1 Samuel 19191 SamuelDavid and SaulJPS Tanakh 1917

JPS Tanakh 1917Berean Standard Bible

1. Saul Tries to Kill David

   (Psalm 59:1–17)

2. 1JPSAnd Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should slay David; but Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David.BSBBSB: Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan delighted greatly in David,
3. 2JPSAnd Jonathan told David, saying: 'Saul my father seeketh to slay thee; now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself.BSBBSB: 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.
4. 3JPSAnd I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will speak with my father of thee; and if I see aught, I will tell thee.'BSBBSB: 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.”
5. 4JPSAnd Jonathan spoke good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him: 'Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his work hath been very good towards thee;BSBBSB: 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.
6. 5JPSfor he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great victory for all Israel; thou sawest it, and didst rejoice; wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?'BSBBSB: 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?”
7. 6JPSAnd Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore: 'As the LORD liveth, he shall not be put to death.'BSBBSB: Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”
8. 7JPSAnd Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as beforetime.BSBBSB: So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.
9. 8JPSAnd there was war again; and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him.BSBBSB: 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.
10. 9JPSAnd an evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.BSBBSB: 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,
11. 10JPSAnd Saul sought to smite David even to 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.BSBBSB: 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.
12. 11JPSAnd Saul sent messengers unto 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 shalt be slain.'BSBBSB: 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!”
13. 12JPSSo Michal let David down through the window; and he went, and fled, and escaped.BSBBSB: So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped.
14. 13JPSAnd Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a quilt of goats' hair at the head thereof, and covered it with a cloth.BSBBSB: 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.
15. 14JPSAnd when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said: 'He is sick.'BSBBSB: When Saul sent the messengers to seize David, Michal said, “He is ill.”
16. 15JPSAnd Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying: 'Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.'BSBBSB: 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.”
17. 16JPSAnd when the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the quilt of goats' hair at the head thereof.BSBBSB: And when the messengers entered, there was the idol in the bed with the goat hair on its head.
18. 17JPSAnd Saul said unto Michal: 'Why hast thou deceived me thus, and let mine enemy go, that he is escaped?' And Michal answered Saul: 'He said unto me: Let me go; why should I kill thee?'BSBBSB: 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!’”
19. 18JPSNow 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.BSBBSB: 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.
20. 19JPSAnd it was told Saul, saying: 'Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.'BSBBSB: When Saul was told that David was at Naioth in Ramah,
21. 20JPSAnd Saul sent messengers to take David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.BSBBSB: 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.
22. 21JPSAnd when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.BSBBSB: 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.
23. 22JPSThen went he also to Ramah, and came to the great cistern that is in Secu; and he asked and said: 'Where are Samuel and David?' And one said: 'Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.'BSBBSB: 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.
24. 23JPSAnd he went thither to Naioth in Ramah; and the spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.BSBBSB: 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.
25. 24JPSAnd he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'BSBBSB: 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.