19 Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan liked David very much. 2 So he told David, ‘My father Saul is trying to kill you. Be careful tomorrow morning. Hide in a secret place and stay there. 3 I will go out with my father. I will stand with him in the field where you are hiding. I will talk to him about you. Then I will tell you what he says.’
4 Jonathan spoke to his father Saul. He said good things about David. He said to Saul, ‘The king should not do anything bad against David. David is your servant. He has not done anything that is bad against you. Everything that he does really helps you. 5 David was not afraid to die when he fought against the Philistine, Goliath. When David killed Goliath, the Lord helped Israel to win a great battle. When you saw it, you were very happy. So why do you now want to kill David? He is not guilty of anything that is wrong. You have no reason to kill him.’
6 Saul agreed with Jonathan. He made a promise in the Lord 's name that he would not kill David. 7 Then Jonathan called to David. He told David everything that the king had said. Jonathan took David back to Saul. So David served King Saul as he had done before.
8 The war with the Philistines started again. David went out with his soldiers to fight against them. He attacked them so strongly that the Philistine soldiers ran away.
9 Then the Lord caused an evil spirit to control Saul. Saul was sitting in his house. He had a spear in his hand. David was making music with his harp. 10 Saul threw his spear at David. He wanted to fix David to the wall. But David moved out of the way and the spear hit the wall. That night, David ran away to escape from Saul.
11 Saul sent some of his servants to watch David's house. Saul told them to kill David when he came out in the morning. But David's wife Michal warned him. She said, ‘You must run away tonight. If you do not escape, tomorrow you will die!’ 12 So Michal helped David to leave the house through a window. He ran away and he escaped.
13 Then Michal took an idol and she put it on the bed. She covered the idol with a blanket and she put a pillow of goat's hair at its head.
14 Saul sent some of his men to take hold of David. Michal told them that David was ill. 15 Saul then told the men to go back to David's house. He said to them, ‘Bring David to me on his bed. Then I will kill him.’ 16 The men returned to David's house. They found the idol on the bed and the pillow of goat's hair at its head.
17 Saul said to Michal, ‘You have deceived me! You have helped my enemy to escape!’ Michal said to him, ‘David told me that I must help him to escape. He said that he would kill me if I did not help him.’
18 David ran away and he escaped from Saul. He went to visit Samuel at Ramah. David told Samuel everything that Saul had done to him. Then David and Samuel went to live in Naioth. [ a ]
19 Somebody told Saul that David was living at Naioth in Ramah. 20 So Saul sent men to take hold of David. When the men arrived, they saw a group of prophets. Samuel was their leader. They were all prophesying. Then the Spirit of God came on Saul's men. They also started to prophesy. 21 When people told Saul about this, he sent more men to Naioth. But they prophesied too. So Saul sent a third group of men. These men also started to prophesy.
22 Then Saul himself went to Ramah. He went as far as the large well at Secu. He asked the people, ‘Where are Samuel and David?’ The people replied, ‘They are at Naioth in Ramah.’
23 Saul went to Naioth. The Spirit of God came on him also. He started to prophesy as he walked towards Naioth. 24 When he met Samuel, he took off his clothes and he continued to prophesy. He lay on the ground with no clothes all that day and all that night. So people still say, ‘Has Saul really become one of the prophets?’
19 Saul told his son Jonathan and his officers to kill David. But Jonathan liked David very much, 2-3 so he warned him. “Be careful! Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. In the morning go into the field and hide. I will go out into the field with my father. We will stand in the field where you are hiding. I will talk to my father about you, and I will tell you what I learn.”
4 Jonathan talked to his father Saul. Jonathan said good things about David. He said, “You are the king. David is your servant. David hasn’t done anything wrong to you, so don’t do anything wrong to him. He has always been good to you. 5 He risked his life when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and you were happy. Why do you want to hurt David? He’s innocent. There is no reason to kill him.”
6 Saul listened to Jonathan and made a promise. He said, “As surely as the Lord lives, David won’t be put to death.”
7 So Jonathan called David and told him everything that was said. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.
8 Once again there was war with the Philistines, and David went out to fight. He defeated them badly, and they ran away. 9 Later, in Saul’s house, David was playing the harp. Saul was there with his spear in his hand. Then an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul. 10 Saul threw his spear at David and tried to pin him to the wall. David jumped out of the way, so the spear missed him and stuck in the wall. That night, David ran away.
11 Saul sent men to watch David’s house. They stayed there all night. They were waiting to kill David in the morning, but David’s wife Michal warned him. She said, “You must run away tonight and save your life. If you don’t, you will be killed tomorrow.” 12 Then Michal let David down out of a window, and he escaped and ran away. 13 Michal took the household god, put clothes on it, and put goats’ hair on its head. Then she put the statue in the bed.
14 Saul sent messengers to take David prisoner. But Michal said, “David is sick.”
15 The men went and told Saul, but he sent the messengers back to see David. Saul told these men, “Bring David to me. Bring him lying on his bed if you must, even if it kills him.”
