1 Samuel 19  Christian Standard Bible Anglicised

David Delivered from Saul

19 Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David.^(A) But Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much,^{(B) 2} so he told him, ‘My father, Saul, intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning and hide in a secret place and stay there. ³ I’ll go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are and talk to him about you. When I see what he says, I’ll tell you.’^(C)

⁴ Jonathan spoke well of David to his father, Saul. He said to him, ‘The king should not sin against his servant David.^(D) He hasn’t sinned against you; in fact, his actions have been a great advantage to you. ⁵ He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine,^(E) and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel.^(F) You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason? ’^(G)

⁶ Saul listened to Jonathan’s advice and swore an oath: ‘As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.’ ⁷ So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these words. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he did before.^(H)

⁸ When war broke out again, David went out and fought against the Philistines. He defeated them with such great force that they fled from him.

⁹ Now an evil spirit sent from the Lord^(I) came on Saul as he was sitting in his palace holding a spear.^(J) David was playing the lyre,^{(K) 10} and Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear.^(L) As the spear struck the wall, David eluded Saul, ran away, and escaped that night. ¹¹ Saul sent agents to David’s house to watch for him and kill him in the morning.^(M) But his wife Michal^(N) warned David, ‘If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead tomorrow! ’ ¹² So she lowered David from the window, and he fled and escaped.^{(O) 13} Then Michal took the household idol and put it on the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. ¹⁴ When Saul sent agents to seize David, Michal said, ‘He’s ill.’^(P)

¹⁵ Saul sent the agents back to see David and said, ‘Bring him on his bed so I can kill him.’ ¹⁶ When the agents arrived, to their surprise, the household idol was on the bed with some goat hair on its head.

¹⁷ Saul asked Michal, ‘Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away, and he has escaped! ’

She answered him, ‘He said to me, “Let me go! Why should I kill you? ” ’

¹⁸ So David fled and escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah^(Q) and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel left and stayed at Naioth.^(R)

¹⁹ When it was reported to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, ²⁰ he sent agents to seize David.^(S) However, when they saw the group of prophets prophesying^(T) with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s agents, and they also started prophesying. ²¹ When they reported to Saul, he sent other agents, and they also began prophesying.^(U) So Saul tried again and sent a third group of agents, and even they began prophesying. ²² Then Saul himself went to Ramah. He came to the large cistern at Secu and asked, ‘Where are Samuel and David? ’

‘At Naioth in Ramah,’ someone said.

²³ So he went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God also came on him,^(V) and as he walked along, he prophesied until he entered Naioth in Ramah. ²⁴ Saul then removed his clothes and also prophesied before Samuel; he collapsed and lay naked^(W) all that day and all that night. That is why they say, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets? ’^(X)