Chapter 19

Persecution of David. ¹ Saul discussed his intention to kill David with his son Jonathan and with all his servants. But Saul’s son Jonathan, who was very fond of David,^{(A) 2} told him: “My father Saul is trying to kill you. Therefore, please be on your guard tomorrow morning; stay out of sight and remain in hiding. ³ I, however, will go out and stand beside my father in the countryside where you are, and will speak to him about you. If I learn anything, I will let you know.”

⁴ Jonathan then spoke well of David to his father Saul, telling him: “The king should not harm his servant David. He has not harmed you, but has helped you very much by his deeds.^{[a] 5} When he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the Lord won a great victory for all Israel, you were glad to see it. Why, then, should you become guilty of shedding innocent blood by killing David without cause?”^{(B) 6} Saul heeded Jonathan’s plea and swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.” ⁷ So Jonathan summoned David and repeated the whole conversation to him. He then brought David to Saul, and David served him as before.

¹¹ The same night, Saul sent messengers to David’s house to guard it, planning to kill him in the morning. David’s wife Michal informed him, “Unless you run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.”^{[a] 12} Then Michal let David down through a window, and he made his escape in safety.^{(A) 13} Michal took the teraphim^[b] and laid it in the bed, putting a tangle of goat’s hair at its head and covering it with a blanket.^{(B) 14} When Saul sent officers to arrest David, she said, “He is sick.” ¹⁵ Saul, however, sent the officers back to see David and commanded them, “Bring him up to me in his bed, that I may kill him.” ¹⁶ But when the messengers entered, they found the teraphim in the bed, with the tangle of goat’s hair at its head. ¹⁷ Saul asked Michal: “Why did you lie to me like this? You have helped my enemy to get away!” Michal explained to Saul: “He threatened me, saying ‘Let me go or I will kill you.’”

David a Fugitive. ¹¹ That same day David fled from Saul, going to Achish, king of Gath.^(A)

⁴ When Saul learned that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

³⁶ Jacob, now angered, confronted Laban and demanded, “What crime or offense have I committed that you should hound me?