1 Samuel 19

Saul’s Plan to Kill David

1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all his officers to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan was very fond of David,2 so he reported to David, “My father Saul is trying to kill you. Please be careful tomorrow morning. Go into hiding, and stay out of sight.

3 I’ll go out and stand beside my father in the field where you’ll be. I’ll speak with my father about you. If I find out anything, I’ll tell you.”
4 So Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. “You should not commit a sin against your servant David,” he said. “He hasn’t sinned against you. Instead, he has done some very fine things for you:

5 He risked his life and killed the Philistine Goliath, and the Lord gave all Israel a great victory. When you saw it, you rejoiced. Why then should you sin by shedding David’s innocent blood for no reason?”
6 Saul listened to Jonathan, and he promised, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, he will not be killed.”

7 Jonathan told David all of this. Then Jonathan took David to Saul. So David was returned to his former status in Saul’s court.

Saul Tries to Kill David

8 When war broke out again, David went to fight the Philistines. He defeated them so decisively that they fled from him.9 Then an evil spirit from the Lord came over Saul while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. David was strumming a tune.

10 Saul tried to nail David to the wall with his spear. But David dodged it, and Saul’s spear struck the wall. David fled, escaping from Saul that night.
11 Saul sent messengers to watch David’s house and kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, advised him, “If you don’t save yourself tonight, you’ll be dead tomorrow!”12 So Michal lowered David through a window, and he ran away to escape.

13 Then Michal took some idols, laid them in the bed, put a goat-hair blanket at its head, and covered the idols with a garment.
14 When Saul sent messengers to get David, Michal said, “He’s sick.”15 Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David themselves. Saul told them, “Bring him here to me in his bed so that I can kill him.”

16 The messengers came, and there in the bed were the idols with the goat-hair blanket at its head.
17 Saul asked Michal, “Why did you betray me by sending my enemy away so that he could escape?”Michal answered, “He told me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’ ”18 David escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah. He told Samuel everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to the pastures and lived there.19 When it was reported to Saul that David was in the pastures at Ramah,20 Saul sent messengers to get David. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying with Samuel serving as their leader, God’s Spirit came over Saul’s messengers so that they also prophesied.21 When they told Saul about this, he sent other messengers, but they also prophesied. Saul even sent a third group of messengers, but they also prophesied.

22 Then he went to Ramah himself. He went as far as the big cistern in Secu and asked the people, “Where are Samuel and David?”
He was told, “Over there in the pastures at Ramah.”23 As he went toward the pastures at Ramah, God’s Spirit came over him too. He continued his journey, prophesying until he came to the pastures at Ramah.

24 He even took off his clothes as he prophesied in front of Samuel and lay there naked all day and all night. This is where the saying, “Is Saul one of the prophets?” came from.

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?”)