JONATHAN PLEADS FOR DAVID’S LIFE

I Samuel 19:1-10

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline:

 

i.                    THE PROPOSAL TO KILL DAVID (I Sam. 19:1)

ii.                  THE PREPARATION TO SAVE DAVID (I Sam. 19:2-3)

iii.                THE PLEA TO SPARE DAVID (I Sam. 19:4-6)

iv.                THE PLAN TO RESTORE DAVID (I Sam. 19:7-8)

v.                  THE PURPOSE TO KILL DAVID (I Sam. 19:9-10)

 

2.      Who did Saul ask to kill David? (I Sam. 19:1)

 

And Saul spake unto Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

 

A.    Jonathan, his son

 

B.      All his servants

 

C.     Saul has tried to kill David.  He has tried to use the Philistines to kill David.  Now, he asks some of those closest to him to kill David. 

 

D.    LESSON:  Anger and envy often know no bounds.  They do not rest until their mission has been accomplished. 

 

3.      “But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted  much in David…”(I Sam. 19:2)

 

A.    Jonathan was put into a very difficult situation.

1.      He was the son of Saul.  He was also a subject of Saul.  Too, he was a soldier of Saul.

2.      He, however, was a dear friend of David.

3.      How could Jonathan be loyal to both individuals?

 

B.      Can you imagine how he must have felt when Saul asked him to kill his best friend?

 

4.      Define:  delighted (I Sam. 19:2)

 

A.    Strong (2654):  to incline to, to bend, to be pleased with, desire

 

B.      BDB:  to delight in, to take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with

 

C.     It has always intrigued me how one person can be despised by one (Saul toward David) and can be greatly loved by another (Jonathan toward David).  How can two people have such a drastic difference of opinion about the exact same person?

1.      One is mistaken about another.

2.      One is not able to see the truth about another.

3.      Different individuals have different interactions with different people.

 

5.      T- F      Jonathan warned David about his father’s plans (I Sam. 19:2)

 

…and Jonathan told David, my father seeketh to kill thee…

 

A.    True

 

B.      We continue to see Jonathan’s dilemma. 

1.      Warn a friend of danger.

2.      Oppose his father’s desires.

 

6.      What did Jonathan tell David to do? (I Sam. 19:2)

 

…now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself.

 

A.    Jonathan asked David to take heed and hide in a secret place till the next morning.

 

B.      This action lets us know that Jonathan understood that his father was very serious about killing David.  It is not just a vague desire. 

 

7.      T – F    Jonathan was willing to intercede for David. (I Sam. 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 will I tell thee.

 

A.    True

 

B.      LESSON:  Friendship is not something merely claimed.  It is something demonstrated.  Jonathan was willing to put his life on the line and intercede on David’s behalf.

 

8.      “And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father…” (I Sam. 19:4).

 

A.    Think of this.

1.      Jonathan speaks good of David to a man who sees no good in David at all.

2.      Jonathan speaks to his father and to the king.

 

9.      Why did Jonathan tell his father that he should not sin against David? (I Sam. 19:4).

 

…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.

 

A.    He gives Saul two reasons:

1.      He has not sinned against you.

2.      His works have been very good toward Saul.

 

B.      Two other considerations:

1.      Jonathan appeals to his father as “the king.”

2.      He refers to David as Saul’s “servant.”

 

10.  How did Jonathan describe David’s works toward Saul? (I Sam. 19:4)

 

…his works have been to thee-ward very good.

 

A.    Very good

 

B.      There are numerous ways this can be applied:

1.      Agreeable to the senses

2.      Excellent of its kind

3.      Valuable in estimation

4.      Appropriate, becoming

5.      Prosperous

6.      Right ethically

 

11.  What great salvation at David’s hand did Jonathan remind Saul about? (I Sam. 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…

 

A.    The slaying of the Philistine

 

B.      Several things that victory did.

1.      Took away the reproach that had come upon Israel.

2.      Defeated the giant.

3.      Gave Israel the victory over the Philistine army.

4.      Kept Israel from becoming the servants of the Philistines.

5.      Enriched Israel with spoils.

6.      Made Israel respected among other nations.

 

12.  How had Saul initially reacted when David slew Goliath? (I Sam. 19:5)

 

…thou sawest it, and didst rejoice…

 

A.    He saw it and rejoiced

 

B.      Rejoice

1.      Strong (8055):  to brighten up, be blithe or gleesome

2.      BDB:  rejoice, be glad, exult

 

13.  How did Jonathan describe David’s blood? (I Sam. 19:5)

 

…wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood…

 

A.    Innocent blood

 

14.  If Saul had slain David, he would have done so “without a cause” (I Sam. 19:5).

 

…to slay David without a cause?

