1 Samuel 19

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

Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to end David's life.

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:

Jonathan, Saul's son, had a deep affection for David. He warned David, "My father Saul wants to kill you. Please, for your safety, hide until dawn in a secret place."

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.

I'll step out and join my dad in the field where you are. I'll talk with him about you, and whatever I find out, I'll tell 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:

Jonathan passionately defended David to his father Saul, pleading, "Father, don't wrong your loyal servant, David. He's never harmed you. In fact, he's always been good to you."

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?

He risked his life, defeated the enemy, and God used him to save Israel. You saw it and were glad. So why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?

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

Saul listened to Jonathan's plea, deeply moved. With a solemn oath to God, he promised, "He will not be killed."

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.

Jonathan, filled with urgency, summoned David. He revealed everything to him, his voice heavy with truth. Then, with a sense of nostalgia, Jonathan led David to Saul. As they stood before Saul, it felt like old times.

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.

Once more, conflict arose. David, with courage in his heart, battled fiercely against the Philistines. His victory was immense, causing his enemies to scatter in fear.

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.

Saul, tormented by a wicked spirit sent by the LORD, sat brooding in his house, clutching his javelin. Meanwhile, David, oblivious, strummed his harp with ease.

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.

Saul, consumed by rage, tried to pin David to the wall with his spear. But David, quick and alert, dodged the attack. The spear instead hit the wall, and taking advantage of the chaos, David fled into the night, narrowly escaping Saul's wrath.

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.

Saul sent spies to David's home, planning to kill him at dawn. David's wife, Michal, warned him urgently, "If you don't escape tonight, you'll be dead by tomorrow."

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

With a heart pounding in fear, Michal helped David to escape through a window. He ran, his breath ragged, and found his freedom.

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.

Michal, filled with urgency, quickly placed a statue in the bed. She cleverly used a pillow stuffed with goat's hair to mimic a sleeping figure and concealed it under a blanket.

And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.

When Saul dispatched his men to seize David, she responded with a heavy heart, "He is unwell."

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

Saul, filled with rage, sent his men once more to find David. "Bring him to me," he demanded, his voice cold, "even if he's in bed. I want to end his life."

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

When the messengers arrived, they were surprised to find a figure in the bed, its head resting on a pillow made of goat's hair.

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?

Saul, feeling betrayed, asked Michal, "Why did you trick me and let my enemy escape?" Michal, with a soft voice, replied, "He pleaded with me, 'Why should I be forced to end your life?'"

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.

Terrified, David ran for his life, finally finding refuge with Samuel in Ramah. He poured out his heart, sharing every cruel act Saul had committed against him. Together, they sought sanctuary in Naioth.

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

News reached Saul, filled with urgency and tension, "David is hiding in Naioth, Ramah."

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.

Saul dispatched his men to capture David. But when they encountered a group of prophets, led by Samuel, all immersed in divine revelations, they were touched by God's Spirit. Unexpectedly, they too began to prophesy.

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.

When Saul heard the news, he sent more messengers who also began to prophesy. Even when he sent a third group, they too started prophesying.

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.

He too journeyed to Ramah, arriving at a vast well in Sechu. Anxiously, he inquired, "Where are Samuel and David?" Someone replied, "They're in Naioth, within Ramah."

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.

He journeyed to Naioth in Ramah, filled with God's Spirit. As he traveled, he shared God's messages, until he reached Naioth in Ramah.

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?

Saul, too, shed his garments and prophesied before Samuel just as the others had. He lay there naked all that day and all through the night. That is where the saying comes from: "Could Saul be a prophet too?"