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Saul Tries to Kill David

19 Now Saul told his son Jonathan and all his courtiers to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan delighted much in David. So Jonathan informed David saying, “My father Saul is seeking to kill you. So now, please be on guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself. I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you will be, and I will speak with my father about you. If I notice anything, I will tell you.” So Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “May the king not sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very beneficial for you; For he put his life in his hand and killed the Philistine, and Adonai won a great victory for all Israel—you saw it and rejoiced. So why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David without a cause?”

Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As Adonai lives, he will not be put to death.” So Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. Jonathan brought David to Saul and in his presence as before.

Once again war broke out, and David marched out and fought the Philistines, and inflicted a great slaughter on them and they fled before him. Yet once again an evil spirit from Adonai came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, as David was playing music with his hand. 10 Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s face, so that he drove the spear into the wall. That night David fled and got away.

11 Then Saul sent agents to David’s house to watch him, in order to kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him saying, “If you don’t escape for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!” 12 So Michal lowered David down through the window, and thus he went, fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took a household idol, laid it in the bed, put a quilt of goats’ hair at the head and covered it with a cloth. 14 When Saul sent messengers to arrest David, she said, “He’s sick.”

15 So Saul sent the agents back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed so I may put him to death.” 16 When the messengers came in, behold, the household idol was in the bed with the quilt of goats’ hair at its head. 17 Saul then said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy get away, so that he escaped?”

Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go or I’ll kill you!’”

18 So David fled and escaped, went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed at Naioth. 19 Saul was told, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 So Saul sent agents to seize David, but they saw a band of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing and presiding over them. Then the Ruach of God came upon Saul’s agents and they too prophesied. 21 When Saul was told, he sent other agents and they too prophesied. Then Saul sent a third group of messengers, and they too prophesied. 22 Then he himself went to Ramah, and when he arrived at the great cistern in Secu, he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

Someone answered, “Look, they are at Naioth at Ramah.” 23 So he proceeded there, to Naioth at Ramah, and the Ruach of God came upon him as well, and he prophesied as he kept walking until he arrived to Naioth at Ramah. 24 Then he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. That is why people were saying, “Is Saul too among the prophets?”

19 וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר שָׁא֗וּל אֶל־יוֹנָתָ֤ן בְּנוֹ֙ וְאֶל־כָּל־עֲבָדָ֔יו לְהָמִ֖ית אֶת־דָּוִ֑ד וִיהֽוֹנָתָן֙ בֶּן־שָׁא֔וּל חָפֵ֥ץ בְּדָוִ֖ד מְאֹֽד׃

וַיַּגֵּ֤ד יְהוֹנָתָן֙ לְדָוִ֣ד לֵאמֹ֔ר מְבַקֵּ֛שׁ שָׁא֥וּל אָבִ֖י לַהֲמִיתֶ֑ךָ וְעַתָּה֙ הִשָּֽׁמֶר־נָ֣א בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְיָשַׁבְתָּ֥ בַסֵּ֖תֶר וְנַחְבֵּֽאתָ׃

וַאֲנִ֨י אֵצֵ֜א וְעָמַדְתִּ֣י לְיַד־אָבִ֗י בַּשָּׂדֶה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתָּ֣ה שָׁ֔ם וַאֲנִ֕י אֲדַבֵּ֥ר בְּךָ֖ אֶל־אָבִ֑י וְרָאִ֥יתִי מָ֖ה וְהִגַּ֥דְתִּי לָֽךְ׃ ס

וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יְהוֹנָתָ֤ן בְּדָוִד֙ ט֔וֹב אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל אָבִ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵ֠לָיו אַל־יֶחֱטָ֨א הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ בְּעַבְדּ֣וֹ בְדָוִ֗ד כִּ֣י ל֤וֹא חָטָא֙ לָ֔ךְ וְכִ֥י מַעֲשָׂ֖יו טוֹב־לְךָ֥ מְאֹֽד׃

