Saul Tries to Kill David (Psalm 59:1–17)
1 DBY And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should slay David. BSB BSB: Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan delighted greatly in David,
2 DBY But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David. And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeks to kill thee; and now, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and abide in a secret place and hide thyself; 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 DBY and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and will speak of thee with my father: and see what it is, and tell thee. 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 DBY 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 thee; for also what he did was very advantageous to thee; 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 DBY for he put his life in hand, and smote the Philistine, and Jehovah wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou didst see it , and didst rejoice; why then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, in slaying David without 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 DBY And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, As Jehovah liveth, he shall not be put to death! 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 DBY Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan declared to him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as previously. 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 DBY And there was war again; and David went forth and fought with the Philistines, and smote them with a great slaughter; and they fled before 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 DBY And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul. And he sat in his house with his spear 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 DBY And Saul sought to smite David and the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the spear 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 DBY And Saul 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 thou save not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou wilt be put to death. 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 DBY And 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 DBY And Michal took the image, and laid it in the bed, and put the net of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with the coverlet. 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 DBY And Saul sent messengers to take David, and she said, He is sick. BSB BSB: When Saul sent the messengers to seize David, Michal said, “He is ill.”
15 DBY And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may put him to death. 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 DBY And the messengers came in, and behold, the image was in the bed, and the net of goats' hair at its head. BSB BSB: And when the messengers entered, there was the idol in the bed with the goat hair on its head.
17 DBY Then Saul said to Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal said to Saul, He said to me, Let me go; why should I slay thee? 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 DBY And 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 dwelt 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 DBY And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth by Ramah. BSB BSB: When Saul was told that David was at Naioth in Ramah,
20 DBY Then Saul sent messengers to take David; and they saw a company of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as president over them; and the Spirit of God came upon 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 DBY And it was told Saul, and he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 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 DBY Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Sechu; and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, at Naioth by 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 DBY And he went thither to Naioth by Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth by 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 DBY And he himself also stripped off his clothes, and prophesied, himself also, before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore 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.