I Samuel 19

¹Now Saul spoke to his son Jonathan, and to all his servants, so that they would kill David. But Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David very much.

²And Jonathan revealed it to David, saying: “Saul, my father, is seeking to kill you. Because of this, I ask you, take care for yourself in the morning. And you should conceal yourself and remain in hiding.

³Then I, going out, will be standing beside my father in the field, where you will be. And I will speak about you to my father. And whatever I see, I will report to you.”

⁴Then Jonathan spoke good things about David to his father Saul. And he said to him: “You should not sin, O king, against your servant David. For he has not sinned against you, and his works toward you are very good.

⁵And he took his life in his own hand, and struck down the Philistine. And the Lord wrought a great salvation for all of Israel. You saw it, and you rejoiced. Why then would you sin against innocent blood by killing David, who is without guilt?”

⁶And when Saul had heard this, being pleased by the voice of Jonathan, he swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.”

⁷And so Jonathan called David, and he revealed to him all of these words. And Jonathan led in David to Saul, and he was before him, just as he had been yesterday and the day before.

⁸Then the war was stirred up again. And David went out and fought against the Philistines. And he struck them down with a great slaughter. And they fled from his face.

⁹And the evil spirit from the Lord came to Saul, who was sitting in his house and holding a lance. And David was playing music with his hand.

¹⁰And Saul attempted to fix David to the wall with the lance. But David turned aside from the face of Saul. And the lance failed to wound him, and it became fixed in the wall. And David fled, and so he was saved that night.

¹¹Therefore, Saul sent his guards to David’s house, so that they might watch for him, and so that he might be killed in the morning. And after Michal, his wife, had reported this to David, saying, “Unless you save yourself this night, tomorrow you will die,”

¹²she lowered him down through a window. Then he fled and went away, and he was saved.

¹³Then Michal took a statue, and placed it on the bed. And she placed the pelt of a goat for the hair at its head. And she covered it with clothes.

¹⁴And Saul sent attendants to seize David. And it was answered that he was sick.

¹⁵And again, Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him to me on the bed, so that he may be killed.”

¹⁶And when the messengers had arrived, they found a likeness on the bed, with a goat pelt at its head.

¹⁷And Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me in this way, and released my enemy, so that he may flee?” And Michal responded to Saul, “Because he said to me, ‘Release me, otherwise I will kill you.’ ”

¹⁸Now David was saved by fleeing, and he went to Samuel in Ramah. And he reported to him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went away and stayed at Naioth.

¹⁹Then it was reported to Saul by some, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth, in Ramah.”

²⁰Therefore, Saul sent officers to seize David. And when they had seen a company of prophets prophesying, with Samuel presiding over them, the Spirit of the Lord also came to them, and they also began to prophesy.

²¹And when this was reported to Saul, he sent other messengers. But they also prophesied. And again, Saul sent messengers a third time. And they also prophesied. And Saul, being exceedingly angry,

²²also went to Ramah himself. And he went as far as the great cistern, which is in Socoh. And he inquired and said, “In which place are Samuel and David?” And it was told to him, “Behold, they are at Naioth, in Ramah.”

²³And he went to Naioth, in Ramah, and the Spirit of the Lord came to him also. And he continued on, walking and prophesying, until he arrived at Naioth, in Ramah.

²⁴And he also took off his garments, and he prophesied with the others before Samuel. And he fell down naked, throughout that day and night. From this, too, is derived the proverb, “Could Saul also be among the prophets?”

I Samuel 19

¹And Saul spoke to Jonathan, his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David exceedingly.

²And Jonathan told David, saying: Saul, my father, seeketh to kill thee: wherefore look to thyself, I beseech thee, in the morning and thou shalt abide in a secret place, and shalt be hid.

³And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art: and I will speak of thee to my father, and whatsoever I shall see, I will tell thee.

⁴And Jonathan spoke good things of David to Saul, his father: and said to him: Sin not, O king, against thy servant, David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and his works are very good towards thee.

⁵And he put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought great salvation for all Israel. Thou sawest it and didst rejoice. Why therefore wilt thou sin against innocent blood, by killing David, who is without fault?

⁶And when Saul heard this, he was appeased with the words of Jonathan, and swore: As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain.

⁷Then Jonathan called David, and told him all these words: and Jonathan brought in David to Saul, and he was before him, as he had been yesterday and the day before.

⁸And the war began again, and David went out, and fought against the Philistines, and defeated them with a great slaughter, and they fled from his face.

⁹And the evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul; and he sat in his house, and held a spear in his hand: and David played with his hand.

¹⁰And Saul endeavoured to nail David to the wall with his spear. And David slipt away out of the presence of Saul: and the spear missed him, and was fastened in the wall, and David fled, and escaped that night.

¹¹Saul therefore sent his guards to David's house to watch him, that he might be killed in the morning. And when Michol, David's wife, had told him this, saying: Unless thou save thyself this night, to morrow thou wilt die:

¹²She let him down through a window. And he went and fled away, and escaped.

¹³And Michol took an image, and laid it on the bed, and put a goat's skin, with the hair at the head of it, and covered it with clothes.

¹⁴And Saul sent officers to seize David; and it was answered that he was sick.

¹⁵And again Saul sent to see David, saying: Bring him to me in the bed, that he may be slain.

¹⁶And when the messengers were come in, they found an image upon the bed, and a goat skin at his head.

¹⁷And Saul said to Michol: Why hast thou deceived me so, and let my enemy go and flee away? And Michol answered Saul: Because he said to me: Let me go, or else I will kill thee.

¹⁸But David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel in Ramatha, and told him all that Saul had done to him: and he and Samuel went and dwelt in Najoth.

¹⁹And it was told Saul by some, saying: Behold David is in Najoth, in Ramatha.

²⁰So Saul sent officers to take David: and when they saw a company of prophets prophesying, and Samuel presiding over them, the Spirit of the Lord came also upon them, and they likewise began to prophesy.

²¹And when this was told Saul, he sent other messengers: but they also prophesied. And again Saul sent messengers the third time: and they prophesied also. And Saul being exceeding angry,

²²Went also himself to Ramatha, and came as far as the great cistern, which is in Socho, and he asked, and said: In what place are Samuel and David? And it was told him: Behold they are in Najoth, in Ramatha.

²³And he went to Najoth, in Ramatha, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied till he came to Najoth, in Ramatha.

²⁴And he stripped himself also of his garments, and prophesied with the rest before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and night. This gave occasion to a proverb: What! is Saul too among the prophets?