for her own veracity; she attempted not
to vindicate her husband from the charge of being an enemy to Saul, as she
might; but suggested that he was so desperate a man, that if she had offered to
have detained him, he would have murdered her, and threatened, if she did, he
would do when both were false; that he should say to her let me go, when it was
she that advised him to go, and that if she refused he would kill her; which
lies were framed by her to excuse herself, at the expense of her husband's
reputation.
1 Samuel 19:18 18 So David fled and escaped,
and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he
and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.
YLT
18And David hath fled, and is
escaped, and cometh in unto Samuel to Ramath, and declareth to him all that
Saul hath done to him, and he goeth, he and Samuel, and they dwell in Naioth.
So David fled and escaped,.... Fled from his own
house, and escaped falling into the hands of the messengers of Saul, and so of
Saul himself:
and came to Samuel to Ramah; the place where Samuel
dwelt: to him David chose to come, by whom he had been anointed king, that his
faith might be strengthened by him with respect to the kingdom, which might be
weakened by what had happened to him; and that he might have some advice and
direction from him what he should do, and what course he should take in his
present circumstances, and that he might receive some comfort from him under
his present troubles:
and told him all that Saul had done to him; how he had
spoken to his servants to kill him, had cast a javelin at him himself, and had
sent messengers to his house to slay him:
and he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth; which was in
or near to Ramah, as appears by 1 Samuel 19:19;
which perhaps was a more retired place, and so chosen for the sake of
conversation between them, or reckoned a more safe place. Here being a school
or college of the prophets, might be a kind of an asylum, and where it might be
thought Saul would not attempt to lay hands on David, should he know where he
was; for if the Philistines gave no disturbance to the hill of God, and the
prophets in it, 1 Samuel 10:5; it
might be reasonably concluded Saul would not; so the Targum paraphrases it,
"he and Samuel went and dwelt in the house of doctrine", or in the
school, the school of the prophets. R. Abimi the Nothite, or Naiothite,
mentioned in the TalmudF9T. Bab. Sabbat, c. 1. fol. 17. 2. Avodah
Zarah, c. 2. fol. 36. 1. , is supposedF11Aruch in voce נוות, fol. 98. 4. Juchasin, fol. 74. 2. to be of this
place; it is saidF12Adrichom, Theatrum T. S. fol. 28. 2. to be six
miles from Jerusalem to the north.
1 Samuel 19:19 19 Now it was told Saul,
saying, “Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!”
YLT
19And it is declared to Saul,
saying, `Lo, David [is] in Naioth in Ramah.'
And it was told Saul,.... By some officious
persons who saw David at Ramah, and observed that he and Samuel went together
to Naioth:
saying, behold, David is at Naioth, in Ramah; or near it; according
to R. Isaiah, Ramah was the name of a hill, or mountain, so called from its
height, and Naioth the name of a place on it; it signifies pastures and
pleasant places, as meadows and pastures are; and here in the fields near Ramah
was the house of doctrine, as the Targum calls it, or the school of the
prophets, being pleasant and retired, and fit for study.
1 Samuel 19:20 20 Then Saul sent messengers
to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel
standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers
of Saul, and they also prophesied.
YLT
20And Saul sendeth messengers
to take David, and they see the assembly of the prophets prophesying, and
Samuel standing, set over them, and the Spirit of God is on Saul's messengers,
and they prophesy -- they also.
And Saul sent messengers to take David,....
Notwithstanding the sacred place he was in, so bent was he upon his
destruction:
and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying; or praising,
as the Targum; singing hymns and songs of praise to God, under the inspiration
and influence of the Spirit of God, who endited these songs for them, and
excited them to sing them; these prophets belonged to the school or college of
prophets at Naioth, whom the messengers saw when they came thither, and found
them thus employed; or "when he saw"F13וירא
"et vidit", Montanus, Vatablus, Tigurine version; "et vidit
quisque vel unusquisque illorum", Junius & Tremellius,
Piscator. , for the word is singular, that is, the chief of the messengers, or
everyone of them, so Kimchi:
and Samuel standing as appointed over them; he was
president of the college, and he stood to instruct and teach them in the
knowledge of divine things: so the Targum,"standing, teaching over them or
by them,'and to direct and assist them in singing their songs of praise:
the Spirit of the Lord was upon the messengers of Saul, and they
also prophesied: or praised, as the Targum; sung hymns and songs of praise as the
prophets did, and were so taken up with these religious exercises, that they
forgot, or were inattentive to the business they were sent to do. Ben Gersom
thinks they foretold things to come, and so Abarbinel; and particularly that
they prophesied that David should rule over all Israel, and that God would not
suffer Saul to slay him; and so were indifferent to, and negligent of doing the
errand they were sent on, yea, purposely avoided it.
