THE FIRST BOOK OF
SAMUEL,
1 Samuel 19 ©
Saul seeks to kill David, v. 1, etc. Jonathan gives David notice, 2. And speaks in his behalf unto Saul, 4. Who seems that he will not put David to death, 6. David returns to court, 7. He marches into the field, and smites the Philistines, 8. Wherefore Saul seeks again to kill David, 10. Michal, David’s wife makes him acquainted with it, 11. Wherefore he flees, 12. Michal deceives her father, 13. David comes to Ramah unto Samuel, 18. Saul sends messengers to Naioth, to apprehend David: they prophesy, 20. He sends other messengers who prophesy likewise, 21. He goes himself thither, 22. And he prophesies likewise, 23.
AND Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
But 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 1the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:
And I will go out and stand beside my father 2in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I 3see, that I will tell thee.
¶And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king 4sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-warda very good:
For 5he did put his life in his hand, and slew the 6Philistine, 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?
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, 7he shall not be slain.
And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and 8he was in his presence, as in times past.
¶And 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.
Andb 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.
And Saul sought to smite 9David 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.
Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him 10in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy 11life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.
¶So Michal let David down 12through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
And Michal took 13an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of 14goats’ hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.
And when Saul sent messengers 15to take David, she said, He is sick.
And Saul sent the messengers again to 16see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.
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; 18why should I kill thee?
¶So David fled, and escaped, and 19came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in 20Naioth.
And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth 21in Ramah.
And Saul sent messengers to 22take David: and when they 23saw the company of the prophets 24prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also 25prophesied.
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.
Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in 26Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.
And 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.
And 27he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and 28lay down 29naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, 30Is Saul also among the prophets?