1 Samuel 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._ Michael took an image, х_ HATªRAAPIYM_ (H8655), the teraphim (see the note at Genesis 31:34); Septuagint, Ta kenotafia], AND LAID IT IN THE BED - `the teraphim,' of the figure and size of the human form, used for superstitious purposes by the Israelites in the times of the judges and of Saul (Judges 17:5), until the practice was suppressed by Josiah (2 Kings 23:24). They. were considered the givers and guardians of life and property, or consulted as oracles ...

11-24 Michal's stratagem to gain time till David got to a distance was allowable, but her falsehood had not even the plea of necessity to excuse it, and manifests that she was not influenced by the same spirit of piety which had dictated Jonathan's language to Saul. In flying to Samuel, David made God his refuge. Samuel, as a prophet, was best able to advise him what to do in this day of distress. He met with little rest or satisfaction in Saul's court, therefore went to seek it in Samuel's church. What little pleasure is to be had in this world, those have who live a life of communion with God; to that David returned in the time of trouble. So impatient was Saul after David's blood, so restless against him, that although baffled by one providence after another, he could not see that David was under the special protection of God. And when God will take this way to protect David, even Sa...

Verse 1 Samuel 19:13. _MICHAL TOOK AN IMAGE_] את התרפים _eth hatteraphim, the_ _teraphim_. The Hebrew word appears to mean any kind of _image_, in any kind of _form_, as a representative of some _reality_. Here it must have been something in the _human form_; because it was intended to represent a man lying in bed indisposed. _A PILLOW OF GOATS' HAIR_] Perhaps she formed the appearance of a sick man's _head_ muffled up by this pillow or bag of goats' hair. So I think the original might be understood. The _goats' hair_ was merely accidental; unless we could suppose that it was designed to represent the _hair of David's head_, which is not improbable....

AN IMAGE - “Teraphim” (see the margin), an image, or bust in human form, and as large as life, of a kind of household god, to the worship of which the Israelites, and especially women, were much addicted. A PILLOW - It was probably a quilt or blanket of goats’ hair and of common use as a bed-covering. Whether Michal drew it over the head of the teraphim, as if for warmth, and so covered it, or whether she disposed it about the head so as to look like hair, is not clear....

SUCCESSIVE ATTEMPTS UPON DAVID'S LIFE FRUSTRATED BY THE LOVE OF JONATHAN AND MICHAL, AND FINALLY BY FLIGHT (1 Samuel 19:1.). EXPOSITION JONATHAN'S LOVE FOR DAVID (1 Samuel 19:1). 1 SAMUEL 19:1 SAUL SPAKE TO JONATHAN HIS SON...THAT THEY SHOULD KILL DAVID. The translation of the last clause is untenable;

AND MICHAL TOOK AN IMAGE,.... Or "teraphim", as the word is; which, if the same with those that Rachel stole from her father, they seem to be of the same sort with the penates or household gods of the Heathens, which were privately kept by Michal; for, had David known of them, he would not have suffered them to have been in his house. Aben Ezra supposes they were images made in the form of men under such a constellation, a sort of talismans, to receive the heavenly influences, and which being consulted, foretold things to come; and R. Isaiah is of opinion, that Michal chose and placed these in the bed, that her father might conclude, when he should hear of them, that David had found them; and by thus means know that his intention was to kill him, and therefore fled; but to consult such images was very far from David, and without it he knew Saul's intention. Abarbinel makes mention of sev...

4. SAUL'S RENEWED ATTEMPT AND DAVID'S ESCAPE CHAPTER 19 _ 1. Saul and Jonathan (1 Samuel 19:1)_ 2. Saul's new attempt to kill David (1 Samuel 19:8) 3. David's escape (1 Samuel 19:11) 4. Saul's pursuit and his helplessness (1 Samuel 19:19) The lost King goes from bad to worse. First he tried to spear David; then he attempted to take his life through having him killed by the Philistines, and now he speaks openly to his own son and to all his servants that David must be killed. Therefore loving Jonathan warned David and he hid himself Then Jonathan persuades his father to desist an

1 SAMUEL 19:1 (E). Saul bids Jonathan and his followers slay David, but Jonathan brings about a reconciliation. 1 SAMUEL 19:8 (E). It is uncertain whether 1 Samuel 19:11 is the sequel of 1 Samuel 19:8, or comes from a different source. In any case the whole of 1 Samuel 19:8 probably belongs to the ancient tradition. Saul tries to kill David, but David escapes. Saul has his house watched, but Michal lets him down through the window and he escapes. She deceives Saul's messengers, by placing in the bed a dummy David, con

IMAGE. teraphim....

David's escape by the aid of Michal 12. _through a window_ Compare the escape of the spies from Jericho (Joshua 2:15), and St Paul from Damascus (2 Corinthians 11:33). If David's house, like Rahab's, was upon the town wall, it would be easy for him to escape thus though the door was watched by Saul's men. _fled, and escaped_ Thus began that fugitive life of hardship and peril, which was to form a new element in the education of the future king. See Introd. p. 40....