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 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, “My father Saul wants to kill you. I beg you, be careful in the morning. Stay hidden in a secret place.

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. 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 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, 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.

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

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 told him all these things. He brought David to Saul, and David stayed with Saul as before.

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. He killed many of them, and the others ran away from 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 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.

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 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.

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 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 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 ran away.

So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and 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 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 men to take David, Michal said, “He is sick.”

So 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 back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill 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 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 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?’”

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 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 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 S aul was told, “See, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”

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

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 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.

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 in Secu. He asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “See, 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 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 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 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?”

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?”