12. Through a window. The word translated “window” comes from a verb meaning “to bore,” “to pierce.” Anciently, houses were usually built in such a way that all openings faced a walled-in courtyard, except for one main outside entrance. Often the roofs were flat and could be reached either from the inside of the house or from the courtyard. The record does not state whether the opening through which Michal let down David was onto the roof, or whether it overlooked the rear of the house. In any case it was at some point opposite the front entrance, where the emissaries from the king stood watch. The spies were let down from the walls of Jericho in a similar way (Joshua 2:15); Paul was let down over the wall at Damascus (Acts 9:25); the disciples opened the flat roof to let the paralytic down in the presence of Jesus (Luke 5:19). The wisdom of Michal’s prompt action became apparent when the officers commissioned to arrest David clamored for admission the next morning.
There are times when the cause of right can be advanced better by flight than by fighting. Some may think that inasmuch as God had anointed David, and Saul had so far departed from right as to attempt murder, it would have been better for David to stand his ground. Heretofore he had never turned his back to an enemy. Had he faced Saul in the same spirit that he met Goliath, he could not have failed to draw many of the people to his side; but such an action would have led to civil war, for Saul was also popular and many obeyed him implicitly. As events later proved, it was seven years after the death of Saul before David was accepted by all Israel. As with David, so with Christ. Fearless and unafraid, the Saviour could have summoned the armies of heaven to His aid. Instead, He permitted evil men to have their day.