1 Samuel 19
1 Now Saul spoke to his son Jonathan, and to all his servants, so that they would kill David. But Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David very much.
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.
2 And Jonathan revealed it to David, saying: “Saul, my father, is seeking to kill you. Because of this, I ask you, take care for yourself in the morning. And you should conceal yourself and remain in hiding.
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:
3 Then I, going out, will be standing beside my father in the field, where you will be. And I will speak about you to my father. And whatever I see, I will report to you.”
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.
4 Then Jonathan spoke good things about David to his father Saul. And he said to him: “You should not sin, O king, against your servant David. For he has not sinned against you, and his works toward you are very good.
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:
5 And he took his life in his own hand, and struck down the Philistine. And the Lord wrought a great salvation for all of Israel. You saw it, and you rejoiced. Why then would you sin against innocent blood by killing David, who is without guilt?”
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?
6 And when Saul had heard this, being pleased by the voice of Jonathan, he swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.”
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.
7 And so Jonathan called David, and he revealed to him all of these words. And Jonathan led in David to Saul, and he was before him, just as he had been yesterday and the day before.
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.
8 Then the war was stirred up again. And David went out and fought against the Philistines. And he struck them down with a great slaughter. And they fled from his face.
And there was war again: and David went out fighting the Philistines, causing great destruction among them; and they went in flight before him.
9 And the evil spirit from the Lord came to Saul, who was sitting in his house and holding a lance. And David was playing music with his hand.
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.
10 And Saul attempted to fix David to the wall with the lance. But David turned aside from the face of Saul. And the lance failed to wound him, and it became fixed in the wall. And David fled, and so he was saved that night.
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.
11 Therefore, Saul sent his guards to David’s house, so that they might watch for him, and so that he might be killed in the morning. And after Michal, his wife, had reported this to David, saying, “Unless you save yourself this night, tomorrow you will die,”
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.
12 she lowered him down through a window. Then he fled and went away, and he was saved.
So Michal let David down through the window, and he went in flight and got away.
13 Then Michal took a statue, and placed it on the bed. And she placed the pelt of a goat for the hair at its head. And she covered it with clothes.
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.
14 And Saul sent attendants to seize David. And it was answered that he was sick.
And when Saul sent men to take David, she said, He is ill.
15 And again, Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him to me on the bed, so that he may be killed.”
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.
16 And when the messengers had arrived, they found a likeness on the bed, with a goat pelt at its head.
And when the men came in, there was the image in the bed, with the cushion of goat's hair at its head
17 And Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me in this way, and released my enemy, so that he may flee?” And Michal responded to Saul, “Because he said to me, ‘Release me, otherwise I will kill you.’”
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.
18 Now David was saved by fleeing, and he went to Samuel in Ramah. And he reported to him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went away and stayed at Naioth.
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.
19 Then it was reported to Saul by some, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth, in Ramah.”
And word was given to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah.
20 Therefore, Saul sent officers to seize David. And when they had seen a company of prophets prophesying, with Samuel presiding over them, the Spirit of the Lord also came to them, and they also began to prophesy.
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.
21 And when this was reported to Saul, he sent other messengers. But they also prophesied. And again, Saul sent messengers a third time. And they also prophesied. And Saul, being exceedingly angry,
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.
22 also went to Ramah himself. And he went as far as the great cistern, which is in Socoh. And he inquired and said, “In which place are Samuel and David?” And it was told to him, “Behold, they are at Naioth, in Ramah.”
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.
23 And he went to Naioth, in Ramah, and the Spirit of the Lord came to him also. And he continued on, walking and prophesying, until he arrived at Naioth, in Ramah.
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.
24 And he also took off his garments, and he prophesied with the others before Samuel. And he fell down naked, throughout that day and night. From this, too, is derived the proverb, “Could Saul also be among the prophets?”
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?
