1 Samuel

1 Samuel 19 ©

1 Jonathan discloseth to David his father's purpose to kill him. 4 He persuadeth his father to a reconciliation. 8 Saul, jealous of David's good success in a new war, again seeketh to slay him; he saveth himself by flight. 11 Saul's messengers come to David's house to slay him; Michal favoureth his escape, and deceiveth her father by an image in the bed. 18 David cometh to Samuel to Naioth; he is pursued; the spirit of prophecy cometh upon Saul's messengers, 23 and upon Saul.

1

AND aSaul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

2

But Jonathan Saul's son bdelighted 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:

3

And 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.

4

¶And Jonathan cspake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king dsin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because ehis works have been to *thee-ward very good:

5

For he fdid put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD gwrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against hinnocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

6

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

7

And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, kas 1in times past.

8

¶And there was war again: and lDavid went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from 2him.

9

And the mevil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David nplayed with his hand.

10

And Saul osought 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 pescaped that night.

11

Saul also qsent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and rMichal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.

q Ps. 34.19; 59, title.
12

¶So Michal slet David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.

13

And Michal took an 3image, 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 David, she tsaid, He is sick.

15

And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, 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 hast thou udeceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me vgo; why should I kill thee?

18

¶So David fled, and escaped, and came wto Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

19

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

20

And Saul ysent messengers to take David: zand when they saw the acompany 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.

z v.11.
21

And when it was told Saul, he bsent 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 Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.

23

And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the cSpirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24

And he stripped off his dclothes also, and eprophesied before Samuel in like manner, and 4lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is fSaul also among the prophets?