PERSPECTIVES ON I SAMUEL 19-20

These two critical chapters belong together since they demonstrate how David was forced to leave Saul's household to flee for his life and how that process was actually made possible by the aid of two of Saul's own children. One way to picture the organization of this section is as a symmetrical five-part structure in which the outer members (A and A') feature the actions of Jonathan while the center one (C) concentrates on the actions of Michal, David's wife and Saul's daughter.

                                          Figure 1: The Organization of I Samuel 19-20

A. Jonathan warns David (18:30-19:8)

    1. David in battle against Philistines (18:30)

        2. Saul plans to kill David (19:1-3)

            3. Jonathan talks to Saul on David's behalf (19:4-5)

        2'. Saul promises not to kill David (19:6-7)

    1'. David in battle against Philistines (19:8)

                                    B. Saul tries to kill David – an evil spirit (19:9-10)

                                                C. Michal helps David escape (19:11-17)

                                    B'. Saul tries to kill David – spirit from God (19:18-21)

A'. Jonathan warns David (I Samuel 20)

    1. Covenant between David and Jonathan (20:1-17)

        2. The plan (20:18-23)

            3. Saul tries to kill Jonathan (20:24-34)

        2'. Plan is carried out (20:35-40)

    1'. Covenant renewed (20:41-42)

Some specific parallels between sections A and A' other than their common five-membered symmetrical arrangements include:

    Saul throws a spear but misses his target (19:9-10; 20:33)

    David hides in a field (19:2; 20:5,19)

    “He shall not be put to death” (19:6) / “You shall not die” (20:2)

    “As the LORD lives” (19:6; 20:3)

The phrase “fled and escaped” appears once each in sections B, C, and B' (19:10, 12, 19, respectively).

Saul becomes angry with his children at the center of the whole organization above (Section C) as well as the center of A' (see 24:30).

The long section A'1 possesses its own internal symmetry:

                                          Figure 2: The Organization of I Samuel 20:1-17

    a. “What is my guilt” (v. 1)

        b. “Far be it!” (v. 2a)

            c. “My father will not hide anything from me” (v. 2b)

                d. Plan formulated (vv. 3-7)

                    e. Covenant between David and Jonathan (v. 8a)

    a'. “If there is guilt in me” (v. 8b)

        b'. “Far be it!” (v. 9a)

            c'. “I will tell you what my father has decided” (v. 9b)

                d'. Plan formulated (vv. 10-13a)

                    e'. Covenant between David and Jonathan (vv. 13b-17)

And for those of you who are more artistically than analytically inclined, here is my own small offering illustrating part of I Samuel 19:

                       I Samuel 19 (1992) -- collage on paper