| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Then Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul's son Jonathan liked David very much. | 1Saul told his son Jonathan and all his officials to kill David, but Saul's son Jonathan was very fond of David. |
| 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. | 2So Jonathan told David, "My father Saul is trying to kill you. In the morning be careful and stay hidden in a secret place. |
| 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." | 3I'll go out and stand by my father in the field where you are. I'll speak to my father about you. If I find out what he intends to do, I'll tell 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. | 4Jonathan spoke to his father Saul favorably about David. "The king shouldn't wrong his servant David because he has not wronged you and because what he has done has been very beneficial for you. |
| 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?" | 5He risked his life and struck down the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a spectacular deliverance for all Israel. You saw that and rejoiced, so why would you do wrong and shed innocent blood by killing David without cause?" |
| 6Saul accepted Jonathan's advice and took an oath, "As surely as the LORD lives, he will not be put to death." | 6Saul listened to Jonathan, and swore by the life of the LORD that David would not be killed. |
| 7Then Jonathan called David and told him all these things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he had done formerly. | 7Jonathan summoned David and told him all this. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and David served him as before. |
| 8Now once again there was war. So David went out to fight the Philistines. He defeated them thoroughly and they ran away from him. | 8The war continued and David went out to fight against the Philistines. He thoroughly defeated them, and they fled before David. |
| 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. | 9The evil spirit from the LORD attacked Saul while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand and David was playing the lyre. |
| 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. | 10Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he jumped away from Saul and the spear stuck in the wall. That night David escaped and fled. |
| 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!" | 11Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him so they could kill him in the morning. David's wife, Michal, told him, "If you don't escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you'll be put to death." |
| 12So Michal lowered David through the window, and he ran away and escaped. | 12So Michal let David down through the window, and he escaped and fled. |
| 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. | 13Then Michal took the household idol and laid it on the bed with a cover of goat hair placed at its head. Then she covered it with clothes. |
| 14When Saul sent messengers to arrest David, she said, "He's sick." | 14When Saul sent the messengers to take David, Michal said, "He's sick." |
| 15Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me on his bed so I can kill him." | 15Then Saul sent messengers to check on David. He told them, "Bring him to me on the bed so I may kill him." |
| 16When the messengers came, they found only the idol on the bed and the quilt made of goat's hair at its head. | 16The messengers went in, and there was the household idol in the bed with the cover of goat hair at its head! |
| 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!'" | 17Then Saul told Michal, "Why did you deceive me like this and let my enemy go so he could escape?" Michal told Saul, "He told me, 'Let me go or I'll kill you!'" |
| 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. | 18David escaped and fled. He came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed at Naioth. |
| 19It was reported to Saul saying, "David is at Naioth in Ramah." | 19It was reported to Saul saying, "David is at Naioth in Ramah right now." |
| 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. | 20Saul sent messengers to take David, and they saw a group of prophets caught up in prophetic ecstasy, with Samuel standing beside them leading them. Then the Spirit of God came on Saul's messengers, and they also were caught up in prophetic ecstasy. |
| 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. | 21They reported this to Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also were caught up in prophetic ecstasy. |
| 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." | 22Then Saul himself went to Ramah, and he arrived at the large well that is in Secu. He asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" Someone replied, "They're at 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. | 23Saul went to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God came on him also. He continued in prophetic ecstasy until he came to Naioth in Ramah. |
| 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?") | 24He also removed his clothes and was caught up in prophetic ecstasy right in front of Samuel! He fell down naked and remained there all that day and all night. That is why people say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" |
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