18 So David fled and escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah(A) and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel left and stayed at Naioth.(B)

19 When it was reported to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, 20 he sent agents to seize David.(C) However, when they saw the group of prophets prophesying(D) with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s agents, and they also started prophesying. 21 When they reported to Saul, he sent other agents, and they also began prophesying.(E) So Saul tried again and sent a third group of agents, and even they began prophesying. 22 Then Saul himself went to Ramah. He came to the large cistern at Secu, looked around, and asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

“At Naioth in Ramah,” someone said.

23 So he went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God also came on him,(F) and as he walked along, he prophesied until he entered Naioth in Ramah. 24 Saul then removed his clothes and also prophesied before Samuel; he collapsed and lay naked(G) all that day and all that night. That is why they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”(H)

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18 So David fled and escaped. When he reached Samuel at Ramah, he reported to him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to stay in the camps.[a]

19 When Saul was told that David was in the camps at Ramah, 20 he sent messengers to arrest David. They saw a group of prophets in a prophetic frenzy, with Samuel standing there as their leader. God’s spirit came over Saul’s messengers, and they also fell into a prophetic frenzy. 21 This was reported to Saul, and he sent different messengers, but they also fell into a prophetic frenzy. So Saul sent a third group of messengers, and they did the very same thing.

22 At that point, Saul went to Ramah himself. He came to the well at the threshing floor that was on the bare hill there[b] and asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

“In the camps at Ramah,” he was told. 23 So Saul went to the camps at Ramah, and God’s spirit came over him too. So as he traveled, he was in a prophetic frenzy until he reached the camps at Ramah. 24 He even took off all his clothes and fell into a prophetic frenzy in front of Samuel. He lay naked that whole day and night. That’s why people say, “Is Saul also one of the prophets?”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 19:18 Or Naioth, also in 19:19, 22-23
  2. 1 Samuel 19:22 LXX; MT the large well at Secu