וַיָּשֶׂם֩ אֶת־נַפְשׁ֨וֹ בְכַפּ֜וֹ וַיַּ֣ךְ אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֗י וַיַּ֨עַשׂ יְהוָ֜ה תְּשׁוּעָ֤ה גְדוֹלָה֙ לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רָאִ֖יתָ וַתִּשְׂמָ֑ח וְלָ֤מָּה תֶֽחֱטָא֙ בְּדָ֣ם נָקִ֔י לְהָמִ֥ית אֶת־דָּוִ֖ד חִנָּֽם׃

וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע שָׁא֖וּל בְּק֣וֹל יְהוֹנָתָ֑ן וַיִּשָּׁבַ֣ע שָׁא֔וּל חַי־יְהוָ֖ה אִם־יוּמָֽת׃

וַיִּקְרָ֤א יְהוֹנָתָן֙ לְדָוִ֔ד וַיַּגֶּד־לוֹ֙ יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיָּבֵ֨א יְהוֹנָתָ֤ן אֶת־דָּוִד֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וַיְהִ֥י לְפָנָ֖יו כְּאֶתְמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃ ס

וַתּ֥וֹסֶף הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה לִֽהְי֑וֹת וַיֵּצֵ֨א דָוִ֜ד וַיִּלָּ֣חֶם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וַיַּ֤ךְ בָּהֶם֙ מַכָּ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֔ה וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ מִפָּנָֽיו׃

וַתְּהִי֩ ר֨וּחַ יְהוָ֤ה׀ רָעָה֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וְהוּא֙ בְּבֵית֣וֹ יוֹשֵׁ֔ב וַחֲנִית֖וֹ בְּיָד֑וֹ וְדָוִ֖ד מְנַגֵּ֥ן בְּיָֽד׃

10 וַיְבַקֵּ֨שׁ שָׁא֜וּל לְהַכּ֤וֹת בַּֽחֲנִית֙ בְּדָוִ֣ד וּבַקִּ֔יר וַיִּפְטַר֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י שָׁא֔וּל וַיַּ֥ךְ אֶֽת־הַחֲנִ֖ית בַּקִּ֑יר וְדָוִ֛ד נָ֥ס וַיִּמָּלֵ֖ט בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הֽוּא׃ פ

11 וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ שָׁא֨וּל מַלְאָכִ֜ים אֶל־בֵּ֤ית דָּוִד֙ לְשָׁמְר֔וֹ וְלַהֲמִית֖וֹ בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַתַּגֵּ֣ד לְדָוִ֗ד מִיכַ֤ל אִשְׁתּוֹ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אִם־אֵ֨ינְךָ֜ מְמַלֵּ֤ט אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֙ הַלַּ֔יְלָה מָחָ֖ר אַתָּ֥ה מוּמָֽת׃

12 וַתֹּ֧רֶד מִיכַ֛ל אֶת־דָּוִ֖ד בְּעַ֣ד הַחַלּ֑וֹן וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ וַיִּבְרַ֖ח וַיִּמָּלֵֽט׃

13 וַתִּקַּ֨ח מִיכַ֜ל אֶת־הַתְּרָפִ֗ים וַתָּ֙שֶׂם֙ אֶל־הַמִּטָּ֔ה וְאֵת֙ כְּבִ֣יר הָֽעִזִּ֔ים שָׂ֖מָה מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַתְּכַ֖ס בַּבָּֽגֶד׃ ס

14 וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח שָׁא֛וּל מַלְאָכִ֖ים לָקַ֣חַת אֶת־דָּוִ֑ד וַתֹּ֖אמֶר חֹלֶ֥ה הֽוּא׃ פ

15 וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח שָׁאוּל֙ אֶת־הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים לִרְא֥וֹת אֶת־דָּוִ֖ד לֵאמֹ֑ר הַעֲל֨וּ אֹת֧וֹ בַמִּטָּ֛ה אֵלַ֖י לַהֲמִתֽוֹ׃

16 וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַתְּרָפִ֖ים אֶל־הַמִּטָּ֑ה וּכְבִ֥יר הָעִזִּ֖ים מְרַאֲשֹׁתָֽיו׃

