2. (1 Sam 19:13-17) Michal deceives the men who came to kill David
Michal took the household idol and laid it on the bed, and put a quilt of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with clothes. When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick." Then Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me on his bed, that I may put him to death." When the messengers entered, behold, the household idol was on the bed with the quilt of goats' hair at its head. So Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?" And Michal said to Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go! Why should I put you to death?'''
Household idol: The Hebrew word is teraphim. These were household images of the Israelites, originally brought by some of Abraham's family from the land of the Chaldees. ("When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel stole the household idols that were her father's" Genesis 31:19.) In spite of the strict prohibition of idols, the children of Israel seemed to love to possess these lifeless images. These household images varied in size from the diminutive image which Rachel was able to conceal under the camel saddle ("Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel's saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find them" Genesis 31:34.) to the life-size figure which the Princess Michal was able to use to make her father's guards believe that her sick husband, David, was in bed. They appear to have been looked on as protector deities, the dispensers of domestic and family good fortune. It has been suggested that Michal, like Rachel, kept this teraphim due to her barrenness.
A quilt of goats' hair: The reason for this act was apparently to imitate the effect of a man's hair around the teraphim's head. Its body, we read in the next clause, was covered with clothes. Some scholars believe that the goat hair was used to keep flies off the supposed sleeper. The goats' hair, being a network of fibers, made it easy for a person to breathe through without suffocating.
Covered it with clothes: The Hebrew word here is beged. It was the every day dress David would have worn. It was a loose mantle worn over a tight fitting tunic (meil). In those ancient days, it was used for warmth by night as well as for protection by day. It is interesting to note that David in his old age still covered up for warmth in bed by using his beged. ("Now the king was old, advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes (beged), but he could not keep warm" 1 Kings 1:1.)
She said, "He is sick.": When the messengers arrived at the house, Michal most probably received the messengers in an outer chamber and pointed to the figure in bed, which would have been located in an inner room. Viewing from a distance, the facade would have fooled the messengers, and it gave David more time to escape.
Bring him up to me on his bed, that I may put him to death: This implies that Saul was not deceived by his daughter's words. This also shows the depth of Saul's hatred for David because Saul wanted to kill David himself.
My enemy: These are the saddest words in this passage. Saul, when describing David, calls him "my enemy". David was really Saul's friend, and David did more to help Saul than just about anyone else. David was only the "enemy" of Saul because Saiu wanted to see David in that light.
He said to me, 'Let me go! Why should I put you to death?': This is an untruth, and a lie very injurious to David's reputation. Far was it from him to either intend or threaten to kill anyone, much less his own wife. But Michal feared her father. Her weakness is to be pitied, while at the same time it is to be condemned and shunned. Torah is very explicit that we are to speak the truth without any exception. ("You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another" Leviticus 19:11.)
C. David pursued by Saul, flees to Naioth
1. (1 Sam 19:18) David visits Samuel at Ramah
Now David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed at Naioth.
Went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done: The influence and authority which Samuel still preserved in Israel must have been very great for the frightened David to have sought refuge in the quiet home of the prophet. David felt that in the residence of the prophet, he would be safe from Saul's pursuit. It is no doubt that David had had much communication with Samuel since their first meeting in Bethlehem, in which Samuel anointed David to be king.
Naioth: This is not the name of a place, but rather it signifies "dwellings" or "lodgings". It is translated in the Chaldee as "house of study" (i.e., student lodgings). Somewhere near Ramah, Samuel had erected buildings to educate young men in the field of prophecy. Samuel probably took David here as a place of safe refuge rather than his own personal home. At the college, Samuel would be spiritually strengthened by other prophets.
2. (1 Sam 19:19-21) Saul sends messengers to capture David, but they are touched by the Holy Spirit in the presence of Samuel and other prophets
It was told Saul, saying, "Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah." Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers; and they also prophesied. When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.
It was told Saul: Upon hearing the whereabouts of David, Saul sends messengers to arrest him. It is here we gain a most interesting account of Samuel's schools. Evidently, after Saul had become king, Samuel devoted his energy in creating a school for prophet education. It seems Israel had again deviated from its knowledge and worship of God.
Then Saul sent messengers: Saul's hatred for David had abolished all respect and reverence he had for Samuel (under whose protection David now was), and for the college of the prophets, which was a kind of sanctuary to those that fled to it.
The company of the prophets prophesying: When we read the word "prophesying", it is not as if the prophets were all predicting the future. The Hebrew word simply means the prophets were speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is very likely they all gave spontaneous and inspired praise to God.
With Samuel standing and presiding over them: Samuel was the founder and organizer of this school. He held all authority over the school and prophets.
The Spirit of God came upon the messengers; and they also prophesied: Carried away by the religious excitement, the messengers forgot their errand and joined in the chant of the prophets. This was the usual work of the Holy Spirit--to come upon men who did not seek after God, who did not long to be filled with the Holy Spirit. God did this to protect David, and this was His way of disarming those who came to capture David. This was also the Holy Spirit's warning to these men and to Saul. It is as if the Holy Spirit said, "I do not want David captured. I am sending these men home empty handed. Instead of seeking to kill David, you shall be filled with the Holy Spirit."
3. (1 Sam 19:22-24) Saul pursues David himself, but he also prophesies in the presence of Samuel and the prophets
Then he himself went to Ramah and came as far as the large well that is in Secu; and he asked and said, "Where are Samuel and David?" And someone said, "Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah." And he proceeded there to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah. He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
The Spirit of God came upon him: This was not the first time that Saul experienced a similar influence of the Spirit of God. We are told in 1 Samuel 10:10 that directly after Saul's anointing by Samuel, Saul met a company of prophets who were prophesying at Gibeah, and that "the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them." On that occasion he had been changed into another man. What was the meaning of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the faithless king now? Saul needed to be taught he could not fight against God.
Until he came to Naioth in Ramah: The inspiration of the Holy Spirit reached Saul even before he reached Naioth. Unlike his messengers who were seized by the Spirit when they arrived at Naioth, Saul is overcome while he is still traveling. Saul was to be convinced of the irresistible might of the Holy Spirit against whose influence Saul had striven. Saul was to be taught, if his heart was not already too hard to learn, that in fighting against David he was fighting against God; he was engaging in a futile struggle. For this reason Saul, as the chief agent in David's persecution, was struck down more completely than his servants.
He also stripped off his clothes: The Spirit of God prompted Saul to do this as an expression of deep humility. Saul would not humble himself before God; so God made Saul humble. It is unlikely that Saul stripped himself to be completely naked. The Hebrew word for naked can indicate just stripping down to the undergarments. Saul probably took off his royal robes and laid himself out before the LORD in his plain linen undergarments. It was a way for God to say, "You are not king any more. I have stripped you of your royal glory."
Is Saul also among the prophets: The same saying had taken place before (see 1 Samuel 10:12). This saying had gained popularity among the people. There seemed to be something strange to the people when one so self-willed and disobedient as Saul was receiving the Holy Spirit, a Divine and much coveted gift. This saying expressed astonishment that someone was overcome by a tremendous religious experience.
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