6: And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing (a great celebration. Twice referred to later [21:11; 29:5]. Cp. subscription of Ps. 52, which is mahãlath = "the great dancing"
A 1-5. David's apostrophe to Goliath and Doeg.
B 6,7. The righteous onlookers.
A 8,9. David's praise to God.
), to meet king Saul, with drums (of various sizes), with joy, and with instruments of musick.
7: And the women answered one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
8: And Saul was very wroth (Saul became jealous. Satan's tool), and this saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?”
9: And Saul eyed (the evil eye) David from that day and forward.
10: And it came to pass on the next day, that the evil spirit from God (Elohim) came upon Saul (see 16:16. God didn't create it, He allowed it), and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.
11: And Saul cast the javelin (another attempt of Satan to thwart Yehovah's purpose in Gen.3:15, and prevent the "seed o the woman" from comming into the world. See also Structure of "V" [19:9–20:1-.]); for he said, “I will smite David even to the wall with it.” And David avoided out of his presence twice.
W E 18:12-16. Saul's fear of David. F 18:17-27. Machinations against David. E 18:28-30. Saul's fear of David. F 19:1-7. Aggressions against David.
E i¹ 12-15. Saul's fear. i² 16. The People's love.
i¹ j 12-. Fear. k -12. Reason. l 13. Promotion. l 14. Propriety. k 15-. Reason. j -15. Fear.
12: And Saul was apprehensive of David,
because the Lord (Yehovah) was with him, and was departed from Saul. (Ch. 16:14-23 comes in here, chronologically. It is placed after 16:1-13 by Fig. Hysterologia, in order to lay bare to us the secret workings underneath the history. See notes on 16:14; 17:1)
13: Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand (In actuality this was a demotion, not a promotion. David did not complain); and he went out and came in before the People.
14: And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord (Yehovah) was with him. (this is an unbeatable combination!)
15: Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely,
he was afraid of him.
16: But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
972 B.C.
17: And Saul said to David, “Behold my elder daughter Merab (= increase), her will I give you to wife: only be you valiant for me, and fight the Lord's (Yehovah's) battles.” For Saul said, “Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.” (he's going to send him out to battle. Cp. David and Uriah. 2 Sam.11:15)
18: And David said to Saul, “Who am I? and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?”
19: But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she had already been given (this is the key to 20:30) to Adriel the Meholathite to wife (nothing known of him).
20: And Michal (= who is like God) Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21: And Saul said, “I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Wherefore Saul said to David, “You shall this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.” (he's going to require one of two things)
22: And Saul commanded his servants, saying, “Commune with David secretly, and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you (this is a lie), and all his servants love you: now therefore be the king's son in law.’ ”
23: And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Seem it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?” (David is rich, but doesn't realize it [spiritually] & of seed line)
24: And the servants of Saul told him, saying, “On this manner spoke David.”
25: And Saul said, “Thus shall you all say to David, ‘The king desires not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies.’ ” But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. (this is a conspiracy)
26: And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired (the days he would accomplish this had not even started yet).
27: Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they (i.e. Saul's servants. Sept. ad Vulg. read "he") gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
28: And Saul saw and knew that the Lord
(Yehovah) was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him (Sept. reads "all Israel", accounting for his greater fear [v.29]. Love is the strongest force in the world).
29: And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually. (Beware & cautious. Satan's main method of operation is to compliment, and then the trap is set!)
30: Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, whenever (or, as often as) they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by. (He had to be on gaurd or he would have been dead)
F n¹ 1. Saul and David. Resolve to kill Daviid. o¹ 2,3. David and Jonathan. n² 4-6. Saul and Jonathan. o² 7-. David and Jonathan. n³ -7. Saul and David. Reconcilliation.
19)
1: And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
2: But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, “Saul my father seeks to kill you: now therefore, I pray you, take heed to yourself in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide yourself:
3: And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will commune with my father of you; and I shall see what he replies and shall tell you.”
4: And Jonathan spoke good 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 toward you very good:
5: For he did put his life (= soul) in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord (Yehovah) wrought a great salvation for all Israel: you saw it, and did rejoice: why then will you sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?”
