1 Samuel 19:1–24 Saul Tried to Kill David

[Study Aired May 25, 2026]

In today’s study, we shall look at four attempts from Saul to assassinate David. However, in all these attempts, He was delivered from them, through the intervention by Jonathan’s mediation, Michal, his wife, and Samuel’s protection, and by his own agility. 

The fact that there were four attempts on David’s life in this chapter, shows us the whole of the devil’s scheme to destroy us in our walk with the Lord. However, as the word of the Lord reminds us, no weapon formed or fashioned against us shall prosper.

Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. 

Jonathan’s Intervention in Saving David’s Life 

1Sa 19:1  And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. 

Saul, in this context, represents the leaders of the church system of this world or Babylon. Jonathan, on the other hand, signifies our time as the Lord’s elect  in Babylon and Saul’s servants symbolize our brothers and sisters in Babylon. David on the other hand, stands for the Lord’s elect who have just left Babylon. With this in mind, it becomes easier to understand the spiritual significance of verse 1. What we are being told is that the message of the leaders of the church system of this world kills as we see Saul telling his son Jonathan and servants to kill David. In other words, their message is what puts us to dead, spiritually.  

As we are aware, the church system of this world focuses on the physical interpretation of the word of the Lord or the letter, which kills. This ministration of death is what the law of Moses represents. 

2Co 3:6  who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 
2Co 3:7  Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 
2Co 3:8  will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 

Apart from the fact that the letter kills, the false doctrines propagated by these leaders of the church system of this world also kills. That is to say that the false doctrines from Babylon end up killing the hearers spiritually. 

2Pe 2:1  But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 
2Pe 2:2  And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 

1Sa 19:2  But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: 
1Sa 19:3  And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee. 

Jonathan delighted much in David is Jonathan loving David. It demonstrates the love that binds us together as the Lord’s elect. This is the love that Jesus prayed that we should have for one another as it shows that we are really His disciples. 

Joh 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 
Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.   

Jonathan telling David that Saul was seeking to kill him refers to when we come to realize in Babylon that the church system will only put us to death spiritually. That is what expedites our exit from Babylon. In other words, knowing that our continued fellowship with our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world represented by Saul will cause us to be spiritually dead, demands that we leave Babylon.    

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 
Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 

Jonathan pleading with David to abide in a secret place and hide himself is the need to abide under the shadow of the Almighty, where we are hidden in Christ, such that we are delivered from the devil’s traps (the snare of the fowler) and from deadly plagues (noisome pestilence) of false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition, spewed from the pulpits of Babylon. 

Psa 91:1  He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 
Psa 91:2  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 
Psa 91:3  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 
Psa 91:4  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Psa 91:5  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;  

The question is, “How do we abide in the secret place of the most high under the shadow of the Almighty?”  Here in Psalm 91, we are given three clues as to what it means to abide in the secret place of the most high. In verse 4 of Psalm 91, we are told that truth shall be our shield and buckler. This implies that a key to abiding in the secret place of the most high is being given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. The second clue from Psalm 91 is as follows:

Psa 91:9  Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;  

Making the Most high our habitation involves the Lord coming to us with the spirit of His mouth to destroy our old man or the man of sin who sits in our temple, claiming himself to be God. The destruction of the man of sin is the judgment or the suffering marked out for us, which makes us abide in the secret place of the Lord.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

The third sign that we are abiding under the shadow of the Almighty is as follows:

Psa 91:14  Because he (the elect) hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 

Our love towards the Lord is demonstrated by our obedience. Through our obedience, we are being protected under the secret place of the Most High – our hiding place.

In verse 3 of the study, Jonathan wanted to talk with his father Saul in the field to reconcile him with David. As indicated, Jonathan represents our walk as the Lord’s elect in Babylon. At that time of our walk, we did not have a clue that what was happening to us (David) is of the Lord, as He wants us to leave Babylon. We thought that the church system of which we belonged to, would come to understand our views of the scriptures. We therefore did not have a clue that the solution was to leave Babylon.  

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

1Sa 19:4  And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good: 
1Sa 19:5  For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? 
1Sa 19:6  And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain. 
1Sa 19:7  And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past. 

As we can see from these verses, Jonathan was able to reconcile his father with David. This is to show us that our exit from Babylon is a process. We may be physically detached from the churches of this world, but yet retain its false doctrines which bind us to Babylon. At that time, both Jonathan and David did not know that Saul’s enmity against David was all of the Lord and that He was seeking for an occasion to judge David. 

Jdg 14:1  And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 
Jdg 14:2  And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 
Jdg 14:3  Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 
Jdg 14:4  But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.  

1Sa 19:8  And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him. 

As long as we are living, we have to contend with our flesh regularly. Here in verse 8, we see David battling the Philistines and through the mercy of the Lord, he came out victorious. The Philistines fleeing from David is to let us know that there are times of relief in our lives, where our flesh is under control. There are other times, too, that we have to rise up and fight our flesh which is influenced by the devil, with the full confidence that we shall be victorious in the final analysis, as we see David’s victory over the Philistines.

Ecc 3:8  A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. 

