1 Samuel 19

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

1Saul told his son Jonathan and all his helpers to kill David.

2But 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:

2But Jonathan loved David very much. He warned David, "My father Saul wants to kill you. Please be careful in the morning. Go find a hiding place and stay there.

3And 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.

3I will go out and stand next to my father in the field where you are hiding. I will talk to him about you. Then I will tell you what I find out."

4And 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:

4Jonathan said good things about David to his father Saul. He said, "The king should not do wrong to his servant David. David has done nothing wrong to you. Everything he did helped you.

5For 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?

5He risked his own life when he killed the Philistine giant. The LORD used him to save all of Israel. You saw it, and you were glad. So why hurt someone who has done nothing wrong? Why kill David for no reason?"

Note"The Philistine" means Goliath, the giant soldier David killed with a stone.

6And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.

6Saul listened to Jonathan. Saul made a promise: "As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be killed."

7And 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.

7Jonathan called David and told him everything. Then Jonathan brought David back to Saul. David served the king just like before.

8And 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.

8War started again. David went out and fought the Philistines. He beat them badly, and they ran away from him.

9And 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.

9One day Saul sat in his house with his spear in his hand. A harmful spirit from the LORD came over him. David was playing music on his harp.

10And 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.

10Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear. David jumped away, and the spear hit the wall. David ran off and got away that night.

11Saul 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.

11Saul sent men to watch David's house. They were going to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, warned him. She said, "If you do not run tonight, you will be dead tomorrow."

12So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.

12So Michal let David down through a window. He ran away and got safely out.

13And 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.

13Then Michal took a statue and laid it in the bed. She put goat hair at its head and covered it with a blanket.

NoteThe KJV says "a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster." It means goat hair placed where a person's head would be, so the bed looked like someone was sleeping in it.

14And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.

14Saul sent men to grab David. Michal told them, "He is sick."

15And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.

15Saul sent the men back to look at David. He said, "Carry him up to me in his bed. I want to kill him."

16And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster.

16The men came in and looked. There was only a statue in the bed, with goat hair at its head.

17And 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?

17Saul asked Michal, "Why did you trick me? You let my enemy get away!" Michal answered, "He told me to help him go, or he would kill me."

18So 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.

18So David ran away and got safely out. He went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.

19And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.

19Someone told Saul, "David is at Naioth in Ramah."

20And 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.

20Saul sent men to catch David. They saw a group of prophets speaking God's words, with Samuel leading them. Then the Spirit of God came on Saul's men, and they spoke God's words too.

NoteA prophet is someone who tells people what God says. "Prophesying" here means speaking or singing God's words out loud, often in a group.

21And 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.

21Saul heard about this and sent more men. They also began speaking God's words. Saul sent men a third time, and the same thing happened.

22Then 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.

22So Saul went to Ramah himself. He came to the big well at Sechu and asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" Someone said, "They are at Naioth in Ramah."

23And 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.

23Saul went there. The Spirit of God came on him too. He walked along speaking God's words all the way to Naioth in Ramah.

24And 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?

24He pulled off his robes and spoke God's words in front of Samuel. Then he lay on the ground with no clothes on, all that day and all that night. That is why people say, "Is Saul one of the prophets too?"