< 1 Samuel 19 >

1 Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan delighted greatly in David,
Then spake Saul unto Jonathan his son, and unto all his servants, that they should put David to death;
2 so he warned David, saying, “My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning; find a secret place and hide there.
but, Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted in David, exceedingly, —so Jonathan told David, saying, Saul, my father, is seeking to put thee to death, —now, therefore, take heed to thyself I pray thee, in the morning, and abide thou in concealment, and hide thyself;
3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, so I can ask about you. And if I find out anything, I will tell you.”
and, I, will come out and stand beside my father, in the field where, thou, art, and, I, will speak of thee unto my father, —and, if I see aught, I will tell thee.
4 Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David; he has not sinned against you. In fact, his actions have been highly beneficial to you.
So then Jonathan spake of David things that were good, unto Saul his father, —and said unto him—May the king not sin against his servant—against David; for he hath not sinned against, thee, nay, indeed, his doings have been good to theeward exceedingly.
5 He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?”
And, when he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and Yahweh wrought a great victory for all Israel, thou sawest, and didst rejoice. Wherefore, then, shouldst thou sin against innocent blood by putting David to death, without cause?
6 Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan, —and Saul sware, By the life of Yahweh, he shall not be put to death!
7 So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul to serve him as he had before.
And Jonathan called for David, and Jonathan told him all these things, —and Jonathan brought in David unto Saul, and so he was in his presence, as aforetime.
8 When war broke out again, David went out and fought the Philistines and struck them with such a mighty blow that they fled before him.
But, when the war again brake out, —and David went forth and fought with the Philistines, and smote them with a great smiting, and they fled before him,
9 But as Saul was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, a spirit of distress from the LORD came upon him. While David was playing the harp,
then came there a sad spirit of Yahweh unto Saul, he being in his house, seated, with his spear in his hand, —while, David, played with his hand,
10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear. But the spear struck the wall and David eluded him, ran away, and escaped that night.
Saul sought to smite David with the spear, even to the wall, but he slipped away from before Saul, who smote the spear into the wall, —whereas, David, fled and escaped, that night.
11 Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!”
And Saul sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to put him to death, in the morning! And Michal his wife told David, saying, If thou do not deliver thyself to-night, to-morrow, art thou to be put to death.
12 So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped.
So Michal let down David, through the window, and he departed and fled, and escaped.
13 Then Michal took a household idol and laid it in the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment.
And Michal took the household god, and put it in the bed, and, a fly-net of goat’s-hair, put she at its head, —and covered it with the clothes.
14 When Saul sent the messengers to seize David, Michal said, “He is ill.”
And, when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said—He is, sick.
15 But Saul sent the messengers back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so I can kill him.”
So Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, —Bring him up in the bed unto me, that I may put him to death.
16 And when the messengers entered, there was the idol in the bed with the quilt of goats’ hair on its head.
And, when the messengers entered, lo! the household god in the bed, —with a fly-net of goat’s-hair at its head.
17 And Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away and he has escaped!” Michal replied, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away, or I will kill you!’”
And Saul said unto Michal—Wherefore, in this way, hast thou deceived me, and let go mine enemy, that he hath escaped? Then said Michal unto Saul, He, himself, said unto me—Let me go, wherefore should I put thee to death?
18 So David ran away and escaped. And he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.
So, David, fled, and escaped, and came in unto Samuel in Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him, —and he and Samuel departed, and dwelt in Naioth.
19 When Saul was told that David was at Naioth in Ramah,
And it was told Saul, saying, —Lo! David, is in Naioth, in Ramah.
20 he sent messengers to capture him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy.
So Saul sent messengers to take David, but, when they saw the assembly of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, then came the Spirit of God upon the messengers of Saul, and, they also, were, moved to prophesy.
21 When this was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they began to prophesy as well. So Saul tried again and sent messengers a third time, and even they began to prophesy.
And, when they told Saul, and he sent other messengers, then were, they also, moved to prophesy. And, when Saul again sent messengers a third time, then were, they also, moved to prophesy.
22 Finally, Saul himself left for Ramah and came to the large cistern at Secu, where he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “At Naioth in Ramah,” he was told.
Then went, he also himself, to Ramah, and came in as far as the well of the threshing-floor which is in Sephi, and asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said—Lo! in Naioth, in Ramah.
23 So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon even Saul, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
And, when he departed from thence towards Naioth in Ramah, then came upon, him also, the Spirit of God, and he went on and on, and was moved to prophesy, until he entered Naioth in Ramah.
24 Then Saul stripped off his robes and also prophesied before Samuel. And he collapsed and lay naked all that day and night. That is why it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
And, even he, stripped off his upper garments, and, even he, was moved to prophesy before Samuel, and lay prostrate, disrobed, all that day, and all the night. For this cause, do they say, Is, even Saul, among the prophets?

< 1 Samuel 19 >