Michal Helps David Escape

By Mary Vee
I Samuel 19

Michal's Thoughts

My father, king Saul, has been in a cranky mood. I suppose being a king is a tough job, but of late it seems no one can please him.

My husband, David, has done everything father asks. He goes to war against the Philistines. So many nights I lay awake wondering if he is alive or if some Philistine has killed him. Thanks be to God he is still alive.

When my husband is not at war he plays soothing music, such wonderful music for my father. Sometimes father's angry spirit is calmed, sometimes he gets angrier.

Ever since I've married David, father has threatened to kill him. Yesterday, he did it again. While David sat in father's chamber playing his music, he picked up his spear and threw it at David. If my husband didn't have such quick reflexes, he'd be dead.

David came home and told me what happened. In the early evening I went outside to dump some water. I heard a noise beyond the tree and looked harder. There were my father's soldiers, watching our house! I knew they would wait until early morning, sneak in our house and kill David.

I hurried inside. "David, there are soldiers camped outside our house. If you don't escape our home tonight, they will kill you before the sun rises."

He held me one more time, packed a few things then escaped out the back way. I needed to give him enough time to get far away. What could I do? I looked around the house and found one of the images I had kept and put it where David slept. I dressed it with David's clothes, put goat's hair on the head, and pulled the blankets over it to make it look like my husband sleeping.

Early the next morning the soldiers pounded on the door. "The king wants to see David."

"I am sorry, but he is sick. Please tell my father he will have to come later."

The soldiers left but returned a short while later. They pounded on the door again. "The king has ordered David to appear before him. We will carry him in his bed." They barged past me and stomped to our bedroom. "What is this? This is only an image. Where is David?"

"I do not know."

They grabbed my arm and dragged me to my father's chamber. The king scowled at me. "No daughter of mine defies me. Why did you let my enemy escape?"

I shook my head. I didn't know what to say. I blurted the first words that came to my mind. "He said to me, 'Let me escape. I don't want to kill you."

Father scowled and let me return to my home. He probably sent soldiers after my dear husband.

David has escaped, for now. I hope he is safe.

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1.  Who is Michal's father?
2.  Who is Michal's husband?
3.  Who did Michal see outside her home?
4.  What did she do?
5.  Why did Saul want to see David?
6.  How did Michal fool the soldiers.
7.  How did God protect David?