1 Samuel 19:21 21 And when Saul was told, he
sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers
again the third time, and they prophesied also.
YLT
21And they declare [it] to
Saul, and he sendeth other messengers, and they prophesy -- they also; and Saul
addeth and sendeth messengers a third time, and they prophesy -- they also.
And when it was told Saul,.... That the messengers
he had sent, instead of seizing on David, were prophesying of him, or however
were attending to services of a different nature than what they were sent upon:
he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise; when they
came to the same place:
and Saul sent messengers again a third time, and they prophesied
also; joined the rest in singing praises, or foretelling future
events.
1 Samuel 19:22 22 Then he also went to
Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and
said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Indeed they
are at Naioth in Ramah.”
YLT
22And he goeth -- he also --
to Ramath, and cometh in unto the great well which [is] in Sechu, and asketh,
and saith, `Where [are] Samuel and David?' and [one] saith, `Lo, in Naioth in
Ramah.'
Then went he also to Ramah,.... That is, Saul; his
messengers not returning to him, when he sent one after another to take David,
at length he set out himself from Gibeah to Ramah:
and came to a great well that is in Sechu; which was
either the name of a man, the owner of the well, or a place near to which the
well was, and is commonly thought to be the same with Shochoh, 1 Samuel 17:1; at
such places there was generally a concourse of people at certain times, to
fetch water for the inhabitants of the place, and for the watering of flocks
and herds, and so a proper place to stop at, and ask the following questions:
and he asked and said, where are Samuel and David? for his
messengers not returning to him, he could not be sure where they now were,
though he had heard they were at Naioth:
and one said, behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah; at the house
of doctrine, or school in Ramah, as the Targum; thus one at the well replied,
in answer to his question, who had seen them go there, or knew they were there.
1 Samuel 19:23 23 So he went there to Naioth
in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and
prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
YLT
23And he goeth thither --
unto Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God is upon him -- him also; and he
goeth, going on, and he prophesyeth till his coming in to Naioth in Ramah,
And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah,.... He went
on from the well towards the place:
and the Spirit of God was upon him also; as well as
upon his messengers; even the spirit of prophecy, as the Targum:
and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah: in this he
differed from his messengers; they did not prophesy till they came to that
place, but Saul began to prophesy before he came thither, as he was in his way
from the well to it.
1 Samuel 19:24 24 And he also stripped off
his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all
that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the
prophets?”[a]
YLT
24and he strippeth off -- he
also -- his garments, and prophesieth -- he also -- before Samuel, and falleth
down naked all that day and all the night; therefore they say, `Is Saul also
among the prophets?'
And he stripped off his clothes also,.... Not all
his clothes, but his upper garments, as men in such circumstances used to do,
as the prophets sometimes did, and as it seems his messengers had done;
according to Jarchi, R. Isaiah, and othersF14Vid. Hieron. Trad. Heb.
in lib. Reg. fol. 76. G. , he stripped himself of his royal robes, and put on
the habit of the scholars, the disciples, and sons of the prophets:
and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, as the
messengers had done, singing such like songs, or foretelling such like things
as they did; he and they speaking not of themselves, but as they were moved by
the Holy Spirit of prophecy; for such gifts have sometimes been bestowed on men
that were destitute of the grace of God, as Balaam, Caiaphas, and others:
and lay down: or "fell down"F15ויפל "et cecidit", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus,
"et corruit", Vatablus. , as persons in an ecstasy or trance: and lay
naked all that day, and all that night; not entirely
naked, both without his upper garment or royal robes, or else his armour; so an
unarmed man is said to be naked, though otherwise he has his clothes on: thus
Gelon having conquered the Carthaginians, and made himself master of all
Sicily, went into the forum "naked" (i.e. unarmed), and declared he
would restore the government to the citizens, wherefore a naked statue for him
was erected in the temple of JunoF16Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 6. c. 11.
; so Quinctius Cincinnatus was found ploughing nakedF17Aurel.
Victor. de Vir. Illustr. c. 20. , who cannot be supposed to be without any
clothes on him. Jarchi, from Menachem, reports, that he had heard from an
Arabian, that the word the Targum makes use of for "naked",
signifies, in the Arabic language, one that is furious or mad, as persons in an
ecstasy, or under a prophetic spirit, sometimes seemed to be; now Saul was kept
and held in such circumstances a whole day and night, that David might have an
opportunity of making his escape, and getting at such a distance from him that
he could not overtake him:
wherefore they say, is Saul also among the prophets? this became a
common saying, a proverbial expression, at least was now revived and observed
with admiration; that Saul, who had behaved himself in so ill a manner, as an
enemy to so good a man, should be found among the prophets of the Lord, and
prophesying as they did.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)