David Escapes to Samuel

The narrative does not state how Michal learned of Saul's command to kill David. She may have seen the officers lying in wait for David, and, knowing the character of her father, perceived his purpose. Or, perhaps, David was impressed to confide in her. Perhaps David was thinking of this experience when he fervently sang, "A man's goings are established of Jehovah" (Ps. 37:23, ASV). Imagine David out on the mountainside, homeless and hunted like a wild animal! But after a night of weeping David could say, "I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble".

David escapes through a window. The word translated "window" comes from a verb meaning "to bore," "to pierce." Anciently, houses were usually built in such a way that all openings faced a walled—in courtyard, except for one main outside entrance. Often the roofs were flat and could be reached either from the inside of the house or from the courtyard. The record does not state whether the opening through which Michal let down David was onto the roof, or whether it overlooked the rear of the house. In any case it was at some point opposite the front entrance, where the emissaries from the king stood watch.

The spies were let down from the walls of Jericho in a similar way (Joshua 2:15) Paul was let down over the wall at Damascus (Acts 9:25) the disciples opened the flat roof to let the paralytic down in the presence of Jesus (Luke 5:19). The wisdom of Michal's prompt action became apparent when the officers commissioned to arrest David clamored for admission the next morning.

There are times when the cause of right can be advanced better by flight than by fighting. Some may think that inasmuch as God had anointed David, and Saul had so far departed from right as to attempt murder, it would have been better for David to stand his ground. Heretofore he had never turned his back to an enemy. Had he faced Saul in the same spirit that he met Goliath, he could not have failed to draw many of the people to his side but such an action would have led to civil war, for Saul was also popular and many obeyed him implicitly.

As events later proved, it was seven years after the death of Saul before David was accepted by all Israel. As with David, so with Christ. Fearless and unafraid, the Saviour could have summoned the armies of heaven to His aid. Instead, He permitted evil men to have their day. Michal makes it look like David is bed sick and tells Saul's messengers so. He demands they bring him out anyway so he can kill David, but they discover he has escaped.

Thoroughly frightened because of Saul's attempt on his life, David naturally sought counsel from the one who had called him from the sheepfold to a place of responsibility in Israel, and had, possibly, taught him at Ramah. With Samuel he would feel as safe from Saul as if there had been a sanctuary to which he might flee (see 1 Kings 1:50—53 2:28—34).