Michal Warns David

David reached the safety of his home, but he was still in mortal danger.

Whether David confided in his wife concerning the attempt on his life or she witnessed the officers of the court at their front door, Michal immediately realized the peril and urged David to flee certain death by escaping out a window.

It seems strange that David would run rather than stand and fight.

“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.” Michal placed bedclothes in such a manner that they would resemble a reclining figure.

She refused to allow the officers to disturb David or come close to the bed, saying he was ill. When they reported this to Saul, he sent them back with orders to return with David—sick or not. The officers were admitted to the house this time and discovered they had been tricked. “Saul had been pleased to use Michal as a decoy to lure David on to his death; now he was highly incensed that his own daughter should be loyal to David rather than to him. Outwitted, he feared lest he lose face with his officers. Michal had evidently inherited some of her father’s traits; she did not hesitate to offer the excuse that her husband had threatened to kill her. This falsehood gave Saul an excuse to pursue with increased vigor his purpose to slay David, who, it appeared, had now threatened his daughter.” “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).