Chapter 19
Saul tells Jonathan and all the servants to kill David. Saul is far beyond jealousy at this time and is into hatred and fear of David. He must surely envision some kind of coup from David, unseating him as King. Jonathan talks Saul out of it, and David returns to Saul's presence.
But another harmful spirit "comes upon" Saul, and he once again tries to pin David to the wall with a spear. David escapes.
2021 - Is this a biblical example of where unreasoning irrational unprovoked evil in the world is from?
9 Then a harmful spirit from the LORD came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. [1Sa 19:9 ESV]
I really want to say no, it can't be, because it says this spirit is from the Lord. Something harmful from the Lord? This can only be resolved by saying the harmful spirit is justice where Saul is concerned because of his repeated disobedience. If we believe Saul was sincere in vs 6, then this spirit is making Saul do things against Saul's own will. And we see that David always escapes, is not harmed, and David's trust in God for protection can only grow in these circumstances. I think this is the way we have to look at this, but I find it a very unsatisfying analysis. MSB declines to address the phrase "from the Lord".
One of the definitions of H7307, the word translated "spirit" in this verse, is "seat of emotion", desire, sorrow, trouble. Another is the seat of mental acts, seat of moral character. The only time this word means spirit as in a separate entity is when it means Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, which it certainly does not mean in this verse. So I am wrong that Saul was "possessed" by an evil spirit/demon sent there by God. This is absolutely not what it means. A good way to think of it is that Saul's own flawed character reasserts itself after a brief time of lucidity regarding David. Yehovah is also included specifically in the verse. God in some manner allowed this flawed character to reassert itself and dominate Saul's actions. We might think of it as the manic part of his character asserting itself again over the depressive. In the depressed state, Saul was more rational, saw his own faults clearly and precisely, and perhaps had a very low opinion of himself. But then the manic, and the hyperactivity, and the need for self-preservation, self-justification, ruled over his character. God perhaps let this side of Saul's mind rule, because it was this side that had rebelled against God to start with. I find this a much more acceptable way to see this.
2023 - This is the way to look at this spirit. Saul was full of character flaws and full on character problems. What happens here is that those are "allowed" to prevail in his thinking, perhaps in the way that schizophrenics hear voices telling them to do evil things, things they'd rather not do. Over time though, the urging becomes irresistible or the person decides to do what they say just to get them out of his head. We are seeing something like that here. Severe depression because Saul knows, understands, that his sons will not be kings. That he is the only king in his line. He likely has come to believe that David will wipe out his remaining family when he becomes King in Saul's place. Saul may see this as imminent. These evil thoughts God allows to run rampant and unchecked in Saul's mind. Perhaps to show the world that Saul lacks the "tools" required to be a king.
So Saul sends men to keep an eye on David's house all night, planning to kill David the next day. Michal is aware of the threat, somehow, and warns David, then helps him escape by lowering him down through a window. So those watching don't know he has gone. The King's own daughter helps David escape.
2021 - This verse:
17 Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?" And Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go. Why should I kill you?'" [1Sa 19:17 ESV] Michal tells Saul that the reason she helped David escape is because David threatened to kill her if she didn't. This certainly would have kept Saul from killing her for aiding and abetting his enemy, which surely would have been a capital crime in those days. Yet it gives Saul another reason to hate David. Saul now can say that he wants David executed for threatening to kill his own wife, Saul's daughter, in order to escape the justice of the king. This lends at least a bit of legitimacy to Saul's pursuit of David, even though it is based on a self-serving lie.
David flees to Samuel, and they go to Naioth. There are many prophets there. Saul sends messengers to retrieve David three times. All three times the messengers end up prophesying, and not retrieving David. It is unclear, but possibly all the messengers sent end up staying in Ramah, as prophets, and don't even return to Saul. Fed up, Saul goes himself, and he too prophesies before Samuel all day and all night, naked. God repeatedly thwarts the intentions of Saul, up to and including having Saul prophesy, and yet Saul persists in trying to kill David.
2021 - God's sovereignty shown in that those sent to do evil instead prophecy as to the will of God.
Surely the whole of the country knows by this time that Saul wants David dead. Yet none seem willing to be the "hero" and kill David. At the same time, none are willing to take up arms against Saul in a coup attempt to put David in power. So Saul's jealousy is unwarranted. There is no real threat from David. Saul has been told that his son's won't be kings, but there was no mention of Saul dying early or anything like that. All of these suspicions are "planted" in Saul's head by the evil spirit, making use of Saul's own character flaws - arrogance, low self-image, desire to please others above pleasing God.