1 Samuel 19
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
1 Samuel 19
NJB (MT versing) David Protected From Saul Saul Persecutes David Saul Seeks David's Life David Is Persecuted by Saul Jonathan Intercedes for David 19:1-7 19:1-3 19:1-7 19:1-3 19:1-3 19:4-7 19:4-5 19:4-7 19:6-7 Saul's Attempt on David's Life 19:8-10 19:8-17 19:8-10 19:8 19:8-10 David Forced to Flee 19:9-10 David Is Saved by Michal 19:11-17 19:11-17 19:11-17a 19:11-12 19:13-17 Saul's Ecstatic Behavior 19:17b Saul and David At Ramah with Samuel 19:18-24 19:18-24 19:18-24 19:18-24 19:18-21 19:22-24 Etc.
1 Samuel 19:1-7
19:1 Saul's paranoia is increasing. His actions are more and more irrational. ▣ "Jonathan. . .greatly delighted in David" The MT has the VERB (BDB 342, KB 665, Qal PERFECT) means "take delight in" (cf. 1 Sam. 18:22; 19:1; 2 Sam. 20:11). Jonathan's special relationship with David is highlighted in 1 Sam. 18:1-4. The were best friends, not lovers! 19:2 "in the morning" This must have been when Saul held court (i.e., the cool of the day). 19:5 "innocent blood" This is a Hebrew idiom for premeditated murder. Murder (innocent blood, cf. Deut. 19:10; 2 Kgs. 21:16; 24:4; Jer. 22:17) brought "bloodguiltiness" (cf. Num. 35:33; Deut. 21:1-9), which brought YHWH's judgment. SPECIAL TOPIC: MURDER 19:6 "Saul vowed, 'As the Lord lives'" This was a serious promise in YHWH's name. A violation of this would be "to take the Lord's name in vain." SPECIAL TOPIC: TAKING GOD'S NAME IN VAIN SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D 19:7 "as formerly" See 1 Sam. 16:21; 18:2,10. singer (1 Sam. 19:9) armor bearer (1 Sam. 16:21) military leader (1 Sam. 19:8)
1 Samuel 19:8-10
19:9 Saul's mental illness returns. See full note at 1 Sam. 16:14.
1 Samuel 19:11-17
19:12 Thank God for windows, used for escape! Joshua's spies ‒ Josh. 2:15 here Paul in Acts 9:25 19:13 NASB, TEV, JPSOA "the household idol" "an image" NRSV, Peshitta "an idol" "a domestic image" "their household god" "the cenotaph" This MASCULINE PLURAL NOUN (BDB 1076) is difficult to define. There are no cognate roots. Why would David, who loves YHWH, have an idol/image in his home? See Hard Sayings of the Bible, p. 214. SPECIAL TOPIC: Teraphim ▣ NASB, NET (KB) "quilt" "cover" "net" TEV, Peshitta, RSV "pillow" "tress" "rug" "cloth" "liver" This NOUN (BDB 460, KB 458) appears only here. BDB suggests "something netted." 19:17 Michal tells her father that David threatened her.
1 Samuel 19:18-24
19:18 NASB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV, REB, JPSOA "Naioth" NJB, NAB "lived in huts" "Navath" "Jonath" The UBS Handbook, p. 419, mentions that the MT has one form, נוית (Naioth, BDB 627), but the marginal note suggests ניוח (encampment, BDB 627). The Targums translated it as an encampment where the prophets lived (Akkadian root). Early prophets lived in communal groups. NEB has "the monastery in Ramah." 19:20-24 This is a strange account of the power and presence of YHWH effecting the expressed will of humans (i.e., Saul). The early prophetic movement was an ecstatic experience (i.e., v. 24). SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY (OT) 19:20 "the Spirit of God" See full note at 1 Sam. 11:6. SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE 19:22 NASB, NRSV, TEV, REB, JPSOA "Secu" "Sechu" "Seku" "Sephi" "at the end of town" The MT has a place name (BDB 967, KB 1326) of unknown location but in or near Ramah. The LXX thinks it refers to a "threshing floor on a bare hill," but the MT has "a great well." Just as an aside, the Hebrew word for "well" (BDB 92) can also mean (NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 620) custom storage water grain prisoners grave (possibly the tomb of a famous prophet located in the private encampment of the prophetic community)