1 Samuel 19:1

DAVID BEGINS LIFE AS A FUGITIVE AND AN OUTLAW

This chapter reports repeated attempts by Saul to murder David, resulting finally in David's permanent exile from Saul's court and his being continually hunted by Saul who forced upon him the status of an outlaw.

The remark of H. P. Smith that this chapter has, "Four sections which cannot be reconciled with each other,"[1] exemplifies the confusion and frustration which inevitably come from the false theories of "multiple sources." The chapter actually presents no difficulties whatever.

SAUL DECIDES TO KILL DAVID; JONATHAN INTERVENES

"And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David. And Jonathan told David, "Saul my father seeks to kill you; therefore take heed to yourself in the morning, stay in a secret place, and hide yourself,' And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you; and if I learn anything I will tell you." And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, "Let not the king sin against his servant David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have been of good service to you; for he took his life in his hand and he slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced; why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without a cause"? And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan; Saul swore, "As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death." And Jonathan called David and showed him all these things, and he was in his presence as before."

"And Saul spoke to Jonathan ... and all his servants that they should kill David" (1 Samuel 19:1). The despotic wickedness of Saul reaches a climax here. All of his schemes to have David killed by the Philistines having failed, "He here proclaims him an outlaw, and charges all about him upon their allegiance to kill him."[2]

We are not given any of the reasons which Saul might have alleged as the basis of this shameful edict against his own son-in-law; but, "He probably accused David of being a traitor and of planning to usurp the throne."[3] Whatever reasons he might have claimed as the basis of his shameful declaration, Jonathan intervened, refuted the last one of all such evil allegations, insisted upon David's innocence, and in return received from Saul a solemn oath in the name of the Lord that David would not be put to death. Before leaving this, we must include the comment of Matthew Henry, who said, "The ease with which Saul had violated other oaths makes the sincerity of this one justly questionable."[4]