17 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל אֶל־מִיכַ֗ל לָ֤מָּה כָּ֙כָה֙ רִמִּיתִ֔נִי וַתְּשַׁלְּחִ֥י אֶת־אֹיְבִ֖י וַיִּמָּלֵ֑ט וַתֹּ֤אמֶר מִיכַל֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל הוּא־אָמַ֥ר אֵלַ֛י שַׁלְּחִ֖נִי לָמָ֥ה אֲמִיתֵֽךְ׃

18 וְדָוִ֨ד בָּרַ֜ח וַיִּמָּלֵ֗ט וַיָּבֹ֤א אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל֙ הָרָמָ֔תָה וַיַּ֨גֶּד־ל֔וֹ אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָֽשָׂה־ל֖וֹ שָׁא֑וּל וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ הוּא֙ וּשְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ ׳בְּנְוָיֹת׳ ״בְּנָֽיוֹת׃״

19 וַיֻּגַּ֥ד לְשָׁא֖וּל לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֣ה דָוִ֔ד ׳בְּנְוָיֹת׳ ״בְּנָי֖וֹת״ בָּרָמָֽה׃

20 וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח שָׁא֣וּל מַלְאָכִים֮ לָקַ֣חַת אֶת־דָּוִד֒ וַיַּ֗רְא אֶֽת־לַהֲקַ֤ת הַנְּבִיאִים֙ נִבְּאִ֔ים וּשְׁמוּאֵ֕ל עֹמֵ֥ד נִצָּ֖ב עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַתְּהִ֞י עַֽל־מַלְאֲכֵ֤י שָׁאוּל֙ ר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ גַּם־הֵֽמָּה׃

21 וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ לְשָׁא֗וּל וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ מַלְאָכִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ גַּם־הֵ֑מָּה וַיֹּ֣סֶף שָׁא֗וּל וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ מַלְאָכִ֣ים שְׁלִשִׁ֔ים וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ גַּם־הֵֽמָּה׃

22 וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ גַּם־ה֜וּא הָרָמָ֗תָה וַיָּבֹא֙ עַד־בּ֤וֹר הַגָּדוֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשֶּׂ֔כוּ וַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל וַיֹּ֔אמֶר אֵיפֹ֥ה שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל וְדָוִ֑ד וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֖ה ׳בְּנְוָיֹת׳ ״בְּנָי֥וֹת״ בָּרָמָֽה׃

23 וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ שָׁ֔ם ׳אֶל־נְוָיֹת׳ ״אֶל־נָי֖וֹת״ בָּרָמָ֑ה וַתְּהִי֩ עָלָ֨יו גַּם־ה֜וּא ר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֗ים וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ הָלוֹךְ֙ וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֔א עַד־בֹּא֖וֹ ׳בְּנְוָיֹת׳ ״בְּנָי֥וֹת״ בָּרָמָֽה׃

24 וַיִּפְשַׁ֨ט גַּם־ה֜וּא בְּגָדָ֗יו וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֤א גַם־הוּא֙ לִפְנֵ֣י שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיִּפֹּ֣ל עָרֹ֔ם כָּל־הַיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא וְכָל־הַלָּ֑יְלָה עַל־כֵּן֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ הֲגַ֥ם שָׁא֖וּל בַּנְּבִיאִֽם׃ פ

Saul Tries to Kill David

19 Saul told his son Jonathan(A) and all the attendants to kill(B) David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding(C) and stay there. I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak(D) to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”

Jonathan spoke(E) well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong(F) to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. He took his life(G) in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory(H) for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent(I) man like David by killing him for no reason?”

Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”

So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.(J)

Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.

But an evil[a] spirit(K) from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre,(L) 10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded(M) him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

11 Saul sent men to David’s house to watch(N) it and to kill him in the morning.(O) But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window,(P) and he fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took an idol(Q) and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.

14 When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said,(R) “He is ill.”

15 Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.” 16 But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair.

17 Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?”

Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’”

18 When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah(S) and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. 19 Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah”; 20 so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets(T) prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on(U) Saul’s men, and they also prophesied.(V) 21 Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

“Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said.

23 So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying(W) until he came to Naioth. 24 He stripped(X) off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s(Y) presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”(Z)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 19:9 Or But a harmful