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Translation
Young's Literal Translation
And Saul sendeth messengers to take David, and she saith, `He is sick.'
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Commentary on 1 Samuel 19 verses 11–17
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, to morrow thou shalt be slain.
12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
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.
14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.
15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
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.
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?
Here is, I. Saul's further design of mischief to David. When David had escaped the javelin, supposing he went straight to his own house, as indeed he did, Saul sent some of his guards after him to lay wait at the door of his house, and to assassinate him in the morning as soon as he stirred out, Sa1 19:11. Josephus says the design was to seize him and to hurry him before a court of justice that was ordered to condemn him and put him to death as a traitor; but we are here told it was a shorter way they were to take with him: they were ordered to slay him. Well might David complain that his enemies were bloody men, as he did in the psalm which he penned at this time, and upon this occasion (Ps. 59), when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. See Sa1 19:2, Sa1 19:3, and Sa1 19:7. He complains that swords were in their lips.
II. David's wonderful deliverance out of this danger. Michal was the instrument of it, whom Saul gave him to be a snare to him, but she proved to be his protector and helper. Often is the devil out-shot with his own bow. How Michal came to know the danger her husband was in does not appear; perhaps she had notice sent her from court, or rather was herself aware of the soldiers about the house, when they were going to bed, though they kept so still and silent that they said, Who dost hear? which David takes notice of, Psa 59:7. She, knowing her father's great indignation at David, soon suspected the design, and bestirred herself for her husband's safety. 1. She got David out of the danger. She told him how imminent the peril was (Sa1 19:11): Tomorrow thou wilt be slain. As Josephus paraphrases it, she told him that if the sun saw him there next morning it would never see him more; and then put him in a way of escape. David himself was better versed in the art of fighting than of flying, and had it been lawful it would have been easy for him to have cleared his house, by dint of sword, from those that haunted it; but Michal let him down through a window (Sa1 19:12), all the doors being guarded; and so he fled and escaped. And now it was that, either in his own closet before he went or in the hiding-place to which he fled, he penned that fifty-ninth Psalm, which shows that, in his fright and hurry, his mind was composed, and, in this great danger, his faith was strong and fixed on God; and, whereas the plot was to slay him in the morning, he speaks there with the greatest assurance (Sa1 19:16), I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning. 2. She practised a deception upon Saul and those whom he employed to be the instruments of his cruelty. When the doors of the house were opened in the morning, and David did not appear, the messengers would search the house for him, and did so. But Michal told them he was sick in bed (Sa1 19:14), and, if they would not believe her, they might see, for (Sa1 19:13) she had put a wooden image in the bed, and wrapped it up close and warm as if it had been David asleep, not in a condition to be spoken to; the goats' hair about the image was to resemble David's hair, the better to impose upon them. Michal can by no means be justified in telling a lie, and covering it thus with a cheat. God's truth needed not her lie. But she intended hereby to keep Saul in suspense for a while, that David might have some time to secure himself, not doubting but those messengers would pursue him if they found he had gone. The messengers had so much humanity as not to offer him any disturbance when they heard he was sick; for to those that are in this misery pity should be shown; but Saul, when he heard it, gave positive orders that he should be brought to him sick or well: Bring him to me in the bed, that I may slay him, Sa1 19:15. It was base and barbarous thus to triumph over a sick man; and to vow the death of one who for aught that he knew was dying by the hand of nature. So earnestly did he thirst after his blood, and so greedy was his revenge, that he could not be pleased to see him dead, unless he himself was the death of him; though awhile ago he had said, Let not my hand be upon him. Thus when men lay the reins on the neck of their passions they grow more and more outrageous. When the messengers were sent again, the cheat was discovered, Sa1 19:16. But by this time it was to be hoped that David was safe, and therefore Michal was not then much concerned at the discovery. Saul chid her for helping David to escape (Sa1 19:17): Why hast thou deceived me so? What a base spirit was Saul of, to expect that, because Michal was his daughter, she must therefore betray her own husband to him unjustly. Ought she not to forsake and forget her father and her father's house, to cleave to her husband? Those that themselves will be held by no bonds of reason or religion are ready to think that others should as easily break those bonds. In answer to Saul's chiding, Michal is not so careful of her husband's reputation as she had been of his person, when she makes this her excuse: He said, Let me go, why should I kill thee? As her insinuating that she would have hindered his flight was false (it was she that put him upon it and furthered it), so it was an unjust unworthy reflection upon him to suggest that he threatened to kill her if she would not let him go, and might confirm Saul in his rage against him. David was far from being so barbarous a man and so imperious a husband, so brutish in his resolves and so haughty in his menaces, as she here represented him. But David suffered both from friends and foes, and so did the son of David.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 11–17. Public domain.
