1 Samuel 19
Modern English Version
Saul Tries to Kill David
19 And Saul spoke to Jonathan, his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted very much in David. 2 Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore, be on guard in the morning; stay in a secret place and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are. Then I will speak about you to my father, and what I observe I will report to you.”
4 Jonathan spoke positively 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 deeds have been very good toward you. 5 For he took his life in his hand and struck down the Philistine, and the Lord made a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Now why then would you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without cause?”
6 So Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and Saul vowed, “As the Lord lives, he will not be killed.”
7 Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these words. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as previously.
8 Then there was war again, and David went out and fought with the Philistines. He slew them with a great slaughter and they fled from him.
9 Now an evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. 10 Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he escaped from Saul’s presence. He struck the spear into the wall. But David fled and escaped that night.
11 Saul also sent messengers to the house of David, to watch him and to slay him in the morning. But Michal, wife of David, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he went and fled to safety. 13 Michal took an idol and laid it in the bed, and put a braided goat hair pillow for its head and covered it with clothes.
14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”
15 Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 When the messengers came in, there was the idol in the bed with a goat hair pillow for its head.
17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you betrayed me and sent away my enemy, so that he escaped?”
And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’ ”
18 Now David fled, and he escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah. And he reported to him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. 19 It was told Saul, saying, “David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying and Samuel taking his stand over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul and they also prophesied. 21 When it was reported to Saul, he sent other messengers. And they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again a third time, and they too prophesied. 22 Then he also went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Seku. And he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?”
And one said, “They are at Naioth in Ramah.
23 He went there to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God came upon him also. And he went on and he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 He stripped off his clothes and he also prophesied before Samuel. And he lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
1 Samuel 19
21st Century King James Version
19 And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
2 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 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father about thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee.”
4 And Jonathan spoke well 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 toward thee very good.
5 For he put his life in his hands and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel. Thou sawest it and didst rejoice. Why then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?”
6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, “As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain.”
7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.
8 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 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 music with his hand.
10 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 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 tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be slain.”
12 So Michal let David down through a window; and he went and fled, and escaped.
13 And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair for its head, and covered it with a cloth.
14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”
15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.”
16 And when the messengers had come in, behold, there was an image in the bed with a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster.
17 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 So David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.
19 And it was told Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”
20 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 And when it was told to Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.
22 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 are at Naioth in Ramah.”
23 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 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. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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