Saul Tries to Kill David (Psalm 59:1–17)
1 AKJV And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. BSB BSB: Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan delighted greatly in David,
2 AKJV But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeks to kill you: now therefore, I pray you, take heed to yourself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide yourself: BSB BSB: so he warned David, saying, “My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning; find a secret place and hide there.
3 AKJV And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will commune with my father of you; and what I see, that I will tell you. BSB BSB: I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, so I can ask about you. And if I find out anything, I will tell you.”
4 AKJV And Jonathan spoke good 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 to you-ward very good: BSB BSB: Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David; he has not sinned against you. In fact, his actions have been highly beneficial to you.
5 AKJV For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel: you saw it, and did rejoice: why then will you sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? BSB BSB: He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?”
6 AKJV And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, As the LORD lives, he shall not be slain. BSB BSB: Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”
7 AKJV And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past. BSB BSB: So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.
8 AKJV And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him. BSB BSB: When war broke out again, David went out and fought the Philistines and struck them with such a mighty blow that they fled before him.
9 AKJV And the evil spirit from the LORD was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand. BSB BSB: But as Saul was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, a spirit of distress from the LORD came upon him. While David was playing the harp,
10 AKJV And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin: but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. BSB BSB: Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear. But David eluded him and the spear struck the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
11 AKJV Saul also sent messengers to David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If you save not your life to night, to morrow you shall be slain. BSB BSB: Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!”
12 AKJV So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. BSB BSB: So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped.
13 AKJV And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. BSB BSB: Then Michal took a household idol and laid it in the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment.
14 AKJV And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. BSB BSB: When Saul sent the messengers to seize David, Michal said, “He is ill.”
15 AKJV And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him. BSB BSB: But Saul sent the messengers back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so I can kill him.”
16 AKJV And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster. BSB BSB: And when the messengers entered, there was the idol in the bed with the goat hair on its head.
17 AKJV And Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me so, and sent away my enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said to me, Let me go; why should I kill you? BSB BSB: And Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away, and he has escaped!” Michal replied, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away, or I will kill you!’”
18 AKJV So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelled in Naioth. BSB BSB: So David ran away and escaped. And 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.
19 AKJV And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. BSB BSB: When Saul was told that David was at Naioth in Ramah,
20 AKJV And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. BSB BSB: he sent messengers to seize him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy.
21 AKJV And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. BSB BSB: When this was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they began to prophesy as well. So Saul tried again and sent messengers a third time, and even they began to prophesy.
22 AKJV Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah. BSB BSB: Finally, Saul himself left for Ramah and came to the large cistern at Secu, where he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “At Naioth in Ramah,” he was told.
23 AKJV And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. BSB BSB: So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon even Saul, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24 AKJV And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Why they say, Is Saul also among the prophets? BSB BSB: Then Saul stripped off his robes and also prophesied before Samuel. And he collapsed and lay naked all that day and night. That is why it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.