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Gregory of NyssaAD 395
ON THE INSCRIPTIONS OF THE PSALMS 2.16.272-73
Now Michal’s name means “reign,” because sin reigned over our nature up to that time. And at the very time he himself was born, he [the Lord in the figure of David] went out through a window. And the window indicates the return to the light again of the one who made himself known to those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death.And his image is seen on the bed. For the angel says to those seeking the Lord in the tomb, “Why do you seek the living with the dead? He is not here; he is risen.” “Behold the place” in which he lay. Those seeking the Lord saw the tomb in which he was buried empty of the body of the one they were seeking. Only the burial sheets were in it. We think, therefore, that the image of David on the bed signifies the resurrection of the Lord in the tomb, through which the true averting of our death through expiatory sacrifice occurs.
John ChrysostomAD 407
ON THE PRIESTHOOD 1.8
And not in war only, but also in peace the need of deceit may be found, not merely in reference to the affairs of the state but also in private life, in the dealings of husband with wife and wife with husband, son with father, friend with friend, and also children with a parent. For the daughter of Saul would not have been able to rescue her husband out of Saul’s hands except by deceiving her father. And her brother, wishing to save him whom she had rescued when he was again in danger, made use of the same weapon as the wife.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Samuel
Saul, however, sent messengers to seize David, etc. The unbelieving Jews sent ambushers immediately after the celebration of the Lord's resurrection, who, probing the hearts of the faithful, would seize from them the love of Christ either by flattery or by threats. But they, still silent from carnal fear and remaining hidden until the day of Pentecost, sought to return no other response to those asking than that faith languished within them and had not yet flourished well, not being firmed by the fire of the Holy Spirit.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
1 Samuel 19:14 presents a critical moment in David's flight from King Saul, as Michal, David's wife and Saul's daughter, cleverly deceives her father's messengers by claiming David is gravely ill. This quick-witted act of loyalty and deception provides David with crucial time to escape Saul's escalating pursuit, highlighting both Michal's resourcefulness and God's sovereign protection over His anointed servant amidst intense persecution.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices to heighten its dramatic impact and convey its underlying themes. Deception is the most overt device, as Michal deliberately fabricates a story to mislead Saul's messengers. This act of deception is presented as a means of Protection, highlighting Michal's fierce loyalty to David and her quick thinking in a moment of extreme crisis. There is a profound element of Irony at play, as the king's own daughter actively thwarts his murderous intentions, vividly demonstrating the fractured loyalties within Saul's household and the unraveling of his reign. Furthermore, the narrative functions as a form of Foreshadowing, as David's repeated narrow escapes and God's consistent preservation of his life powerfully point towards his ultimate destiny as the divinely appointed king, despite Saul's most strenuous efforts to prevent it. The entire scene serves as a microcosm of the larger, unfolding conflict between Saul's human will and God's sovereign divine plan.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
1 Samuel 19:14, though brief, is immensely rich in theological implications. It powerfully illustrates the profound theme of divine providence actively working through human agency, even when that agency is morally ambiguous. Michal's deception, while ethically complex from a strict moral standpoint, is presented within the biblical narrative as a crucial act that directly facilitates God's overarching plan to preserve David's life and ensure his eventual ascent to the throne. The Bible often records events as they factually occurred, including instances of human sin and moral compromises, without explicitly endorsing them, yet consistently demonstrating how God's sovereign will can still be accomplished through various means. This passage serves as a powerful reminder that God's ways are indeed higher than our ways, and He possesses the ability to use diverse means, even