David's Flight From King Saul Biblical Account
David's flight from King Saul is a significant narrative in the books of Samuel, detailing a period of intense persecution and David's survival as a fugitive. David, the youngest son of Jesse from Bethlehem, was anointed privately by Samuel to be king after Saul's disobedience [3, 4, 6]. David's early life included tending his father's sheep and he was known for his musical skill [6, 17]. He gained prominence after defeating Goliath, which led to his introduction to Saul's court [2]. Saul placed David over his men of war, and David "behaved himself wisely," earning favor with the people and Saul's servants [1].
However, Saul's attitude toward David soon turned to jealousy and hostility. The Babylonian Talmud notes that while Saul initially fled from the kingship, once he ascended, he sought to maintain his position, even attempting to kill David, whom he perceived as a threat to his authority [16]. Saul made several attempts on David's life, including trying to pin him to a wall with a spear [13]. David managed to escape these attempts, sometimes with the help of Jonathan, Saul's son, and Michal, Saul's daughter and David's wife [5, 13].
The narrative of David's flight describes him as a fugitive, constantly on the run from Saul [15]. For instance, after Saul's attempt to spear him, David "fled and escaped that night" [13]. He fled from Naioth, knowing he was no longer safe there, and later sought refuge with Achish, the king of Gath [9, 10]. The verb describing David's escape from Saul is also used to describe his later escape from Absalom [11, 12]. Despite having opportunities to harm Saul, David consistently refused to do so, demonstrating his innocence and respect for God's anointed king [14, 18]. For example, when Saul was in a cave where David was hiding, David merely cut off a corner of Saul's robe to prove he had spared him [14, 18]. This period of flight lasted for a significant portion of David's life before he eventually became king after Saul's death [7, 8].
Sources
- 1 Samuel “David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. -- 1 Samuel 18:5”
- 1 Samuel “When the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him. -- 1 Samuel 17:31”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: David — (well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: + His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; + His relations with Saul; + His reign. + The early life of David contains in many important respects the antecedents of his future career. It appears that David was the youngest son, probably the youngest child, of a family of ten, and was born in Bethlehem B.C. 1085. The first time that David appears in history at once admits us to the whole family circle. The annual sacrificial feast is being held when Samuel appears, sent”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 8, section 1: . How, Upon Saul's Transgression Of The Prophet's Commands, Samuel Ordained Another Person To Be King Privately, Whose Name Was David, As God Commanded Him.”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 11, section 1: . How David, Upon Saul's Laying Snares For Him, Did Yet Escape The Dangers He Was In By The Affection And Care Of Jonathan And The Contrivances Of His Wife Michal: And How He Came To Samuel The Prophet.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: David — Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal appearance, we only know that he was red-haired, with beautiful eyes and a fair face (1 Sam. 16:12; 17:42). His early occupation was that of tending his father's sheep on the uplands of Judah. From what we know of his after history, doubtless he frequently beguiled his time, when thus engaged, with his shepherd's flute, while he drank in t”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, BOOK VII, section 1: . Containing The Interval Of Forty Years.—From The Death Of Saul To The Death Of David.”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, BOOK VII, section 1: . Containing The Interval Of Forty Years.—From The Death Of Saul To The Death Of David.”
- 1 Samuel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Samuel 20:1: David fled from Naioth - On hearing that Saul had come to that place, knowing that he was no longer in safety, he fled for his life.”
- Targum Jonathan (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Targum Jonathan, Targum Jonathan on I Samuel 21:11: And David rose and fled that day from before Saul. He went to Achish the king of Gath.”
- 1 Samuel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Samuel 20:29: 20:29 get away: This verb also describes David’s earlier escape from Saul (19:10-12, 17-18).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN HE FLED FROM THE FACE OF ABESSALON HIS SON. (part 1): 1. The words, "I slept, and took rest; and rose, for the Lord will take me up," lead us to believe that this Psalm is to be understood as in the Person of Christ; for they sound more applicable to the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord, than to that history in which David's flight is described from the face of his rebellious son. And, since it is written of Christ's disciples, "The sons of the bridegroom fast not as long as the bridegroom is with them;"(3) it is no won”
- Targum Jonathan (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Targum Jonathan, Targum Jonathan on I Samuel 19:10: And Saul sought to hit David with his spear and to pin it to the wall, but he withdrew himself from before Saul, so that he fixed the spear in the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.”
- 1 Samuel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Samuel 24:8: HE URGES THEREBY HIS INNOCENCY. (Sa1 24:8-15) David also arose . . . and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul--The closeness of the precipitous cliffs, though divided by deep wadies, and the transparent purity of the air enable a person standing on one rock to hear distinctly the words uttered by a speaker standing on another (Jdg 9:7). The expostulation of David, followed by the visible tokens he furnished of his cherishing no evil design against either the person or the government of the king, even when he had the monarch in his power, smote”
- 1 Samuel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Samuel 27:1: 27:1-12 David fled to the Philistines to get away from Saul for good. Rather than killing Saul, David chose the dangerous life of a fugitive.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Menachot 109b.19: It is human nature that after one ascends to a prestigious position he does not wish to lose it. As evidence of this principle, Saul initially fled from the kingship, as he did not wish to be king, as stated in the verse: “When they sought him he could not be found…Behold he has hidden himself among the baggage” (I Samuel 10:21–22). But when he ascended to the kingship he tried to kill David, who he thought was trying to usurp his authority (see I Samuel, chapters 18–27).”
- Targum Jonathan (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Targum Jonathan, Targum Jonathan on I Samuel 17:15: And David used to go back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.”
- 1 Samuel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Samuel 24:8: David also arose afterward,.... After Saul was gone: and went out of the cave; where he had been all the time that Saul had been in it: and cried after Saul: with a loud voice: my lord the king; by which titles Saul would know that he was called unto: and when Saul looked behind him; to see who it was that called unto him: David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself: giving reverence and honour to him as a king; See Gill on Sa1 20:41.”