6: And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, “As the Lord (Yehovah) lives, he shall not be slain.” (Just a little tip here: Never trust a person who is possessed [like Saul was])
7: And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.
972 to 970 B.C.
8: And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him.
V G¹ p¹ 9,10-. Saul's first attempt. {Personal (I).
q¹ -10-. Failure. {Thwarted by
r¹ -10. David's escape { David.
H¹ s¹ 11-. Saul's 2nd attempt. {Messengers:
t¹ -11-13. Failure. Michal's {3 attempts
rescue. {thwarted by
s² 14-. Saul's 3rd attempt. { human
t² -14. Failure. Michal's { agency.
ruse. "
s³ 15. Saul's 4th attempt. "
t³ 16. Failure. Michal's "
deception. "
G² p² 17-. Saul's 5th attempt. {Personal (II).
q² -17. Failure. {Thwarted by
r² 18. David's escape. { David.
H² s4 19,20-. Saul's 6th attempt {Messengers:
t4 -20. Failure. Spirit {3 attempts
of God. {thwarted by
s5 21-. Saul's 7th attempt. { Divine
t5 -21-. Failure. Spirit { agency
of God. "
s6 -21-. Saul's 8th attempt. "
t6 -21. Failure. Spirit "
of God. "
G³ p³ 22,23-. Saul's 9th attempt. {Personal (III).
q³ -23,24. Failure. {Thwarted by
r³ 20:1-. David's escape. { God.
9: And the evil spirit from the Lord (Yehovah) was upon Saul (good and evil CANNOT walk hand in hand. It's an impossibility. It's like putting oil and water together, they will not mix), as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.
10: And Saul sought to smite David (note the 9 attempts on David's life; 3 personally by Saul, and 6 by his messengers [9 being the number of judgment]. See 18:11 and Gen.6:2,4) even pin him to the wall with the javelin;
but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall:
and David fled, and escaped that night. (When promises are made when Satan is involved, be careful, you might be pinned to the wall!)
11: Saul also sent messengers (i.e. spies) to David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning:
and Michal David's wife told him (love creates loyalty), saying, “If you save not your soul tonight (i.e. deliver not yourself), tomorrow you shall be slain.”
12: So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
13: And Michal took a teraphim (= an idol, man-shaped), and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.
14: And when Saul sent messengers to take David,
she said, “He is sick.” (try to be more subtil than the Devil)
15: And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
16: And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was a teraphim in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.
17: And Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped?” (she's in danger)
And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go; why should I kill you?’ ” (she lied to save David and herself)
18: So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth (College where prophets dwelt).
19: And it was told Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”
20: And Saul sent messengers to take David:
and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying (Cp. 10:5. 2 Kings 2:3-5; 5:22. College for instruction of prophets, priests having failed in their duty as teachers. Deut.17:11; 33:10), and Samuel standing as appointed over them (Samuel the head here. Elisha in 2 Kings 2:15), the Spirit of God (Elohim) was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. (this shows how God can protect His own)
21: And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers,
and they prophesied likewise.
And Saul sent messengers again the third time,
and they prophesied also. (When the Spirit of God causes something it is sure)
22: Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And they said, “Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.”
23: And he went from that place to Naioth in Ramah:
and the Spirit of God (Elohim) was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. (God took him [Saul] back over)
24: And he stripped off his clothes also (i.e. his robes, or armour, or both), and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked (i.e. stripped of outer garments) all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
20)
1: And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, (Thus protecting the seed line of David, with God's intervension, thru which Christ comes [another part of the Key of David].)
W I 20:-1-42. Visit of David to Jonathan. Covenant. J 21:1–23:15. Saul's persuit of David. I 23:16-18. Visit of Jonathan to David. Covenant. J 23:19–27:4. Saul's pursuit of David.
I K¹ -1-4. David's peril. K² 5-42. David's expedients.
K¹ y -1. David's complaint. z 2. Jonathan's reasurance. y 3. David's plea. z 4. Jonathan's promise.
and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? what is my iniquity? and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” (= my soul. Heb. nephesh. "Me" emphatic)
2: And he said to him, “God forbid; you shall not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will show it to me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.”
