1 Samuel 19

1 And Saul spake to Jonathan (Yehonatan) his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill Dawid.

2 But Jonathan (Yehonatan) Saul’s son delighted much in Dawid; and Jonathan (Yehonatan) told Dawid, saying, “Saul my father seeketh to kill you; now therefore, please take heed to yourself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide yourself.

3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will commune with my father of you; and what I see, that I will tell you.”

4 And Jonathan (Yehonatan) spake good of Dawid unto Saul his father, and said unto him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against Dawid; because he hath not sinned against you, and because his works have been to you-ward very good.

5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and יהוה wrought a great salvation for all Yisrael. You sawest it, and didst rejoice; wherefore then wilt you sin against innocent blood, to slay Dawid without a cause?”

6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan (Yehonatan); and Saul sware, “As יהוה liveth, he shall not be slain.”

7 And Jonathan (Yehonatan) called Dawid, and Jonathan (Yehonatan) shewed him all those things. And Jonathan (Yehonatan) brought Dawid to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

8 And there was war again; and Dawid 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 יהוה was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand; and Dawid played with his hand.

10 And Saul sought to smite Dawid 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 Dawid fled, and escaped that night.

11 Saul also sent messengers unto Dawid’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning; and Michal Dawid’s wife told him, saying, “If you save not your life tonight, tomorrow you shalt be slain.”

12 So Michal let Dawid 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 his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.

14 And when Saul sent messengers to take Dawid, she said, “He is sick.”

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

16 And when the messengers were 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 have you 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 you?’”

18 So Dawid fled, and escaped, and came to Shemuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Shemuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

19 And it was told Saul, saying, “Behold, Dawid is at Naioth in Ramah!”

20 And Saul sent messengers to take Dawid: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Shemuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God (Elohim) was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

21 And 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.

22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu; and he asked and said, “Where are Shemuel and Dawid?” And one said, “Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.”

23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God (Elohim) 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 Shemuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”