1 Samuel 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._ David fled ... and came ... to Ramah. Samuel was living in great retirement, superintending the school of the prophets established in the little hamlet of Naioth [i:e., habitations; a small cluster of dwellings reared for the seminary or college. The Septuagint has Nauath, as if this were the proper name of the place] in the neighbourhood of Ramah (Ramathaim-zophim) [Septuagint, Armathaim. This version supplies en Rama after "Naioth," at the end of 1 Samuel 19:18.] It was a retreat congenial to the mind of David; but Saul, having found out his asylum, sent three successive bodies of men to apprehend him. The character of the place and the influence of the sacred exercises produced such an effect on them that they were incapab

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 19:18. _DAVID FLED, AND ESCAPED - TO SAMUEL_] He, no doubt, came to this holy man to ask advice; and Samuel thought it best to retain him for the present, with himself at Naioth, where it is supposed he had a school of prophets....

No such place as Naioth (or Nevaioth) is known, but the word means “dwellings.” Hence, it is considered that Naioth was the name of the collegiate residence of the prophets, in, or just outside, Ramah, to which Samuel removed with David from his own house, for greater safety, owing to the sanctity of the place and company....

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;

SO DAVID FLED AND ESCAPED,.... Fled from his own house, and escaped falling into the hands of the messengers of Saul, and so of Saul himself: AND CAME TO SAMUEL TO RAMAH; the place where Samuel dwelt: to him David chose to come, by whom he had been anointed king, that his faith might be strengthened by him with respect to the kingdom, which might be weakened by what had happened to him; and that he might have some advice and direction from him what he should do, and what course he should take in his present circumstances, and that he might receive some comfort from him under his present troubles: AND TOLD HIM ALL THAT SAUL HAD DONE TO HIM; how he had spoken to his servants to kill him, had cast a javelin at him himself, and had sent messengers to his house to slay him: AND HE AND SAMUEL WENT AND DWELT IN NAIOTH; which was in or near to Ramah, as appears by...

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

DAVID AT RAMAH (R). Of uncertain origin, probably late. Partly parallel to 1 Samuel 10:10 ff. David takes refuge with Samuel at Naioth in Ramah. Naioth is apparently not a proper name, but if it is not, its meaning is quite unknown. It has been conjectured that it may have been the quarter of the town inhabited by the prophets. The contagious nature of this ecstatic prophecy is shown by the fact that, first Saul's messengers, and then Saul himself, are seized by it when they come to Naioth. [For 1 Samuel 19:24_ b cf._ 1 Samuel 10:11 f., another story as to the origin of the proverb. A. S. P.]...

David takes refuge with Samuel at Ramah 18. _to Samuel_ Turning naturally for direction at this crisis to the prophet who had anointed him, and hoping that Saul would at least reverence the age and authority of Samuel. No doubt David had had much intercourse with Samuel since their first meeting at Bethlehem. _in Naioth Naioth_, which was at or near Ramah, is a quasi-proper name signifying _dwellings_, and in al probability denotes the _College_, or common residence of the society of prophets collected together at Ramah by Samuel. See Introd. ch. 6 p. 33. Cp. 2 Kings 6:1-2. The Targum renders the word "house of instruction." Hither Samuel took David, partly as being a safer place of refuge than his own house; partly that he might be spiritually strengthened by a share in the religious exercises of the society ...

HE AND SAMUEL WENT, AND DWELT IN NAIOTH— The Chaldee renders this as if it was an appellation, _the school of learning._ This was the famous school of the prophets. As many have been at a loss to ascertain the specific nature of these schools, it will not be unseasonable to endeavour to remove their difficulties. We have in this book only a partial view of the prophets; i.e. a view of them while at their devotions only, and not at their studies: for Saul and his messengers coming when the society was _prophesying,_ or at divine worship, the spirit of God fell upon them, and they _prophesied_ also. And thus the Chaldee paraphrast understands _prophesying;_ adoring God, and singing praises to him: for we may well suppose, that they began and ended all their daily studies with this holy exercise. The college of the prophets was dedicated to the study of the Jewish law only; and, as such, wa...