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1 Samuel 19:11-24
New International Version
1 Samuel 19:11-24
New International Version
11 Saul sent men to David’s house to watch(A) it and to kill him in the morning.(B) 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,(C) and he fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took an idol(D) 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,(E) “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(F) 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(G) prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on(H) Saul’s men, and they also prophesied.(I) 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(J) until he came to Naioth. 24 He stripped(K) off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s(L) presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”(M)
1 Samuel 19:11-24
New King James Version
1 Samuel 19:11-24
New King James Version
11 (A)Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 So Michal (B)let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. 13 And Michal took [a]an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. 14 So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”
15 Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head. 17 Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?”
And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! (C)Why should I kill you?’ ”
18 So David fled and escaped, and went to (D)Samuel at (E)Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. 19 Now it was told Saul, saying, “Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!” 20 Then (F)Saul sent messengers to take David. (G)And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also (H)prophesied. 21 And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 22 Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, “Where are Samuel and David?”
And someone said, “Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then (I)the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 (J)And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down (K)naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, (L)“Is Saul also among the prophets?”
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- 1 Samuel 19:13 household idols, Heb. teraphim
1 Samuel 19:11-24
English Standard Version
1 Samuel 19:11-24
English Standard Version
11 (A)Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 (B)So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped. 13 Michal took (C)an image[a] and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head and covered it with the clothes. 14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” 15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 And when the messengers came in, behold, (D)the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head. 17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. (E)Why should I kill you?’”
18 Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at (F)Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth. 19 And it was told Saul, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, (G)the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, (H)and they also prophesied. 21 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, (I)and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, (J)and they also prophesied. 22 Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in (K)Ramah.” 23 And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. (L)And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 (M)And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, (N)“Is Saul also among the prophets?”
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- 1 Samuel 19:13 Or a household god
1 Samuel 19:11-24
New American Standard Bible
1 Samuel 19:11-24
New American Standard Bible
11 Then (A)Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, informed him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death!” 12 (B)So Michal let David down through a window, and he went and fled, and escaped. 13 And Michal took (C)the [a]household idol and laid it on the bed, and put a quilt of goats’ hair at its head, and covered it with clothing. 14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “(D)He is sick.” 15 Then Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me on [b]his bed, so that I may put him to death.” 16 When the messengers entered, behold, the [c]household idol was on the bed with the quilt of goats’ hair at its head. 17 So Saul said to Michal, “Why have you betrayed me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! (E)Why should I put you to death?’”
18 So David fled and escaped, and came (F)to Samuel at Ramah; and he informed him of everything that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in (G)Naioth. 19 But it was reported to Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 Then (H)Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw (I)the company of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and (J)they also prophesied. 21 When Saul was informed of this, he sent other messengers, but they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, yet they prophesied. 22 Then he went to Ramah himself and came as far as the large well that is in Secu; and he [d]asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 So he [e]proceeded there to Naioth in Ramah; but (K)the Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and [f]lay down [g](L)naked all that day and all night. Therefore they say, “(M)Is Saul also among the prophets?”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 19:13 Heb teraphim
- 1 Samuel 19:15 Lit the
- 1 Samuel 19:16 Heb teraphim
- 1 Samuel 19:22 Lit asked and said
- 1 Samuel 19:23 Lit went
- 1 Samuel 19:24 Lit fell
- 1 Samuel 19:24 I.e., without outward garments
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.