 

A.    LESSON:  Do we ever slay others “without a cause”?

1.      We don’t like their looks.

2.      We don’t like their personality

3.      They don’t agree with us on an issue

 

15.  T – F    Saul refused to give heed to the voice of Jonathan. (I Sam. 19:6)

 

And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan…

 

A.    False

1.      Jonathan spared the life of David.

2.      Jonathan spared Saul from committing murder.

 

B.      LESSON:  There are times when we can intervene successfully on behalf of another. 

 

16.  “…and Saul sware, As the Lord  liveth, he shall not be slain” (I Sam. 19:6).

 

A.    Saul underscores his words with an oath, “as the Lord liveth.”

 

B.      He appears to have been genuinely impacted by Jonathan’s words.  The threat of death seems to have passed for David.

 

C.     We will see that Jonathan certainly believes his father.

 

17.  T – F    David was brought bought before Saul as in times past. (I Sam. 19:7)

 

And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things.  And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

 

A.    True

 

B.      Notice the word, “as in times past.”  Times past have not always been very good.  David will see the truthfulness of these words in the not too distant future.

 

18.  Against whom did David continue to fight wars? (I Sam. 19:8)

 

And there was war again:  and David went out, and fought with the Philistines…

 

A.    The Philistines

 

19.  T – F    David was not as successful against the Philistines as he was against Goliath (I Sam.

19:8).

 

…..and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him.

 

A.    False.  He slew them with a great slaughter.

 

20.  What came upon Saul again? (I Sam. 19:9)

 

And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house…

 

A.    The evil spirit from the Lord.

 

21.  What did he have in his hand? (I Sam. 19:9)

 

…with his javelin in his hand…

 

A.    Javelin

 

B.      Some people do not need access to weapons because they are not stable enough to use them properly.

 

22.  T- F      David played for Saul on this occasion to ease him of the evil spirit. (I Sam. 19:9)

 

…and David played with his hand.

 

A.    True

 

23.  What did Saul try to do to David? (I Sam. 19:10)

 

And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin…

 

A.    He attempted to smite David with the javelin

 

24.  T – F    David was wounded by Saul. (I Sam. 19:10)

 

…but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence…

 

A.    False

 

25.  What happened to the javelin? (I Sam. 19:10)

 

…and he smote the javelin into the wall, and David fled, and escaped that night.

 

A.    He smote the javelin into the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MICHAL SAVES DAVID FROM SAUL

Homework

I Samuel 19:11-24

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline:

 

vi.                I Samuel 19:11a

vii.              I Samuel 19:11b-13

viii.            I Samuel 19:14-17

ix.                I Samuel 19:18

x.                  I Samuel 19:19-21

xi.                I Samuel 19:22-24

 

2.      Who did Saul send to David’s house? (I Sam. 19:11)

 

3.      For what purpose were they sent? (I Sam. 19:11)

 

4.      Who warned David to flee that very night? (I Sam. 19:11)

 

5.      How did Michal help David escape? (I Sam. 19:12)

 

6.      What did Michal lay in David’s bed? (I Sam. 19:13)

 

7.      What did Michal use as a hair piece upon the idol? (I Sam. 19:13)

 

8.      Define:  bolster (I Sam. 19:13)

 

9.      T – F    She covered the image with a cloth (I Sam. 19:13)

 

10.  When the messengers came to take David, what did Michal tell them? (I Sam. 19:14)

 

11.  When this was reported to Saul, how did he respond? (I Sam. 19:15)

 

12.  What did the messengers find in the bed? (I Sam. 19:16)

 

13.  “And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou __________________ me so, and sent away mine _____________________, that he is __________________?” (I Sam. 19:17)

 

14.  Why did Michal say she helped David to escape? (I Sam. 19:17)

 

15.  To whom did David flee? (I Sam. 19:18)

 

16.  To what city did he flee? (I Sam. 19:18)

 

17.  After David told Samuel all Saul had done, where did they go? (I Sam. 19:18)

 

18.  T – F    Saul learned that David was in Naioth. (I Sam. 19:19)

 

19.  Who did Saul sent to take David? (I Sam. 19:20)

 

20.  What did the messengers see when they arrived? (I Sam. 19:20)

 

21.  T – F    The messengers that Saul sent to take David prophesied (I Sam. 19:20)

 

22.  How many times did this happen? (I Sam. 19:21)

 

23.  T – F    Saul then sent Jonathan to get David (I Sam. 19:22)

 

24.  Where did Saul go in search of Samuel and David? (I Sam. 19:22)

 

25.  Where did Saul ask this question:  “Where are Samuel and David?” (I Sam. 19:22)

 

26.  T – F    Saul was told the wrong location. (I Sam. 19:22)

 

27.  What came upon Saul as he came near Naioth in Ramah? (I Sam. 19:23)

 

28.  What unusual act did Saul perform while he prophesied before Samuel? (I Sam. 19:24)

 

29.  How long did he engage in this behavior? (I Sam. 19:24)

 

30.  What was a common statement made about Saul because of this? (I Sam. 19:24)