1 Samuel 19
1 Then spake Saul unto Jonathan his son, and unto all his servants, that they should put David to death;
Then Saul instructed his son Jonathan and all his officials to kill David. But Jonathan really liked David,
2 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;
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 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.
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 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.
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 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?
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 hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan, —and Saul sware, By the life of Yahweh, he shall not 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 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.
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 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,
War broke out once again, and David went to fight the Philistines. He attacked them so forcefully that they ran away in defeat.
9 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,
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 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.
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 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.
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 down David, through the window, and he departed and fled, and escaped.
Michal lowered David down from a window, and he ran off, managing to escape.
13 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.
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 messengers to take David, she said—He is, sick.
When Saul sent the messengers to arrest David, Michal told them, “He's sick.”
15 So Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, —Bring him up in the bed unto me, 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 messengers entered, lo! the household god in the bed, —with a fly-net 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 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?
“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, 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.
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 it was told Saul, saying, —Lo! David, is in Naioth, in Ramah.
When Saul got to hear that David was at Naioth in Ramah,
20 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.
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, 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.
Saul was told what had happened, so he sent more messengers, and they started prophesying as well.
22 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.
For the third time Saul sent messengers, and they also started prophesying.
23 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.
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, 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?
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?”