those that appear ethically challenging, to achieve His righteous and redemptive purposes. It underscores His unwavering faithfulness to His promises (in this case, to David), even in the face of intense opposition and human weakness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The account of Michal's quick thinking and deceptive words in 1 Samuel 19:14 offers a complex yet profoundly insightful opportunity for personal reflection and application. It challenges us to deeply consider the nature of loyalty, particularly when it comes into direct conflict with other duties, relationships, or even societal expectations. Michal's unwavering commitment to David, demonstrated at great personal risk and in direct defiance of her powerful father, prompts us to honestly examine the depth of our own commitments and the courage required to act upon them in truly difficult circumstances. Furthermore, the passage compels us to grapple with the intricate ethics of truth-telling and deception. While the Bible consistently calls believers to lives of honesty and integrity (Ephesians 4:25), narratives like this one present situations where human life is at stake, and human agents make choices that, while morally questionable, ultimately serve to advance God's broader redemptive purposes. This does not, by any means, endorse lying as a general principle but rather highlights the profound complexities of living faithfully in a fallen world and the reality that God's sovereignty can indeed work through imperfect human actions. Ultimately, the verse serves as a powerful and comforting reminder of God's unfailing protection over His chosen ones, encouraging us to trust implicitly in His divine providence even when our circumstances are chaotic, dangerous, or seemingly insurmountable, knowing that His ultimate plans will always prevail.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was Michal's lie justified?
Answer: The Bible records Michal's lie in 1 Samuel 19:14 as a factual event that occurred to save David's life, but it does not explicitly offer an overt moral judgment on her action. From a human perspective, her lie was a desperate act of loyalty and protection in a life-threatening situation where David's life was in immediate peril from King Saul's murderous intent. The narrative's focus remains on the outcome—David's successful escape—and God's preservation of His chosen servant. While the Bible consistently upholds truthfulness as a fundamental virtue and a hallmark of God's character (Proverbs 12:22), it also presents instances where individuals use deception in dire circumstances, and God's overarching purposes are still advanced (e.g., the Hebrew midwives in Exodus 1:15-21 or Rahab in Joshua 2:4-6). This passage highlights the profound complexities of moral decision-making within a fallen world and underscores God's sovereign ability to work through even the imperfect actions of human beings to accomplish His divine will.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
1 Samuel 19:14, with Michal's act of deception to protect David, serves as a poignant foreshadowing of the ultimate divine protection extended to the greater Son of David, Jesus Christ. Just as David, God's anointed king-elect, faced relentless persecution and murderous attempts on his life from King Saul, so too did Christ face constant opposition, plots, and murderous intentions from the religious and political authorities of His day. From the flight of the infant Jesus to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15) to the numerous attempts on His life throughout His ministry (e.g., John 7:1), Jesus's life was continuously under threat. David's narrow escape, facilitated by human ingenuity and intervention, points to the miraculous preservation of Jesus until His divinely appointed time for sacrifice. Yet, while David was saved from death to become an earthly king, Jesus willingly and perfectly laid down His life, only to conquer death and rise as the eternal, resurrected King of kings and Lord of lords (Philippians 2:8-11). The divine providence that shielded David is fully and perfectly realized in Christ, whose life was preserved not by human deception but by divine power and perfect obedience, leading to His ultimate triumph over sin, death, and the grave, thereby providing eternal salvation for all who believe (Romans 5:8). Thus, Michal's desperate act, while a testament to human loyalty and quick thinking, ultimately serves as a shadow pointing to the perfect, sovereign, and redemptive work of God in securing the path for His Messiah.