Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on 1 Samuel 19:18
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
So David fled and escaped, etc.] Fled from his own house, and escaped falling into the hands of the messengers of Saul, and so of Saul himself: and came to Samuel to Ramah; the place where Samuel dwelt: to him David chose to come, by whom he had been anointed king, that his faith might be strengthened by him with respect to the kingdom, which might be weakened by what had happened to him; and that he might have some advice and direction from him what he should do, and what course he should take in his present circumstances, and that he might receive some comfort from him under his present troubles: and told him all that Saul had done to him; how he had spoken to his servants to kill him, had cast a javelin at him himself, and had sent messengers to his house to slay him: and he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth; which was in or near to Ramah, as appears by (<091919>1 Samuel 19:19); which perhaps was a more retired place, and so chosen for the sake of conversation between them, or reckoned a more safe place. Here being a school or college of the prophets, might be a kind of an asylum, and where it might be thought Saul would not attempt to lay hands on David, should he know where he was; for if the Philistines gave no disturbance to the hill of God, and the prophets in it, (<091005>1 Samuel 10:5); it might be reasonably concluded Saul would not; so the Targum paraphrases it, “he and Samuel went and dwelt in the house of doctrine”, or in the school, the school of the prophets. R. Abimi the Nothite, or Naiothite, mentioned in the Talmud f400, is supposed f401 to be of this place; it is said f402 to be six miles from Jerusalem to the north.
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