| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan delighted greatly in David, | 1Then Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul's son Jonathan liked David very much. |
| 2so he warned David, saying, “My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning; find a secret place and hide there. | 2So Jonathan told David, "My father Saul is trying to kill you. So be careful tomorrow morning. Find a hiding place and stay in seclusion. |
| 3I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, so I can ask about you. And if I find out anything, I will tell you.” | 3I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are. I will speak about you to my father. When I find out what the problem is, I will let you know." |
| 4Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David; he has not sinned against you. In fact, his actions have been highly beneficial to you. | 4So Jonathan spoke on David's behalf to his father Saul. He said to him, "The king should not sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you. On the contrary, his actions have been very beneficial for you. |
| 5He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?” | 5He risked his life when he struck down the Philistine and the LORD gave all Israel a great victory. When you saw it, you were happy. So why would you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death for no reason?" |
| 6Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.” | 6Saul accepted Jonathan's advice and took an oath, "As surely as the LORD lives, he will not be put to death." |
| 7So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul to serve him as he had before. | 7Then Jonathan called David and told him all these things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he had done formerly. |
| 8When war broke out again, David went out and fought the Philistines and struck them with such a mighty blow that they fled before him. | 8Now once again there was war. So David went out to fight the Philistines. He defeated them thoroughly and they ran away from him. |
| 9But as Saul was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, a spirit of distress from the LORD came upon him. While David was playing the harp, | 9Then an evil spirit from the LORD came upon Saul. He was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, while David was playing the lyre. |
| 10Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear. But the spear struck the wall and David eluded him, ran away, and escaped that night. | 10Saul tried to nail David to the wall with the spear, but he escaped from Saul's presence and the spear drove into the wall. David escaped quickly that night. |
| 11Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!” | 11Saul sent messengers to David's house to guard it and to kill him in the morning. Then David's wife Michal told him, "If you do not save yourself tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!" |
| 12So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped. | 12So Michal lowered David through the window, and he ran away and escaped. |
| 13Then Michal took a household idol and laid it in the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. | 13Then Michal took a household idol and put it on the bed. She put a quilt made of goat's hair over its head and then covered the idol with a garment. |
| 14When Saul sent the messengers to seize David, Michal said, “He is ill.” | 14When Saul sent messengers to arrest David, she said, "He's sick." |
| 15But Saul sent the messengers back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so I can kill him.” | 15Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me on his bed so I can kill him." |
| 16And when the messengers entered, there was the idol in the bed with the quilt of goats’ hair on its head. | 16When the messengers came, they found only the idol on the bed and the quilt made of goat's hair at its head. |
| 17And Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away and he has escaped!” Michal replied, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away, or I will kill you!’ ” | 17Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me this way by sending my enemy away? Now he has escaped!" Michal replied to Saul, "He said to me, 'Help me get away or else I will kill you!'" |
| 18So David ran away and escaped. And he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. | 18Now David had run away and escaped. He went to Samuel in Ramah and told him everything that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed at Naioth. |
| 19When Saul was told that David was at Naioth in Ramah, | 19It was reported to Saul saying, "David is at Naioth in Ramah." |
| 20he sent messengers to capture him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy. | 20So Saul sent messengers to capture David. When they saw a company of prophets prophesying with Samuel standing there as their leader, the spirit of God came upon Saul's messengers, and they also prophesied. |
| 21When this was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they began to prophesy as well. So Saul tried again and sent messengers a third time, and even they began to prophesy. | 21When it was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they prophesied too. So Saul sent messengers a third time, but they also prophesied. |
| 22Finally, Saul himself left for Ramah and came to the large cistern at Secu, where he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “At Naioth in Ramah,” he was told. | 22Finally Saul himself went to Ramah. When he arrived at the large cistern that is in Secu, he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" They said, "At Naioth in Ramah." |
| 23So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon even Saul, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah. | 23So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God came upon him as well, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah. |
| 24Then Saul stripped off his robes and also prophesied before Samuel. And he collapsed and lay naked all that day and night. That is why it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” | 24He even stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel. He lay there naked all that day and night. (For that reason it is asked, "Is Saul also among the prophets?") |
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