Samuel 19:18-24

So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets? (KJV)

This flight of David from Saul was the beginning of his wilderness journey that would test David’s faith in God. From this point on David will be an enemy of the state as he will be hunted down by Saul and his servants. David’s first stop in this journey was to see Samuel. Samuel , an old man at this time, was still respected as a man of God by the nation of Israel. David related to Samuel all that Saul had done to him during this meeting. After this David and Samuel lived at Naioth, which was probably Samuel’s school for training prophets. David was probably refreshed by the daily conversations with Samuel at this time. Just the history that Samuel could have shared with David during his seventy plus years could have been a great inspiration to David. He had witness the nation on Israel move from twevle tribes to a kingdom during hs life time. . I would like to compare this time that David spent with Samuel to the six years I spent at Tennessee Temple University studying under some of the best Bible teachers at that time.

We are not told how long David spent here with Samuel; however, Saul was told that David was abiding there with Samuel. All three groups of messengers that Saul sent there to take David started to prophesying as soon as they came in the presence of Samuel and the prophets. Finally, Saul himself went after David and he started prophesying and the Spirit of God came upon him. Here Saul under the control of the Spirit of God prophesied and stripped off all his clothes and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets? Saul in his pursue of David went to the spiritual center of Israel at that time and faced Samuel the man of God whom he had broken off all relationship with after Samuel had confronted Saul for his disobedience. However, there was no change in Saul as future events will show his true character.