1 Samuel, 19

1. Saul let his son Jonathan and all his servants know of his intention to kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, held David in great affection;

1. And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.

2. and Jonathan warned David, 'My father Saul is looking for a way to kill you, so be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding, stay out of sight.

2. And Jonathan told David, "Saul my father seeks to kill you; therefore take heed to yourself in the morning, stay in a secret place and hide yourself;

3. I shall go out and keep my father company in the countryside where you will be, and shall talk to my father about you; I shall see what the situation is and then tell you.'

3. and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you; and if I learn anything I will tell you."

4. Jonathan spoke highly of David to Saul his father and said, 'The king should not harm his servant David; far from harming you, what he has done has been greatly to your advantage.

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

5. He took his life in his hands, he killed the Philistine, and Yahweh brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw for yourself. How pleased you were! Why then sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?'

5. for he took his life in his hand and he slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced; why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?"

6. Saul was impressed by Jonathan's words. Saul swore, 'As Yahweh lives, I will not kill him.'

6. And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan; Saul swore, "As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death."

7. Jonathan called David and told him all this. Jonathan then brought him to Saul, and David remained in attendance as before.

7. And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

8. War broke out again and David sallied out to fight the Philistines; he inflicted a great defeat on them and they fled before him.

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

9. An evil spirit from Yahweh came over Saul while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand; David was playing the harp.

9. 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 the lyre.

10. Saul tried to pin David to the wall with his spear, but he avoided Saul's thrust and the spear stuck in the wall. David fled and made good his escape. That same night

10. And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled, and escaped.

11. Saul sent agents to watch David's house, intending to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, warned him, 'If you do not escape tonight, you will be a dead man tomorrow!'

11. That night Saul sent messengers 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. Michal then let David down through the window, and he made off, took to flight and so escaped.

12. So Michal let David down through the window; and he fled away and escaped.

13. Michal then took a domestic image, laid it on the bed, put a tress of goats' hair at the head of the bed and put a cover over it.

13. Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with the clothes.

14. When Saul sent the agents to arrest David, she said, 'He is ill.'

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

15. Saul sent the agents back to see David, with the words, 'Bring him to me on his bed, for me to kill him!'

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

16. So in the agents went, and there in bed was the image, with the tress of goats' hair on its head!

16. And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head.

17. Saul then said to Michal, 'Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, and so make his escape?' Michal replied to Saul, 'He said, "Let me go, or I shall kill you!" '

17. Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?" And Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, `Let me go; why should I kill you?'"

18. David, having fled and made his escape, went to Samuel at Ramah and told him exactly how Saul had treated him; he and Samuel went and lived in the huts.

18. Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt at Nai'oth.

19. Word was brought to Saul, 'David is in the huts at Ramah.'

19. And it was told Saul, "Behold, David is at Nai'oth in Ramah."

20. Saul accordingly sent agents to capture David; when they saw the community of prophets prophesying, and Samuel there as their leader, the spirit of God came over Saul's agents, and they too fell into frenzy.

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

21. When Saul was told of this, he sent other agents, and they too fell into frenzy; Saul then sent a third group of agents, and they fell into frenzy too.

21. 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. He then went to Ramah himself and, arriving at the large storage-well at Seku, asked, 'Where are Samuel and David?' And someone said, 'Why, they are in the huts at Ramah!'

22. Then he himself went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu; and he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" And one said, "Behold, they are at Nai'oth in Ramah."

23. Making his way from there to the huts at Ramah, the spirit of God came over him too, and he went along in a frenzy until he arrived at the huts at Ramah.

23. And he went from there to Nai'oth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied, until he came to Nai'oth in Ramah.

24. He too stripped off his clothes and he too fell into a frenzy in Samuel's presence, then collapsed naked on the ground for the rest of that day and all night. Hence the saying: Is Saul one of the prophets too?

24. And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel, and lay naked all that day and all that night. Hence it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"