1 S aul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in 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 J onathan told David, saying, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Now therefore, please take care of yourself in the morning, and live in a secret place, and hide yourself.

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 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will talk with my father about you; and if I see anything, I will tell you.”

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 J onathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Don’t let 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;

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 put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill 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 S aul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, “As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death.”

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

7 J onathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as before.

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

8 T here was war again. David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before 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 n evil spirit from Yahweh was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing 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 S aul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he stuck the spear into the wall. 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 sent messengers to David’s house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you don’t save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.”

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 the window. He went away, fled, and escaped.

So Michal let David down through a window, and he ran away.

13 M ichal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head, and covered it with clothes.

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

When Saul sent men to take David, Michal said, “He is sick.”

15 S aul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.”

Then Saul sent men to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.”

16 W hen the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head.

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

17 S aul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he is escaped?” Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

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 N ow David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived 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 S aul was told, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”

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

20 S aul sent messengers to seize David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, God’s Spirit came on Saul’s messengers, 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 W hen Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.

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 he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: and he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” One said, “Behold, they are 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 H e went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then God’s Spirit came on 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 H e also stripped off his clothes, and he also 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 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?”