1 N ow Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan found much joy in David.
Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants that they must kill David.
2 S o Jonathan told David, “My father Saul wants to kill you. I beg you, be careful in the morning. Stay hidden in a secret place.
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. I will speak to my father about you. If I find out anything, 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, 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.
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 H e 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?”
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 Jonathan, and promised, “As the Lord lives, David will not be killed.”
Saul heeded Jonathan and swore, As the Lord lives, David shall not be slain.
7 T hen Jonathan called David and told him all these things. He brought David to Saul, and David stayed with Saul as before.
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. He killed many of them, and the others ran away from 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 T hen 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.
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 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.
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 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.”
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 ran away.
So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled and escaped.
13 M ichal took a house god and laid it on the bed. She put a goat hair pillow 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 men to take David, Michal said, “He is sick.”
And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.
15 T hen Saul sent men to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.”
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 men came in, the house god was on the bed, with the goat hair pillow 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 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?’”
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 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.
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 S aul was told, “See, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”
And it was told Saul, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.
20 S o 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.
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 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.
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 in Secu. He asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “See, 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 S o 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.
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 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?”
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?