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

Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants that they must kill David.

2 S o 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.

But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David, and he told David, Saul my father is seeking to kill you. Now therefore, take heed to yourself in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself.

3 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.”

And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are; and I will converse with my father about you and if I learn anything, I will tell you.

4 T hen 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.

And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, Let not the king sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you, and his deeds have been of good service to you.

5 F or 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?”

For he took his life in his hands and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great deliverance for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood and kill David without a cause?

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

Saul heeded Jonathan and swore, As the Lord lives, David shall not be slain.

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

So Jonathan called David and told him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.

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

Then there was war again, and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and made a great slaughter among them and they fled before him.

9 N ow 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.

Then an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.

10 S aul 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.

Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away, so that Saul struck the spear into the wall. Then David fled and escaped that night.

11 T hen 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.”

Saul sent messengers that night to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, 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 out and fled and escaped.

So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled and escaped.

13 M ichal 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.

And Michal took the teraph (household good luck image) and laid it in the bed, put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head, and covered it with a bedspread.

14 W hen Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “ He is sick.”

And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.

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

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

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

And when the messengers came in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’ hair at its head.

17 S o 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?’”

Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me so and sent away my enemy so that he has escaped? Michal answered Saul, He said to me, Let me go. Why should I kill you?

18 N ow 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.

So 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 dwelt in Naioth.

19 I t was told Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”

And it was told Saul, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.

20 T hen 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.

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

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

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

22 T hen 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.”

Then Saul himself went to Ramah and came to a great well that is in Secu; and he asked, Where are Samuel and David? And he was told, They are at Naioth in Ramah.

23 H e 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.

So he went on to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went on he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24 H e 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?”

He took off his royal robes and prophesied before Samuel and lay down stripped thus all that day and night. So they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?