1 Samuel 19
1 Then Saul instructed his son Jonathan and all his officials to kill David. But Jonathan really liked David,
And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that he would kill David. But Jonathan the son of Saul delighted greatly in David.
2 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.
And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee; now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:
3 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.”
And I will go out and stand by the side of my father in the field where thou art, and I myself will speak of thee to my father; and I will see what it is, and I will tell thee.
4 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.
And Jonathan spoke favorably of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; since he hath not sinned against thee, and because his deeds are very good for thee;
5 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?”
And he did put his life in his hand, and he slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel; thou sawest it, and wast rejoiced: wherefore then wilt thou commit sin on innocent blood, by slaying David without a cause?
6 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.”
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be put to death.
7 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.
And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.
8 War broke out once again, and David went to fight the Philistines. He attacked them so forcefully that they ran away in defeat.
And the war occurred again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and smote them with a great defeat, and they fled from before him.
9 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,
And the evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, and he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.
10 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.
And Saul sought to strike David through with the spear even to the wall; but he slipped away from before Saul, who struck the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.
11 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.”
But Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning; and Michal his wife told it to David, saying, If thou save not thy life this night, tomorrow thou wilt be put to death.
12 Michal lowered David down from a window, and he ran off, managing to escape.
And Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
13 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.
And Michal took an image, and put it in the bed, and a pillow of goats' hair she put for its head to rest on, and covered it with a cloth.
14 When Saul sent the messengers to arrest David, Michal told them, “He's sick.”
And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.
15 Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him to me in the bed so I can kill him.”
And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may put him to death.
16 But when the messengers went into the bedroom, there was the idol in the bed with the goat hair wig on its head.
And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for its head to rest on.
17 “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.
And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou thus deceived me, and sent away my enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal said to Saul, He said unto me, Let me go away: why should I kill thee?
18 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.
So David fled, and escaped, and came unto Samuel to Ramah, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and remained in Nayoth.
19 When Saul got to hear that David was at Naioth in Ramah,
And it was told unto Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Nayoth near Ramah.
20 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.
And Saul sent messengers to take David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as superintendent over them: then came upon the messengers of Saul the spirit of God, and they also prophesied.
21 Saul was told what had happened, so he sent more messengers, and they started prophesying as well.
And when it was told to Saul, he sent other messengers, and these prophesied likewise. And Saul sent again messengers the third time, and these also prophesied.
22 For the third time Saul sent messengers, and they also started prophesying.
Then went he himself also to Ramah, and came as far as the great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And some one said, Behold, they are at Nayoth near Ramah.
23 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.
And he went thither to Nayoth near Ramah: and there came upon him also the Spirit of God, and he went on, and prophesied as he went, until he came to Nayoth near Ramah.
24 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?”
And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied himself before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore people are in the habit of saying, Is Saul too among the prophets?
