1 Samuel 19
1 And Saul speaketh unto Jonathan his son, and unto all his servants, to put David to death,
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.
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,
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.
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.'
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.”
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 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.
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?'
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?”
6 And Saul hearkeneth to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul sweareth, 'Jehovah liveth — he doth not die.'
And when Saul had heard this, being pleased by the voice of Jonathan, he swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.'
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,”
12 And Michal causeth David to go down through the window, and he goeth on, and fleeth, and escapeth;
she lowered him down through a window. Then he fled and went away, and he was saved.
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 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.
14 And Saul sendeth messengers to take David, and she saith, 'He [is] sick.'
And Saul sent attendants to seize David. And it was answered that he was sick.
15 And Saul sendeth the messengers to see David, saying, 'Bring him up in the bed unto me,' — to put him to death.
And again, Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him to me on the bed, so that he may be killed.”
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 had arrived, they found a likeness on the bed, with a goat pelt at 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 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.’”
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.
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.
19 And it is declared to Saul, saying, 'Lo, David [is] in Naioth in Ramah.'
Then it was reported to Saul by some, saying, “Behold, David is 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.
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.
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.
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,
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.'
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.”
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,
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.
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?'
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?”
