1 Samuel 19
1 And Saul gave orders to his son Jonathan and to all his servants to put David to death. But Saul's son Jonathan had great delight in David.
Then Saul instructed his son Jonathan and all his officials to kill David. But Jonathan really liked David,
2 And Jonathan said to David, Saul, my father, is purposing your death: so now, take care in the morning, and keep yourself safe in a secret place:
so he warned him, “My father Saul is trying to kill you. So be careful tomorrow morning—find a place to hide and stay hidden.
3 And I will go out and take my place by my father's side in the field near where you are; and I will get into talk with my father about you, and when I see how things are, I will give you word.
I'll go out with my father and stand in the field near to where you are hiding. I'll talk to him about you and see what I can find out, then I'll let you know.”
4 And Jonathan gave his father Saul a good account of David, and said to him, Let not the king do wrong against his servant, against David; because he has done you no wrong, and all his acts have had a good outcome for you:
Then Jonathan spoke positively about David to his father Saul, and told him, “The king should not do anything bad to his servant David because he's not done anything bad to you—he has always served you well.
5 For he put his life in danger and overcame the Philistine, and the Lord gave all Israel salvation: you saw it and were glad: why then are you sinning against him who has done no wrong, desiring the death of David without cause?
He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about great salvation for the whole of Israel. You saw it and you were delighted, so why would you sin and spill innocent blood by killing David without having any reason?”
6 And Saul gave ear to the voice of Jonathan, and said with an oath, By the living Lord, he is not to be put to death.
Saul accepted what Jonathan had to say, and promised with an oath: “I swear on the life of the Lord, he won't be put to death.”
7 Then Jonathan sent for David and gave him word of all these things. And Jonathan took David to Saul, who kept him by his side as in the past.
Later Jonathan called David and told him all that had been said. Then he took him to Saul, and David worked for Saul as he had before.
8 And there was war again: and David went out fighting the Philistines, causing great destruction among them; and they went in flight before him.
War broke out once again, and David went to fight the Philistines. He attacked them so forcefully that they ran away in defeat.
9 And an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul, when he was seated in his house with his spear in his hand; and David made music for him.
A while later an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. As David played the lyre,
10 And Saul would have sent his spear through him, pinning him to the wall, but he got away and the spear went into the wall: and that night David went in flight and got away.
Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear. David managed to dodge the spear which embedded itself in the wall. Then David escaped and ran away into the night.
11 Then in that night Saul sent men to David's house to keep watch on him so as to put him to death in the morning: and David's wife Michal said to him, If you do not go away to a safe place tonight you will be put to death in the morning.
Saul sent some messengers to David's house to keep watch and kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, warned him, “If you don't get away tonight, tomorrow you'll be killed.”
12 So Michal let David down through the window, and he went in flight and got away.
Michal lowered David down from a window, and he ran off, managing to escape.
13 Then Michal took the image and put it in the bed, with a cushion of goat's hair at its head, and she put clothing over it.
Then she took a home idol and laid it in the bed, put a goat hair wig on its head, and covered it with bedclothes.
14 And when Saul sent men to take David, she said, He is ill.
When Saul sent the messengers to arrest David, Michal told them, “He's sick.”
15 And Saul sent his men to see David, saying, Do not come back without him, take him in his bed, so that I may put him to death.
Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him to me in the bed so I can kill him.”
16 And when the men came in, there was the image in the bed, with the cushion of goat's hair at its head
But when the messengers went into the bedroom, there was the idol in the bed with the goat hair wig on its head.
17 And Saul said to Michal, why have you been false to me, letting my hater go and get safely away? And in answer Michal said to Saul, He said to me, Let me go, or I will put you to death.
“Why did you trick me like this—helping my enemy get away so he could escape?” Saul asked Michal. “He told me, ‘Get out of my way! I don't want to have to kill you!’” Michal replied.
18 So David went in flight and got away and came to Ramah, to Samuel, and gave him an account of all Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and were living in Naioth.
This is how David got away and escaped. He went to Samuel at Ramah and explained to him everything that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to stay in Naioth.
19 And word was given to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah.
When Saul got to hear that David was at Naioth in Ramah,
20 And Saul sent men to take David; and when they saw the band of prophets at work, with Samuel in his place at their head, the spirit of God came on Saul's men, and they became like prophets.
he sent messengers to arrest him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying with Samuel leading out, the Spirit of God came on Saul's messengers and they started prophesying too.
21 And Saul, having news of this, sent other men, who in the same way became like prophets. And a third time Saul sent men, and they like the others became like prophets.
Saul was told what had happened, so he sent more messengers, and they started prophesying as well.
22 Then he himself went to Ramah, and came to the great water-spring in Secu; and questioning the people he said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, They are at Naioth in Ramah.
For the third time Saul sent messengers, and they also started prophesying.
23 And he went on from there to Naioth in Ramah: and the spirit of God came on him, and he went on, acting like a prophet, till he came to Naioth in Ramah.
In the end Saul went himself to Ramah and arrived at the large cistern at Secu. “Where are Samuel and David?” he asked. “At Naioth in Ramah,” someone told him. So Saul went on to Naioth at Ramah, but the Spirit of God even came on him, and he was prophesying as he walked along until he arrived in Naioth.
24 And he took off his clothing, acting like a prophet before Samuel, and falling down he was stretched out, without his clothing, all that day and all that night. This is the reason for the saying, Is even Saul among the prophets?
Then Saul also took off his clothes and he too prophesied in Samuel's presence. Then he fell down and lay there naked all that day and all that night. That's why it is said, “Is Saul one of the prophets too?”
