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1 Samuel 19

Saul Persecutes David

1 Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Sauls son, delighted greatly in David.2 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 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 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 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 So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.7 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 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 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 Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Sauls presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.11 Saul also sent messengers to Davids house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, Davids wife, told him, saying, If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.12 So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped.13 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 So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.15 Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.16 And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats hair for his head.17 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 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 Now it was told Saul, saying, Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!20 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 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 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?23 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 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?

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?”)