AB - I Samuel - 19

19:1  And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

19:2  And Jonathan, Saul's son, loved David much. And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul seeks to kill you; take heed to yourself therefore tomorrow morning, and hide yourself, and dwell in secret.

19:3  And I will go forth, and stand near my father in the field where you shall be, and I will speak concerning you to my father; and I will see what his answer may be, and I will tell you.

19:4  And Jonathan spoke favorably concerning David to Saul his father, and said to him, Let not the king sin against your servant David, for he has not sinned against you, and his deeds are very good.

19:5  And he put his life in his hand, and killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance. And all Israel saw, and rejoiced. Why then do you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?

19:6  And Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, saying, As the Lord lives, he shall not die.

19:7  And Jonathan called David, and told him all these words; and Jonathan brought David in to Saul, and he was before him as in former times.

19:8  And there was again war against Saul; and David did valiantly, and fought against the Philistines, and struck them with a very great slaughter, and they fled from before him.

19:9  And an evil spirit from God was upon Saul, and he was resting in his house, and a spear was in his hand, and David was playing on the harp with his hands.

19:10  And Saul sought to kill David with the spear; and David withdrew suddenly from the presence of Saul; and he drove the spear into the wall; and David retreated and escaped.

19:11  And it came to pass in that night, that Saul sent messengers to the house of David to watch him, in order to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, Unless you save your life this night, tomorrow you shall be slain.

19:12  So Michal let David down by the window, and he departed, and fled, and escaped.

19:13  And Michal took images, and laid them on the bed, and she put the liver of a goat by his head, and covered them with clothes.

19:14  And when Saul sent messengers to take David, they said that he was sick.

19:15  And he sent for David, saying, Bring him to me on the bed, that I may kill him.

19:16  And the messengers came, and behold, the images were on the bed, and the goat's liver at his head.

19:17  And Saul said to Michal, Why have you thus deceived me, and allowed my enemy to depart, and he has escaped? And Michal said to Saul, He said, let me go, and if not, I will kill you.

19:18  So David fled, and escaped, and he came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And Samuel and David went, and stayed at Naioth in Ramah.

19:19  And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.

19:20  And Saul sent messengers to take David, and they saw the assembly of the prophets, and Samuel stood as appointed over them; and the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they prophesied.

19:21  And it was told Saul, and he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent again a third set of messengers, and they also prophesied.

19:22  And Saul was very angry, and went himself also to Ramah, and he came as far as the well of the threshing floor that is in Sechu. And he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And they said, Behold, at Naioth in Ramah.

19:23  And he went from there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on prophesying till he came to Naioth in Ramah.

19:24  And he took off his clothes, and prophesied before them; and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they said, Is Saul also among the prophets?