1 Samuel 19

1Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants to put David to death, but Jonathan son of Saul delighted greatly in David.

2Jonathan told David, saying, “Saul my father is seeking to kill you. So now, please be on your guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself.”

3I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. Then I will see what happens and tell you.

4Jonathan 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 been very good for you.”

5For he put his life in his hand and struck down the Philistine, and Yahweh brought about a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. So why should you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death for no reason?

6Saul listened to Jonathan’s voice, and Saul swore, “As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death.”

7So Jonathan called David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

8And the war broke out again, and David went out and fought against the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him.

9And an evil spirit from Yahweh came upon Saul while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the lyre with his hand.

10Saul 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. Then David fled and escaped that night.

11Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal his wife told David, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death.”

12So Michal lowered David through the window, and he went and fled and escaped.

13Then Michal took the household idol and laid it on the bed, and she put a cushion of goats’ hair at its head and covered it with the garment.

14Then Saul sent messengers to seize David, and she said, “He is sick.”

15Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, so that I may put him to death.”

16When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the quilt of goats’ hair at its head.

17Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and sent away my enemy, so that he escaped?” And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’”

18David fled and escaped, and 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.

19And it was reported to Saul, saying, “Look, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”

20Then Saul sent messengers to seize David. When they saw the company of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing over them, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s messengers, and they also prophesied.

21When they told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Then Saul again sent a third group of messengers, and they also prophesied.

22He too went to Ramah, and he came as far as the great well that is at Seku. He asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Look, they are at Naioth in Ramah.”

23So he went there, to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God came upon him also; and he went on, prophesying, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24He too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel. He lay naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”