16 The messengers went to David’s house. They went inside to get him, but they saw it was only a statue and that its hair was only goats’ hair.
17 Saul said to Michal, “Why did you trick me like this? You let my enemy escape, and now he is gone.”
Michal answered Saul, “David told me he would kill me if I didn’t help him escape.”
18 David escaped and ran away to Samuel at Ramah. He told Samuel everything that Saul had done to him. Then David and Samuel went to the camps where the prophets stayed. David stayed there.
19 Saul heard that David was there in the camps near Ramah. 20 So he sent some men to arrest David. But when they came to the camps, there was a group of prophets prophesying. [ a ] Samuel was standing there leading the group. The Spirit of God came on Saul’s messengers and they began prophesying.
21 Saul heard about this, so he sent other messengers, but they also began prophesying. So Saul sent messengers a third time, and they also began prophesying. 22 Finally, Saul himself went to Ramah. Saul came to the big well by the threshing floor at Secu. He asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”
The people answered, “In the camps near Ramah.”
23 So Saul went out to the camps near Ramah. The Spirit of God came on Saul, and he also began prophesying. He prophesied all the way to the camps at Ramah. 24 Saul even took off his clothes. He lay there naked all day and through the night. So even Saul prophesied there in front of Samuel.
That is why people say, “Is Saul also one of the prophets?”
19 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
2 But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:
3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee.
4 And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:
5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?
6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain.
7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.
8 And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him.
9 And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.
10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin: but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.
11 Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.
12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.
14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.
15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.
17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?
18 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.
19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.
20 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.
21 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.
22 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.
23 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.
24 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?
19 Now Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants ( A ) to put David to death. But ( B ) Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David. 2 So Jonathan informed David, saying, “My father Saul is seeking to put you to death. Now then, please be on your guard in the morning, and stay in a hiding place and conceal yourself. 3 And as for me, I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are hiding , and I will speak with my father about you; and ( C ) whatever I [ a ] find out, I will tell you.” 4 Then Jonathan ( D ) spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “ ( E ) May the king not sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very [ b ] beneficial to you. 5 For ( F ) he took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and ( G ) the Lord brought about a great [ c ] victory for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. ( H ) Why then would you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death [ d ] for no reason?” 6 Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul vowed, “As the Lord lives, David shall not be put to death.” 7 Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as ( I ) before.
8 When there was war again, David went out and fought the Philistines and [ e ] defeated them with great slaughter, so that they fled from him. 9 Now there was ( J ) an evil spirit from the Lord on Saul as he was sitting in his house ( K ) with his spear in his hand, ( L ) and David was playing the harp with his hand. 10 ( M ) And Saul tried to [ f ] pin David to the wall with the spear, but he escaped from Saul’s presence, so that he stuck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
11 Then ( N ) Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, informed him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death!” 12 ( O ) So Michal let David down through a window, and he went and fled, and escaped. 13 And Michal took ( P ) the [ g ] household idol and laid it on the bed, and put a quilt of goats’ hair at its head, and covered it with clothing. 14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “ ( Q ) He is sick.” 15 Then Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me on [ h ] his bed, so that I may put him to death.” 16 When the messengers entered, behold, the [ i ] household idol was on the bed with the quilt of goats’ hair at its head. 17 So Saul said to Michal, “Why have you betrayed me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! ( R ) Why should I put you to death?’”
18 So David fled and escaped, and came ( S ) to Samuel at Ramah; and he informed him of everything that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in ( T ) Naioth. 19 But it was reported to Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 Then ( U ) Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw ( V ) the company of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and ( W ) they also prophesied. 21 When Saul was informed of this , he sent other messengers, but they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, yet they prophesied. 22 Then he went to Ramah himself and came as far as the large well that is in Secu; and he [ j ] asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 So he [ k ] proceeded there to Naioth in Ramah; but ( X ) the Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and [ l ] lay down [ m ] ( Y ) naked all that day and all night. Therefore they say, “ ( Z ) Is Saul also among the prophets?”
19 Saul told his son Jonathan ( A ) and all the attendants to kill ( B ) David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David 2 and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding ( C ) and stay there. 3 I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak ( D ) to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”
4 Jonathan spoke ( E ) well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong ( F ) to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. 5 He took his life ( G ) in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory ( H ) for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent ( I ) man like David by killing him for no reason?”
6 Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”
7 So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before. ( J )
8 Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.
9 But an evil [ a ] spirit ( K ) from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre, ( L ) 10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded ( M ) him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.
11 Saul sent men to David’s house to watch ( N ) it and to kill him in the morning. ( O ) But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window, ( P ) and he fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took an idol ( Q ) and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.
14 When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said, ( R ) “He is ill.”
15 Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.” 16 But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair.
17 Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?”
Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’”
18 When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah ( S ) and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. 19 Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah”; 20 so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets ( T ) prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on ( U ) Saul’s men, and they also prophesied. ( V ) 21 Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”
“Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said.
23 So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying ( W ) until he came to Naioth. 24 He stripped ( X ) off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s ( Y ) presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” ( Z )
