1 Samuel 19

1  NOW SAUL told Jonathan his son and all his servants that they must kill David.2  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  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  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  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  Saul heeded Jonathan and swore, As the Lord lives, David shall not be slain.7  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  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  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] with his hand.10  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  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  So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled and escaped.13  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  And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.15  Then Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.16  And when the messengers came in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’ hair at its head.17  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  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  And it was told Saul, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.20  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  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  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  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  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?

1 Samuel 19

Saul Repeatedly Attempts to Take David’s Life

1 Then Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much.t2 So Jonathan told David, “My father Saul is tryingt to kill you. So be careful tomorrow morning. Findt a hiding place and stay in seclusion.t

3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are. I will speak about you to my father. When I find out what the problem is,t I will let you know.”
4 So Jonathan spoke on David’s behalft to his father Saul. He said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you. On the contrary, his actions have been very beneficialt for you.

5 He risked his lifet when he struck down the Philistine and the Lord gave all Israel a great victory. When you saw it, you were happy. So why would you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death for no reason?”
6 Saul accepted Jonathan’s advicet and took an oath, “As surely as the Lord lives, he will not be put to death.”

7 Then Jonathan called David and told him all these things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he had done formerly.t
8 Now once again there was war. So David went out to fight the Philistines. He defeated them thoroughlyt and they ran away from him.9 Then an evil spirit from the Lord came upont Saul. He was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, while David was playing the lyre.t

10 Saul tried to nail David to the wall with the spear, but he escaped from Saul’s presence and the spear drove into the wall.t David escaped quicklyt that night.
11 Saul sent messengers to David’s house to guard it and to kill him in the morning. Then David’s wife Michal told him, “If you do not save yourselft tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!”

12 So Michal lowered David through the window, and he ran away and escaped.
13 Then Michal took a household idolt and put it on the bed. She put a quiltt made of goat’s hair over its headt and then covered the idol with a garment.

14 When Saul sent messengers to arrest David, she said, “He’s sick.”
15 Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me on his bed so I can kill him.”

16 When the messengers came, they found only the idol on the bed and the quilt made of goat’s hair at its head.

17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me this way by sending my enemy away? Now he has escaped!” Michal replied to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away or else I will kill you!’”t
18 Now David had run away and escaped. He went to Samuel in Ramah and told him everything that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed at Naioth.19 It was reported to Saul saying, “David is at Naioth in Ramah.”20 So Saul sent messengers to capture David. When they saw a company of prophets prophesying with Samuel standing there as their leader, the spirit of God came upon Saul’s messengers, and they also prophesied.21 When it was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they prophesied too. So Saul sent messengers a third time, but they also prophesied.

22 Finally Sault himself went to Ramah. When he arrived at the large cistern that is in Secu, he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” They said, “At Naioth in Ramah.”
23 So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God came upon him as well, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24 He even stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel. He lay theret naked all that day and night. (For that reason it is asked, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”)