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 spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in 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.

So Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide.

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 speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, 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.

Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward 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 killed 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, to 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.”

So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “ As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.”

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.

Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So 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.

And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from 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.

Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music 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.

Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So 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 also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “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 a window. And he went and 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 an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes.

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

So 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 back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill 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 had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his 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?’”

Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?” And 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 went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.

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

Now it was told Saul, saying, “Take note, 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.

Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader 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.

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

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 he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Indeed 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 there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and 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?”

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