| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David. | 1Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul's son Jonathan liked David very much, |
| 2So Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. | 2so he told him: "My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning and hide in a secret place and stay there. |
| 3And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you.” | 3I'll go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are and talk to him about you. When I see what he says, I'll tell you." |
| 4Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. | 4Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. He said to him: "The king should not sin against his servant David. He hasn't sinned against you; in fact, his actions have been a great advantage to you. |
| 5For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?” | 5He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?" |
| 6So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be killed.” | 6Saul listened to Jonathan's advice and swore an oath: "As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be killed." |
| 7Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past. | 7So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these words. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he did before. |
| 8And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him. | 8When war broke out again, David went out and fought against the Philistines. He defeated them with such a great force that they fled from him. |
| 9Now the distressing spirit from the LORD came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. | 9Now an evil spirit sent from the LORD came on Saul as he was sitting in his palace holding a spear. David was playing the lyre, |
| 10Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night. | 10and Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear. As the spear struck the wall, David eluded Saul, ran away, and escaped that night. |
| 11Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” | 11Saul sent agents to David's house to watch for him and kill him in the morning. But his wife Michal warned David, "If you don't escape tonight, you will be dead tomorrow!" |
| 12So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. | 12So she lowered David from the window, and he fled and escaped. |
| 13And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. | 13Then Michal took the household idol and put it on the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. |
| 14So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” | 14When Saul sent agents to seize David, Michal said, "He's sick." |
| 15Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” | 15Saul sent the agents back to see David and said, "Bring him on his bed so I can kill him." |
| 16And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head. | 16When the messengers arrived, to their surprise, the household idol was on the bed with some goat hair on its head. |
| 17Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’ ” | 17Saul asked Michal, "Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away, and he has escaped!" She answered him, "He said to me, 'Let me go! Why should I kill you?'" |
| 18So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. | 18So David fled and escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel left and stayed at Naioth. |
| 19Now it was told Saul, saying, “Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!” | 19When it was reported to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, |
| 20Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. | 20he sent agents to seize David. However, when they saw the group of prophets prophesying with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came on Saul's agents, and they also started prophesying. |
| 21And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. | 21When they reported to Saul, he sent other agents, and they also began prophesying. So Saul tried again and sent a third group of agents, and even they began prophesying. |
| 22Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah.” | 22Then Saul himself went to Ramah. He came to the large cistern at Secu, looked around, and asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" "At Naioth in Ramah," someone said. |
| 23So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. | 23So he went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God also came on him, and as he walked along, he prophesied until he entered Naioth in Ramah. |
| 24And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” | 24Saul then removed his clothes and also prophesied before Samuel; he collapsed and lay naked all that day and all that night. That is why they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" |
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