1 A nd Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan found much joy in David.

2 B ut Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh 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, “My father Saul wants to kill you. I beg you, be careful in the morning. Stay hidden in a secret place.

3 A nd I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune 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. I will speak to my father about you. If I find out anything, I will tell you.”

4 A nd Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:

Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, saying, “Do not let the king sin against his servant David. He has not sinned against you. What he has done has been good for you.

5 F or he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

He put his life in danger and killed the Philistine. And the Lord helped all Israel with His saving power. You saw it and were glad. Why then will you sin against him who has done no wrong, by killing David for no reason?”

6 A nd Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain.

Saul listened to Jonathan, and promised, “As the Lord lives, David will not be killed.”

7 A nd Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed 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 told him all these things. He brought David to Saul, and David stayed with Saul as before.

8 A nd 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. He killed many of them, and the others ran away from him.

9 A nd the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.

Then a bad spirit sent from the Lord came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. David was playing the harp.

10 A nd Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin: but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.

Saul tried to nail David to the wall with the spear, but David got out of the way. Saul hit the wall with the spear, and David ran away that night.

11 S aul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.

Then Saul sent men to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal told him, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.”

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 ran away.

13 A nd Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.

Michal took a house god and laid it on the bed. She put a goat hair pillow 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 men to take David, Michal 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 men to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.”

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

When the men came in, the house god was on the bed, with the goat hair pillow at its head.

17 A nd Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?

So Saul said to Michal, “Why have you fooled me like this and let the man I hate go? Now he has run away to be safe.” Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

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

Now David ran away from Saul and came to Samuel at Ramah. He told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.

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

Saul was told, “See, 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 was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

So Saul sent men to take David. But when they saw the men of God saying what was going to happen, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon the men sent by Saul. And they began saying what was going to happen also.

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 Saul heard this, he sent other men, and they began saying what was going to happen. So Saul sent men for the third time, and they began saying what was going to happen.

22 T hen went he also 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 be at Naioth in Ramah.

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

23 A nd he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

So he went to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also. As he traveled he said what would happen, 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. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

He took off his clothes and said what was going to happen in front of Samuel. He lay down without clothing all that day and all that night. So they say, “Is Saul among those who say what will happen?”