Saul not only plotted to have David killed but determined to kill him (19:1-7). He told Jonathan his son and all his servants to kill David.
Because of his great delight in David, Jonathan protected him (vv. 1b-3). Jonathan informed David that his father was seeking to kill him. Also, Jonathan promised David that he would speak about him to Saul and then tell David anything that he might learn.
Jonathan appeased Saul concerning David by relating all the marvelous deeds David had done for Saul and for all Israel (vv. 4-5). As a result, Saul was appeased not to kill David, and David was in Saul's presence as before (vv. 6-7).
Saul was appeased only temporarily, for he attempted again to kill David (vv. 8-24; cf. Psa. 59, title).
Saul tried to strike David to the wall while David was playing the lyre to Saul when Saul was troubled by an evil spirit from God (vv. 9-10a). Some readers of this book may be bothered by the fact that an evil spirit from Jehovah came upon Saul. They may wonder how such a thing could happen. In matters such as this, we need to realize that God is sovereign and that everything is under Him and everything is for Him to carry out His eternal plan.
David fled from Saul with the help of his wife Michal, Saul's daughter (vv. 10b-17). The very one whom Saul thought would be a snare to David was a help to him.
David fled and came to Samuel at Ramah (vv. 18-24). In doing this David went to the proper source to receive consolation. Saul sent messengers three times to seize David, and each time the Spirit of God came upon the messengers to cause them to prophesy (vv. 19-21). Then Saul himself went to Ramah, and the Spirit of God came upon him as well to cause him to prophesy, even to strip off his clothes and prophesy before Samuel, laying naked all that day and all that night (vv. 22-24).
Chapter twenty describes Jonathan's help to David. David entreated Jonathan to save him (vv. 1-10), and Jonathan helped David to flee from Saul (vv. 11-41a). Eventually, David and Jonathan departed from each other in the covenanted love (vv. 41b-42a), and David fled from Saul (v. 42b). This was all that David could do.