| New Living Translation | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David, | 1Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul's son Jonathan liked David very much, |
| 2told him what his father was planning. “Tomorrow morning,” he warned him, “you must find a hiding place out in the fields. | 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. |
| 3I’ll ask my father to go out there with me, and I’ll talk to him about you. Then I’ll tell you everything I can find out.” | 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." |
| 4The next morning Jonathan spoke with his father about David, saying many good things about him. “The king must not sin against his servant David,” Jonathan said. “He’s never done anything to harm you. He has always helped you in any way he could. | 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. |
| 5Have you forgotten about the time he risked his life to kill the Philistine giant and how the LORD brought a great victory to all Israel as a result? You were certainly happy about it then. Why should you murder an innocent man like David? There is no reason for it at all!” | 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 listened to Jonathan and vowed, “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be killed.” | 6Saul listened to Jonathan's advice and swore an oath: "As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be killed." |
| 7Afterward Jonathan called David and told him what had happened. Then he brought David to Saul, and David served in the court as before. | 7So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these words. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he did before. |
| 8War broke out again after that, and David led his troops against the Philistines. He attacked them with such fury that they all ran away. | 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. |
| 9But one day when Saul was sitting at home, with spear in hand, the tormenting spirit from the LORD suddenly came upon him again. As David played his harp, | 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, |
| 10Saul hurled his spear at David. But David dodged out of the way, and leaving the spear stuck in the wall, he fled and escaped into the night. Michal Saves David’s Life | 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. |
| 11Then Saul sent troops to watch David’s house. They were told to kill David when he came out the next morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead by morning.” | 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 she helped him climb out through a window, and he fled and escaped. | 12So she lowered David from the window, and he fled and escaped. |
| 13Then she took an idol and put it in his bed, covered it with blankets, and put a cushion of goat’s hair at its head. | 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. |
| 14When the troops came to arrest David, she told them he was sick and couldn’t get out of bed. | 14When Saul sent agents to seize David, Michal said, "He's sick." |
| 15But Saul sent the troops back to get David. He ordered, “Bring him to me in his bed so I can kill him!” | 15Saul sent the agents back to see David and said, "Bring him on his bed so I can kill him." |
| 16But when they came to carry David out, they discovered that it was only an idol in the bed with a cushion of goat’s hair at its head. | 16When the messengers arrived, to their surprise, the household idol was on the bed with some goat hair on its head. |
| 17“Why have you betrayed me like this and let my enemy escape?” Saul demanded of Michal. “I had to,” Michal replied. “He threatened to kill me if I didn’t help him.” | 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 escaped and went to Ramah to see Samuel, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. Then Samuel took David with him to live at 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. |
| 19When the report reached Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, | 19When it was reported to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, |
| 20he sent troops to capture him. But when they arrived and saw Samuel leading a group of prophets who were prophesying, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men, and they also began to prophesy. | 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. |
| 21When Saul heard what had happened, he sent other troops, but they, too, prophesied! The same thing happened a third time. | 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. |
| 22Finally, Saul himself went to Ramah and arrived at the great well in Secu. “Where are Samuel and David?” he demanded. “They are at Naioth in Ramah,” someone told him. | 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. |
| 23But on the way to Naioth in Ramah the Spirit of God came even upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy all the way to Naioth! | 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. |
| 24He tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground all day and all night, prophesying in the presence of Samuel. The people who were watching exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet?” | 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?" |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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