1 Sam. 19 Saul purposeth to kill David; Jonathan discloseth it; speaketh in his behalf to Saul, who sweareth not to kill him; he returneth to court, 1 Sam. 19:1–7.

Saul spake to Jonathan; whom, though lately engaged in a league of friendship with David, he thought to oblige to it by sense of his own interest, as being the next heir of the crown, and likely to suffer most by David’s advancement.

Lest he kill thee before I discourse with him, and endeavour to reconcile him to thee; which I think not fit to attempt as yet, whilst he is in the fit of rage against thee; but I intend to do in the morning, when I may hope to find him in a better temper.

In the field where thou art; in the field where my father useth to walk, where also I would have thee to hide thyself, that I may know where to find thee at hand, to acquaint thee with the success of my endeavours, that thou mayst accordingly either return to court, or speedily depart.

Jonathan spake good of David, which he could not do without hazard to himself. Herein therefore he performed the duty of a true friend, and of a valiant man.

He did put his life in his hand, i.e. he exposed his life to eminent hazard. See Poole “Judg. 12:3”.

This great change is not to be ascribed to any true repentance for his sin against David, or any better affection which he now had to him; but merely to his own worldly interest, because he was convinced by Jonathan’s discourse that he could not kill him without great inconvenience and shame to…

David’s successes against the Philistines, which should have cheered his heart, made him sad, and the devil watched the opportunity to improve his melancholy, as before he bad done.

To slay him in the morning: why not in the night? Answ. Partly, because it would have been barbarous, and most dishonourable to Saul, to break into David’s house by night, and kill him in his own house and bed; and it seemed more expedient to kill him as he came out of his house in the morning;…

Michal let David down through a window; because they lay in wait for him at the doors of the house, whensoever he should come forth there.

An image, Heb. teraphim, which was an image made in human shape; which she might keep secretly, either out of a superstitious regard to it, or out of mere curiosity.

Messengers, to wit, other messengers in the morning, supposing the former to be either slow or perfidious.

Again to see David, or only, to see David, which they did not before, but went away satisfied (as it was fit they should) with her report and testimony of his sickness.

If thou dost not permit me to escape without discovery, I shall be forced for my own defence to kill thee. Though it is most likely this was a lie and a fiction of her own.

Came to Samuel to Ramah; partly for comfort and direction in his great distress; and partly for safety, supposing that Saul would be ashamed to execute his bloody designs in the presence of so venerable a person as Samuel, who had laid so great obligations upon Saul, and had such great and just…

Or, near Ramah; the Hebrew preposition beth, in, being oft put for near, as it is apparently used, Num. 33:37–38, Josh. 5:13, Jer. 20:2, Jer. 32:7. Naioth was either a house or college in the town of Ramah, or a village in the territory of Ramah, or near to the town of Ramah; in which there was a…

Saul sent messengers to take David: thus Saul’s wickedness and fury increased; and he that at first used only secret practices against David, now breaks forth into open and impudent hostilities; plainly declaring that he neither feared God nor reverenced man.

Where are Samuel and David? for, his messengers not returning, he knew not exactly where they were.

The Spirit of God was upon him also; it came upon him in the way; whereas it came not upon his messengers till they came to the place; whereby God would convince Saul of the vanity of all his designs against David, and that in them he fought against God himself.

His clothes, to wit, his military or royal garments; which he did, either that he might suit himself and his habit to the rest of the company; or because his mind being altogether taken up with Divine things, he did not understand or heed what he did.