3: And David sware moreover, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found grace in your eyes; and he says, ‘Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved:’ but truly as the Lord (Yehovah) lives, and as you live, there is but a stride between me and death.”
4: Then said Jonathan to David, “Whatsoever you desire, I will even do it for you.”
K² L¹ a¹ 5-9. Expedient. David's. b¹ 10. Signal desired. c¹ 11-17. Covenant made. L² a² 18,19. Expedient. Jonathan's. b² 20-22. Signal arranged. c² 23. Covenant asserted. L³ a³ 24-34. Expedient carried out. b³ 35-41. Signal given. c³ 42. Covenant reasserted.
5: And David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at evening.
6: If your father at all miss me, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice (= Passover) there for all the family.’
7: If he say thus, ‘It is well;’ your servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
8: Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yehovah with you: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?” (they were blood-brothers so to speak. This shows David's honesty)
9: And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon you, then would not I tell it you?”
10: Then said David to Jonathan, “Who shall tell me? or what if your father answer you roughly?”
11: And Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” And they went out both of them into the field. (Q: Why would they go out in the field? A: Walls have ways of having ears!)
12: And Jonathan said to David (learn a lesson: he didn't move without prayer to our Father), “O the Lord God (Yehovah Elohim) of Israel, be witness that I will sound, when I have sounded my father about tomorrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not to you, and show it to you;
13: The Lord (Yehovah) do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do you evil, then I will show it you, and send you away, that you mayest go in peace: and Yehovah be with you, according as He has been with my father. (Jonathan showing excellency of friendship)
14: And you shall not only while yet I live show me the kindness of the Lord (Yehovah), that I die not:
15: But also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the Lord (Yehovah) has cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.”
16: So Jonathan solemnised a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord (Yehovah) even require it at the hand of David's enemies.”
17: And again Jonathan swore to David, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul. (These were TRUE friends)
18: Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the new moon: and you shall be missed, because your seat will be empty.
19: And when you have stayed three days, then you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you did hide yourself when the business was in hand (i.e. the day Jonathan arranged for David to overhear Saul's murderous intension [19:2,3], and when Jonathan devoted himself to the business of David's safety), and shall remain by the stone Ezel (= departure. Sept. reads "the side of this mound").
20: And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
21: And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, ‘Go, find out the arrows.’ If I expressly say to the lad, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, take them;’ then you come: for there is peace to you, and no hurt; as the Lord (Yehovah) lives.
22: But if I say thus to the young man, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you;’ go your way: for Yehovah has sent you away.
23: And as touching the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord (Yehovah) be between you and me for ever.”
24: So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat (put for foods of all kinds).
25: And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.
26: Nevertheless Saul spoke not any thing that day (i.e. "nothing concerning David's absence that day"): for he thought, Something has befallen him, he is not clean (some sort of spiritual defilement); surely he is not clean.
27: And it came to pass on the nexy day, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why does not the son of Jesse come to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?”
28: And Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:”
29: And he said, ‘Let me go, I pray you; for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he has commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brethren.’ Therefore he comes not to the king's table.” (Jonathan gave him permission)
30: Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “A son of the rebellious perversity woman (i.e. a rebel like David. cp. 18:19), do not I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own confusion, and to the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? (This the insult of insults, and a lie!)
31: For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the ground, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.” (= the son of death, i.e. doomed to die).
32: And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why shall he be slain? what has he done?”
33: And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
34: So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
35: And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.
36: And he said to his lad, “Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot.” And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
37: And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?”
38: And Jonathan cried after the lad, “Make speed, haste, stay not.” And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39: But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40: And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad (word extended from Latin ars= art. The oldest art was ploughing, but the chief weapon in the art of war has usurped to itself this word), and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”
41: And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south (Sept. reads "from beside the mound": ie, Ezel, in v.19), and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. (He knew he was losing his best friend. But it was for nothing [Saul's jealousy]. David has lost his friend, Country, King, home, wife. Everything except God!)
42: And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord (Yehovah), saying, ‘The Lord (Yehovah) be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed for ever.’ ” And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.