The Way
The Night He Went Down Through the Window
The window Michal opened
Story
Saul told his son Jonathan and his officials to kill David. Jonathan, who loved David dearly, warned him in secret: “Stay hidden until morning. I will speak to my father.” Standing before his father in the field, Jonathan said, “David risked his life to strike down the Philistine, and the Lord won a great victory for all Israel. Why would you shed innocent blood?”
Saul listened and swore an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, he will not be put to death.” David came back to the king's side. But when David returned from another great victory over the Philistines, the evil spirit seized Saul again. Between the notes of the lyre, Saul's spear came flying. It stuck in the wall, and that night David slipped away.
Saul sent men to watch David's house, with orders to kill him when morning came. Michal told her husband, “If you don't get away tonight, tomorrow you will be dead.” She let David down through a window. Then she laid the household idol in the bed, put goat hair at its head and covered it with a garment. David slipped out between the men surrounding the house. Of that night David sang, “My God, rescue me from my enemies.”
Walk this scene on the map →Words of God and David
My king, do not sin against your servant David. He took his life in his hands and struck down the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel.
As surely as the Lord lives, I swear it: he will not be put to death.
If you don't save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.
Why did you deceive me like this, and let my enemy go so that he escaped?
The sayings are fresh renderings of the original meaning in today's language. Text: 1 Sam 19:1–17
Background
The teraphim were household idols; it was teraphim that Rachel stole from her father Laban's house. The heading of Psalm 59 says it was written when Saul sent men to watch David's house in order to kill him.
Pause and Reflect
Can I bravely stand up for someone who has been treated unfairly?