1Sa 19:9  And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand. 
1Sa 19:10  And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 

When a brother or sister becomes disobedient to the Lord and falls away, such a person is possessed by an evil spirit from the Lord, which troubles him or her. Just as the words of the Lord are spirit, false doctrines are also spirit from the devil. Therefore, Saul being troubled by an evil spirit from the Lord, means that those who fall away are troubled by the false doctrines in their hearts and minds. 

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 
1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 

As we are aware, a spear or a sword in the positive sense represents the word of the Lord. However, the javelin or spear in the hand of Saul signifies false doctrines which comes out of the smoke from his bottomless pit or his heart and mind, which darkens the sun and the air. That is to say that the javelin thrown at David in verse 10 signifies the false doctrines which darkens our understanding of the word of truth and makes us spiritually dead. 

David fleeing from Saul’s presence signifies our exit from Babylon. As we can see, David’s continued stay with Saul would have resulted in his death through the spear of Saul. It signifies that our continued stay in Babylon or the church system of this world would have resulted in our spiritual death through false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition. 

Michal’s Intervention in Saving David’s Life

1Sa 19:11  Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, tomorrow thou shalt be slain. 
1Sa 19:12  So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 

After escaping from Saul’s house, David went to Michal, his wife. Michal, in this case, represents the church system of this world or Babylon because of her affiliation to her father Saul. Usually, when we leave one Babylonian church, we end up with another Babylonian church thinking that would be better. However, the churches of this world or Babylon are the same in terms of their harlotry inclination and therefore are not faithful to Christ. 

Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.    

Michal telling David to escape with his life that night or risk being killed means that during our walk in the churches of this world, the Lord sometimes spoke to us through the churches to prepare our exit from it. As we are aware, the Lord even spoke through a donkey (a beast) to stop Balaam from his trip. 

Num 22:27  And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. 
Num 22:28  And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?   

Michal helping David to escape by letting David down through a window implies that our escape from Babylon is a life or death matter and not through a conventional farewell through the door. We escape like a bird out of the snare of the fowler. It is also important to note that Michal helping David to escape also means that we are pushed out of the church system or Babylon by the church.  

Psa 124:7  Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. 
Psa 124:8  Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.  

1Sa 19:13  And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. 
1Sa 19:14  And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 
1Sa 19:15  And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him. 
1Sa 19:16  And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster. 
1Sa 19:17  And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?

As indicated, Michal represents the church system of this world which is in bondage with her children through deception. We can see here in these verses that Michal was involved in deception as a way to preserve the life of David. This is to show us that the Lord uses both good and evil to achieve His purpose in our lives. 

Psa 139:12  Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. 

A typical example of how the Lord uses both good and evil to achieve His purposes is the story of how king Ahab was drawn to battle to die by a lying spirit proclaiming that Ahab would win the war. 

1Ki 22:20  And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
1Ki 22:21  And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 
1Ki 22:22  And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. 
1Ki 22:23  Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee. 

Saul Pursuing David to Ramah

1Sa 19:18  So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth. 
1Sa 19:19  And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. 

David fleeing and coming to Samuel at Ramah signifies our escape from the churches of this world, as we come to the church of the New Jerusalem or the Lord’s elect. The name Ramah means ‘height’ and Naioth denotes ‘dwelling’. David coming to Naioth in Ramah symbolizes the beginning of our spiritual elevation or height as we dwell with our brothers and sisters in the Lord in unity. When we come to the assembly of the firstborn or the Lord’s elect, we are helped by what every joint supplies, to escape from the flood of false doctrines spewed by the devil through the false teachers and apostles parading in the corridors of the church system of this world.  

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 
Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 

1Sa 19:19  And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. 
1Sa 19:20  And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
1Sa 19:21  And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 

These messengers sent by Saul represents false brethren who are secretly brought in to spy out our liberty in Christ with the purpose of bringing us into bondage, that is, kill us spiritually. 

Gal 2:4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 
Gal 2:5  To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 

The fact that these false messengers were sent three times by Saul to take David indicates the process of spiritual maturity that we must all go through as the Lord’s elect, resulting in our spiritual maturity, when we come to the church of the first born or the New Jerusalem. 

As we can see, these false messengers prophesied under the unction of the Holy Spirit when they came into the body, although their orientation was not to seek after the prize of the higher calling of God. We have seen how some have come into our fellowship being gifted with prophesying, but yet were easily offended, when they were challenged of their heretical teachings. Saul sending these messengers three times, means that their coming and going out of the body is all part of the process of our spiritual maturity through suffering (the significance of the number three).

Gal 1:6  I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 
Gal 1:7  not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 
Gal 1:8  But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 

1Sa 19:22  Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah. 
1Sa 19:23  And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 
1Sa 19:24  And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets? 

Saul ending up in Naioth in Ramah in pursuit of David and the messengers he sent earlier to take down David are all the same in spiritual significance – the coming of false brethren into our midst to spy on our liberty to Christ with the purpose of bringing us into bondage, that is, killing us spiritually. However, in the case of Saul, we are given further information that he stripped off his clothes and prophesied as he lay naked throughout the day and night. 

Saul stripping off his clothes and lying naked signifies that as the body of Christ, we shall come to know the sinful motives of these false brethren who come in our midst, just as all things are naked and opened to the eyes of the Lord.   

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 

May we continue in Him having the full assurance that He who has started this good work in us shall see to its completion. Amen!