1 Samuel 19

1And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should slay David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David.

1Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much.

2And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to slay thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:

2Jonathan warned David, 'My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be very careful tomorrow morning. Find a secret place and hide there.'

3and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and if I see aught, I will tell thee.

3'I will go out and stand by my father in the field where you are. I will talk to him about you, and I will let you know what I find out.'

4And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:

4Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. He said, 'The king should not do wrong to his servant David. He hasn't done anything to hurt you; in fact, everything he has done has helped you.'

5for he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and Jehovah wrought a great victory for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice; wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

5'He risked his life when he killed the Philistine, and the LORD gave all Israel a great victory. You saw it yourself and were happy. Why would you sin by killing an innocent man like David for no reason?'

6And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As Jehovah liveth, he shall not be put to death.

6Saul listened to Jonathan and made a promise: 'As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.'

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

7So Jonathan called David and told him everything that had happened. He brought David to Saul, and David served the king just as he did before.

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

8When war broke out again, David went out and fought the Philistines. He defeated them so badly that they ran away from him.

9And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.

9But an evil spirit from the LORD came over Saul while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. David was playing the harp for him.

10And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.

10Saul tried to pin David to the wall with his spear, but David jumped out of the way. The spear stuck into the wall, and David ran away into the night.

11And Saul sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou wilt be slain.

11Saul sent men to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, 'If you don't escape tonight, you will be dead by tomorrow.'

12So Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.

12So Michal lowered David down through a window, and he fled and escaped.

13And Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair at the head thereof, and covered it with the clothes.

13Then Michal took a household idol and laid it in the bed. She put a cushion of goat hair at the head and covered it with blankets.

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

14When Saul sent the men to arrest David, Michal said, 'He is sick.'

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

15Saul sent the men back to see David for themselves. He told them, 'Bring him to me in his bed so I can kill him.'

16And when the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at the head thereof.

16When the men went inside, they found the household idol in the bed with the goat-hair cushion at its head.

17And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me thus, and let mine enemy go, so that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?

17Saul said to Michal, 'Why did you trick me like this and let my enemy escape?' Michal answered, 'He told me, "Let me go, or I’ll kill you!"'

18Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

18After David fled and escaped, he went to see Samuel at Ramah and told him everything Saul had done. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.

19And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.

19Word reached Saul: 'David is at Naioth in Ramah.'

20And 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.

20So Saul sent men to capture David. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s men and they also began to prophesy.

21And 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.

21When Saul heard about it, he sent more men, and they also prophesied. Saul sent a third group of men, and they prophesied too.

22Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.

22Finally, Saul went to Ramah himself. He went to the large well at Secu and asked, 'Where are Samuel and David?' Someone told him, 'They are at Naioth in Ramah.'

23And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

23As Saul headed toward Naioth in Ramah, the Spirit of God came on him too. He walked along prophesying until he reached Naioth.

24And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

24He even stripped off his royal robes and prophesied in front of Samuel. He lay down like that all that day and all that night. This is why people ask, 'Is Saul also one of the prophets?'