1 ¶ And Saul spoke to Jonathan, his son, and to all his slaves that they should kill David.

Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to put David to death. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David.

2 B ut Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David, and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul, my father, seeks to kill thee: now, therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning and abide in a secret place and hide thyself.

So Jonathan told David saying, “Saul my father is seeking to put you to death. Now therefore, please be on guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself.

3 A nd I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will speak with my father of thee, and what I see, that I will tell thee.

I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you; if I find out anything, then I will tell you.”

4 A nd Jonathan spoke good of David unto Saul, his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his slave David, for he has not sinned against thee; on the other hand his works have been very good for thee,

Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “ Do not let the king sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very beneficial to you.

5 f or he put his soul in his hand and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel. Thou didst see it and rejoice. Why then wilt thou sin against innocent blood to slay David without a cause?

For he took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death without a cause?”

6 A nd Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, As the LORD lives, he shall not be slain.

Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul vowed, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.”

7 A nd Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.

Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as formerly.

8 ¶ And there was war again, and David went out and fought with the Philistines and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him.

When there was war again, David went out and fought with the Philistines and defeated them with great slaughter, so that they fled before him.

9 A nd the 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.

Now there was an evil spirit from the Lord on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand.

10 A nd Saul sought to smite David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, who smote the spear into the wall; and David fled and escaped that night.

Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, so that he stuck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

11 ¶ Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house to watch him and to slay him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be dead.

Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death.”

12 S o Michal let David down through a window, and he went and fled and escaped.

So Michal let David down through a window, and he went out and fled and escaped.

13 T hen Michal took an image and laid it in the bed and put a pillow of goats’ hair at his head and covered it with a cloth.

Michal took the household idol and laid it on the bed, and put a quilt of goats’ hair at its head, and covered it with clothes.

14 A nd when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.

When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “ He is sick.”

15 A nd Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed that I may slay him.

Then Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me on his bed, that I may put him to death.”

16 A nd when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed with a pillow of goats’ hair at his head.

When the messengers entered, behold, the household idol was on the bed with the quilt of goats’ hair at its head.

17 A nd Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so and sent away my enemy that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; if not, I shall kill thee.

So Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I put you to death?’”

18 ¶ So David fled and escaped and came to Samuel in Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

Now David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.

19 A nd it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.

It was told Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”

20 A nd Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied.

21 A nd when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.

When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.

22 T hen he also went to Ramah and came to a great well that is in Sechu, and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.

Then he himself went to Ramah and came as far as the large well that is in Secu; and he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.”

23 A nd he went there 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.

He proceeded there to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24 A nd he stripped off his clothes also and prophesied before Samuel in like manner and lay down naked all that day and all that night. From here it was said, Is Saul also among the prophets?

He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “ Is Saul also among the prophets?”