Going Against Tradition

1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David 2 and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there. 3 I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”

4 Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. 5 He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”

6 Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”

7 So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.

8 Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.

9 But an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre, 10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

11 Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.

14 When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said, “He is ill.”

15 Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.” 16 But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair.

17 Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?”

Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’”

King Saul believed he had the right to command everyone to obey his wishes. He told his son Jonathan and everyone around him to kill David.

In this way Saul tested his family members’ loyalty. Often in situations like this, as the saying goes, “Blood is thicker than water.” Family members were expected to support their blood relatives more than their friends or in-laws.

Perhaps Jonathan noticed his father’s attendants nodding in agreement with Saul. But Jonathan was clearly concerned as he heard his father say that David was to be killed.

Jonathan gave no indication of turning against his father. But as soon as he left the king’s presence, Jonathan wasted no time in warning his friend that Saul wanted to kill him. And instead of going along with his father, Jonathan assured David that he would speak with Saul and support David for the sake of their friendship.

Saul’s daughter Michal, who was now David’s wife, also protected David from her murderous father.

These events mark a crucial point in the decline of Saul and the rise of David. Two of Saul’s own children chose to help David rather than making the traditional choice of supporting their father.

Lord and God, too often I have biases and blind spots, and I follow traditions rather than listening to your wisdom. Help me to trust and obey your direction and guidance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.