And Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he escaped from Saul’s presence, so that he stuck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
Parallel translations
- WEB Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he stuck the spear into the wall. David fled, and escaped that night.
- KJV And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.
- BSB Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear. But the spear struck the wall and David eluded him, ran away, and escaped that night.
- NKJV Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.
- NLT Saul hurled his spear at David. But David dodged out of the way, and leaving the spear stuck in the wall, he fled and escaped into the night.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Saul tries to pin David to the wall with his spear, but David escapes and flees that night.
Overview
Saul's hidden malice erupts into open violence, yet the Lord delivers David, who slips away as the spear strikes the wall. This marks the decisive break, after which David lives as a fugitive. God's protection of his anointed in the face of deadly threat displays his faithfulness to preserve those through whom he will accomplish his redemptive purpose.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- 1 Sam 20:33Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.
- 1 Sam 18:11and Saul threw the spear, for he said, “I will pin David even to the wall!” David escaped from his presence twice.
- Prov 21:30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh.
- Ps 34:19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.
- John 10:39They sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand.
- Ps 124:7Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare. The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
- 1 Sam 19:6Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, “As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death.”
- Luke 4:30But he, passing through the middle of them, went his way.
- Matt 12:43–45When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn’t find it.
- Isa 54:17No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of Yahweh’s servants, and their righteousness is of me,” says Yahweh.
- Matt 10:23But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man has come.
- 2 Pet 2:20–22For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
- Job 5:14–15They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noonday as in the night.
- Luke 11:24–26The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of the man, passes through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says, ‘I will turn back to my house from which I came out.’
- Hos 6:4“Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew that disappears early.
- Ps 18:17He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 19:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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