I Samuel 19 Comparison: Bible in Basic English vs New Heart English Bible
I Samuel 19
1And Saul gave orders to his son Jonathan and to all his servants to put David to death. But Saul's son Jonathan had great delight in David.
2And Jonathan said to David, Saul, my father, is purposing your death: so now, take care in the morning, and keep yourself safe in a secret place:
3And I will go out and take my place by my father's side in the field near where you are; and I will get into talk with my father about you, and when I see how things are, I will give you word.
4And Jonathan gave his father Saul a good account of David, and said to him, Let not the king do wrong against his servant, against David; because he has done you no wrong, and all his acts have had a good outcome for you:
5For he put his life in danger and overcame the Philistine, and the Lord gave all Israel salvation: you saw it and were glad: why then are you sinning against him who has done no wrong, desiring the death of David without cause?
6And Saul gave ear to the voice of Jonathan, and said with an oath, By the living Lord, he is not to be put to death.
7Then Jonathan sent for David and gave him word of all these things. And Jonathan took David to Saul, who kept him by his side as in the past.
8And there was war again: and David went out fighting the Philistines, causing great destruction among them; and they went in flight before him.
9And an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul, when he was seated in his house with his spear in his hand; and David made music for him.
10And Saul would have sent his spear through him, pinning him to the wall, but he got away and the spear went into the wall: and that night David went in flight and got away.
11Then in that night Saul sent men to David's house to keep watch on him so as to put him to death in the morning: and David's wife Michal said to him, If you do not go away to a safe place tonight you will be put to death in the morning.
12So Michal let David down through the window, and he went in flight and got away.
13Then Michal took the image and put it in the bed, with a cushion of goat's hair at its head, and she put clothing over it.
14And when Saul sent men to take David, she said, He is ill.
15And Saul sent his men to see David, saying, Do not come back without him, take him in his bed, so that I may put him to death.
16And when the men came in, there was the image in the bed, with the cushion of goat's hair at its head
17And Saul said to Michal, why have you been false to me, letting my hater go and get safely away? And in answer Michal said to Saul, He said to me, Let me go, or I will put you to death.
18So David went in flight and got away and came to Ramah, to Samuel, and gave him an account of all Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and were living in Naioth.
19And word was given to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah.
20And Saul sent men to take David; and when they saw the band of prophets at work, with Samuel in his place at their head, the spirit of God came on Saul's men, and they became like prophets.
21And Saul, having news of this, sent other men, who in the same way became like prophets. And a third time Saul sent men, and they like the others became like prophets.
22Then he himself went to Ramah, and came to the great water-spring in Secu; and questioning the people he said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, They are at Naioth in Ramah.
23And he went on from there to Naioth in Ramah: and the spirit of God came on him, and he went on, acting like a prophet, till he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24And he took off his clothing, acting like a prophet before Samuel, and falling down he was stretched out, without his clothing, all that day and all that night. This is the reason for the saying, Is even Saul among the prophets?
I Samuel 19
1Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.
2Jonathan told David, saying, "Saul my father seeks to kill you. Now therefore, please take care of yourself in the morning, and live in a secret place, and hide yourself.
3I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will talk with my father about you; and if I see anything, I will tell you."
4Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, "Do not let 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;
5for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?"
6Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, "As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death."
7Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as before.
8There was war again. David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him.
9An evil spirit from the Lord was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.
10Saul sought to pin David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he stuck the spear into the wall. David fled, and escaped that night.
11Saul sent messengers to David's house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed."
12So Michal let David down through the window. He went, fled, and escaped.
13Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with the clothes.
14When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick."
15Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him."
16When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head.
17Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he is escaped?" Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go! Why should I kill you?'"
18Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth.
19It was told Saul, saying, "Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah."
20Saul 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 on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
21When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.
22Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: and he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" One said, "Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah."
23He went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God came on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24He also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
Understanding Bible in Basic English vs New Heart English Bible in I Samuel 19
Bible in Basic English (BBE)
A simplified translation using a limited English vocabulary for clarity and accessibility. Helpful for new readers, ESL learners, and quick comprehension. Great for devotional reading and getting the big picture of each passage.
New Heart English Bible (NHEB)
A modern public domain translation with clear, contemporary English. Designed for readability while staying close to the source text. A solid option for both daily reading and study.
You are viewing a side-by-side comparison of I Samuel 19 in the Bible in Basic English and New Heart English Bible. Comparing these two versions can help shed light on the nuances of the original text.
Key Comparison: I Samuel 19:16
"And when the men came in, there was the image in the bed, with the cushion of goat's hair at its head"
"When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head."





