Saul Tries to Kill David

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

In chapter 19, we see King Saul working out his previous decision, that Saul would be “David’s enemy continually” (18:29b). Let’s see how that works out for the King.

1 Samuel 19:11-17

11 Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.”
12 So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped.
13 Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head and covered it with the clothes.
14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”
15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.”
16 And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head.
17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’”

The last passage Saul’s son Jonathon stuck his neck out for David. Now his daughter is lying to her father for David’s sake. Or was she?

As we read this passage and compare Jonathon’s statements with Michal’s statements, it seems she didn’t have the spiritual legs that Jonathon stood on. Notice that when Saul finally confronts her, she claims David threatened to kill her, and that she reluctantly let him go.

Give me a break! She want ed him to run, stating that he would be dean if he stuck around till morning. And after three trips of Saul’s messengers to David’s house, Michal had to face the king.

Sure father – I am still on your side. He threatened me, how could I keep him for you.

Remember back in verse 4, where Jonathon spoke well of David, spoke of David’s service for the king, and calling David “innocent blood”. This trait of loyalty and truth speaking didn’t seem to carry through the entire family. Michal seemed to be one who was concerned of her own skin, and if a little lie here and there would help, she was good for it!

One item that seemed insignificant on my first reading, but actually may bear on the passage more than I first considered, is the reference to Michal using a tᵊrāp̄îm, the Hebrew term for idol. Specifically, it seems this idol was used as a household shrine.

What was that doing in David’s house? How large was this idol? Michal used the idol to mimic the size of an adult!

So Michal had placed this idol in a bed, in an effort to deceive her father’s messengers, and then when she was found out, blamed David and his threatening ways.

Something just doesn’t ring true with this lady! Whose side is she on? I suppose the idol deception may have been an effort to give David time to run, but when her father finally shows up, she throws David under the bus, claiming she tried to keep him for Saul, (so why the delay and deception with the idol) and then saying he threatened her with death, but never alerted her father the king, with this threat against her life.

Like I said – Michal seems to have some commitment to David, but it surely is not a deep and strong, self sacrificing love for him. If I were to guess, Michal is a woman of the situation. A woman who will tailor her story to suit the situation, to save her skin.

Although she noticed the messengers on the first night as they watched David’s house, she did alert David to the danger, Michal didn’t follow through as I imagine Jonathon might, defending his friend.

Somewhat of a compromised character in my mind. Might this character weakness reflect her commitment to the God of Israel? Was it not Paul who spoke the truth, that who we worship is who we are transformed into?

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.

Let us worship the true God and not another!

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