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 spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should slay David. But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much 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 told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to slay thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:
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 stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and if I see aught, I will tell thee.
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 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 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 his hand, and smote the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great victory 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 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 hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not 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.
And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as beforetime.
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, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled 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 was upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David played with his hand.
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 sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.
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,”
And Saul 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, tomorrow thou shalt be slain.
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, and fled, and escaped;
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.
And Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ [hair] at the head thereof, and covered it with the clothes.
14 And Saul sent attendants to seize David. And it was answered that he was sick.
And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.
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 the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
16 And when the messengers had arrived, they found a likeness on the bed, with a goat pelt at its head.
And when the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ [hair] at the head thereof.
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 unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me thus, and let mine enemy go, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?
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.
Now 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 Then it was reported to Saul by some, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth, in Ramah.”
And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is 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 messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied;
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 when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.
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 went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be 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 thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until 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 also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
