| New International Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David | 1And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. |
| 2and warned him, "My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there. | 2And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. |
| 3I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I'll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out." | 3And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” |
| 4Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, "Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. | 4And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. |
| 5He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The LORD won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?" | 5For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” |
| 6Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: "As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death." | 6And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.” |
| 7So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before. | 7And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before. |
| 8Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him. | 8And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him. |
| 9But an evil spirit from the LORD came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre, | 9Then a harmful spirit from the LORD came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. |
| 10Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape. | 10And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night. |
| 11Saul sent men to David's house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, warned him, "If you don't run for your life tonight, tomorrow you'll be killed." | 11Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” |
| 12So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped. | 12So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped. |
| 13Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats' hair at the head. | 13Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head and covered it with the clothes. |
| 14When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said, "He is ill." | 14And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” |
| 15Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, "Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him." | 15Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” |
| 16But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats' hair. | 16And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head. |
| 17Saul said to Michal, "Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?" Michal told him, "He said to me, 'Let me get away. Why should I kill you?'" | 17Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’” |
| 18When David had fled and made his escape, 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 fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth. |
| 19Word came to Saul: "David is in Naioth at Ramah"; | 19And it was told Saul, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” |
| 20so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul's men, and they also prophesied. | 20Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. |
| 21Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. | 21When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. |
| 22Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" "Over in Naioth at Ramah," they said. | 22Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” |
| 23So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. | 23And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. |
| 24He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel's presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" | 24And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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