1 Saul spoke to his son Jonathan and to all his servants, commanding them to kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, held a deep affection for David.

And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

2 Jonathan warned David, saying, "My father Saul is seeking to kill you. So please be on guard in the morning; find a safe hiding place and stay there.

But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:

3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are hiding. I will speak with him about you, and if I learn anything, I will let you know.

And 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 what I see, that I will tell thee.

4 Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul, his father, saying, "The king should not sin against his servant David. He has done no wrong to you; on the contrary, his actions have greatly benefited you.

And 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:

5 He risked his life to kill the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. So why would you sin by shedding innocent blood by killing David without cause?

For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

6 Saul listened to Jonathan and swore, "As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death."

And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.

7 Then Jonathan called David and told him everything. He brought David to Saul, and David was once again in Saul’s presence as before.

And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

8 War broke out again. David went out to fight the Philistines and struck them with a great slaughter, causing them to flee before him.

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

9 But an evil spirit from the LORD came upon Saul while he was sitting in his house with his spear in hand, and David was playing music with his lyre.

And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.

10 Saul attempted to pin David to the wall with his spear, but David dodged, and the spear struck the wall. David fled and escaped that night.

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

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

Saul also 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 shalt be slain.

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

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

13 Michal then took a household idol, placed it in the bed, put a quilt made of goat's hair at its head, and covered it with a garment.

And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.

14 When Saul sent messengers to capture David, Michal said, 'He is sick.'

And 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 to me in his bed so I can kill him.'

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

16 When the messengers arrived, they found the household idol in the bed, with a quilt of goat's hair at its head.

And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.

17 Saul said to Michal, 'Why have you deceived me like this? You let my enemy go, and he has escaped.' Michal answered Saul, 'He said to me,

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

18 David fled and escaped. He went to Samuel at Ramah and told him everything that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.

So 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.

19 When Saul was told, 'David is at Naioth in Ramah,' he acted accordingly.

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

20 Saul sent messengers to capture David. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s messengers, and they also began to prophesy.

And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

21 When Saul was informed of this, he sent another group of messengers, but they too began to prophesy. Saul sent a third group, and they also prophesied.

And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.

22 Finally, Saul himself went to Ramah. He came to the great cistern at Secu and asked, 'Where are Samuel and David?' Someone answered, 'They are at Naioth in Ramah.'

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

23 So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon him as well, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth.

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

24 There he stripped off his robes and also prophesied in Samuel's presence. He lay down naked all that day and night. This is why people say, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'

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