1 Samuel 19
1 And Saul speaketh unto Jonathan his son, and unto all his servants, to put David to death,
Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan delighted greatly in David,
2 and Jonathan son of Saul delighted exceedingly in David, and Jonathan declareth to David, saying, 'Saul my father is seeking to put thee to death, and, now, take heed, I pray thee, in the morning, and thou hast abode in a secret place, and been hidden,
so he warned David, saying, “My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning; find a secret place and hide there.
3 and I — I go out, and have stood by the side of my father in the field where thou [art], and I speak of thee unto my father, and have seen what [is coming], and have declared to thee.'
I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, so I can ask about you. And if I find out anything, I will tell you.”
4 And Jonathan speaketh good of David unto Saul his father, and saith unto him, 'Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works for thee [are] very good;
Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David; he has not sinned against you. In fact, his actions have been highly beneficial to you.
5 yea, he putteth his life in his hand, and smiteth the Philistine, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation for all Israel; thou hast seen, and dost rejoice, and why dost thou sin against innocent blood, to put David to death for nought?'
He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?”
6 And Saul hearkeneth to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul sweareth, 'Jehovah liveth — he doth not die.'
Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”
7 And Jonathan calleth for David, and Jonathan declareth to him all these words, and Jonathan bringeth in David unto Saul, and he is before him as heretofore.
So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul to serve him as he had before.
8 And there addeth to be war, and David goeth out and fighteth against the Philistines, and smiteth among them — a great smiting, and they flee from his face.
When war broke out again, David went out and fought the Philistines and struck them with such a mighty blow that they fled before him.
9 And a spirit of sadness [from] Jehovah is unto Saul, and he is sitting in his house, and his javelin in his hand, and David is playing with the hand,
But as Saul was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, a spirit of distress from the LORD came upon him. While David was playing the harp,
10 and Saul seeketh to smite with the javelin through David, and through the wall, and he freeth himself from the presence of Saul, and he smiteth the javelin through the wall; and David hath fled and escapeth during that night.
Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear. But the spear struck the wall and David eluded him, ran away, and escaped that night.
11 And Saul sendeth messengers unto the house of David to watch him, and to put him to death in the morning; and Michal his wife declareth to David, saying, 'If thou art not delivering thy life to-night — tomorrow thou art put to death.'
Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!”
12 And Michal causeth David to go down through the window, and he goeth on, and fleeth, and escapeth;
So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped.
13 and Michal taketh the teraphim, and layeth on the bed, and the mattress of goats' [hair] she hath put [for] his pillows, and covereth with a garment.
Then Michal took a household idol and laid it in the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment.
14 And Saul sendeth messengers to take David, and she saith, 'He [is] sick.'
When Saul sent the messengers to seize David, Michal said, “He is ill.”
15 And Saul sendeth the messengers to see David, saying, 'Bring him up in the bed unto me,' — to put him to death.
But Saul sent the messengers back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so I can kill him.”
16 And the messengers come in, and lo, the teraphim [are] on the bed, and the mattress of goats' [hair], [for] his pillows.
And when the messengers entered, there was the idol in the bed with the quilt of goats’ hair on its head.
17 And Saul saith unto Michal, 'Why thus hast thou deceived me — that thou dost send away mine enemy, and he is escaped?' and Michal saith unto Saul, 'He said unto me, Send me away: why do I put thee to death?'
And Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away and he has escaped!” Michal replied, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away, or I will kill you!’”
18 And David hath fled, and is escaped, and cometh in unto Samuel to Ramath, and declareth to him all that Saul hath done to him, and he goeth, he and Samuel, and they dwell in Naioth.
So David ran away and escaped. And he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.
19 And it is declared to Saul, saying, 'Lo, David [is] in Naioth in Ramah.'
When Saul was told that David was at Naioth in Ramah,
20 And Saul sendeth messengers to take David, and they see the assembly of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing, set over them, and the Spirit of God is on Saul's messengers, and they prophesy — they also.
he sent messengers to capture him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy.
21 And they declare [it] to Saul, and he sendeth other messengers, and they prophesy — they also; and Saul addeth and sendeth messengers a third time, and they prophesy — they also.
When this was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they began to prophesy as well. So Saul tried again and sent messengers a third time, and even they began to prophesy.
22 And he goeth — he also — to Ramath, and cometh in unto the great well which [is] in Sechu, and asketh, and saith, 'Where [are] Samuel and David?' and [one] saith, 'Lo, in Naioth in Ramah.'
Finally, Saul himself left for Ramah and came to the large cistern at Secu, where he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “At Naioth in Ramah,” he was told.
23 And he goeth thither — unto Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God is upon him — him also; and he goeth, going on, and he prophesieth till his coming in to Naioth in Ramah,
So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon even Saul, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24 and he strippeth off — he also — his garments, and prophesieth — he also — before Samuel, and falleth down naked all that day and all the night; therefore they say, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'
Then Saul stripped off his robes and also prophesied before Samuel. And he collapsed and lay naked all that day and night. That is why it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
