¹ Then spake Saul unto Jonathan his son, and unto all his servants, that they should put David to death;

² but, Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted in David, exceedingly,—so Jonathan told David, saying, Saul, my father, is seeking to put thee to death,—now, therefore, take heed to thyself I pray thee, in the morning, and abide thou in concealment, and hide thyself;

³ and, I, will come out and stand beside my father, in the field where, thou, art, and, I, will speak of thee unto my father,—and, if I see aught, I will tell thee.

⁴ So then Jonathan spake of David things that were good, unto Saul his father,—and said unto him—May the king not sin against his servant—against David; for he hath not sinned against, thee, nay, indeed, his doings have been good to theeward exceedingly.

⁵ And, when he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and Yahweh wrought a great victory for all Israel, thou sawest, and didst rejoice. Wherefore, then, shouldst thou sin against innocent blood by putting David to death, without cause?

⁶ And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan,—and Saul sware, By the life of Yahweh, he shall not be put to death!

⁷ And Jonathan called for David, and Jonathan told him all these things,—and Jonathan brought in David unto Saul, and so he was in his presence, as aforetime.

⁸ But, when the war again brake out,—and David went forth and fought with the Philistines, and smote them with a great smiting, and they fled before him,

⁹ then came there a sad spirit of Yahweh unto Saul, he being in his house, seated, with his spear in his hand,—while, David, played with his hand,

¹⁰ Saul sought to smite David with the spear, even to the wall, but he slipped away from before Saul, who smote the spear into the wall,—whereas, David, fled and escaped, that night.

¹¹ And Saul sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to put him to death, in the morning! And Michal his wife told David, saying, If thou do not deliver thyself to-night, to-morrow, art thou to be put to death.

¹² So Michal let down David, through the window, and he departed and fled, and escaped.

¹³ And Michal took the household god, and put it in the bed, and, a fly-net of goat’s-hair, put she at its head,—and covered it with the clothes.

¹⁴ And, when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said—He is, sick.

¹⁵ So Saul sent messengers to see David, saying,—Bring him up in the bed unto me, that I may put him to death.

¹⁶ And, when the messengers entered, lo! the household god in the bed,—with a fly-net of goat’s-hair at its head.

¹⁷ And Saul said unto Michal—Wherefore, in this way, hast thou deceived me, and let go mine enemy, that he hath escaped? Then said Michal unto Saul, He, himself, said unto me—Let me go, wherefore should I put thee to death?

¹⁸ So, David, fled, and escaped, and came in unto Samuel in Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him,—and he and Samuel departed, and dwelt in Naioth.

¹⁹ And it was told Saul, saying,—Lo! David, is in Naioth, in Ramah.

²⁰ So Saul sent messengers to take David, but, when they saw the assembly of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, then came the Spirit of God upon the messengers of Saul, and, they also, were, moved to prophesy.

²¹ And, when they told Saul, and he sent other messengers, then were, they also, moved to prophesy. And, when Saul again sent messengers a third time, then were, they also, moved to prophesy.

²² Then went, he also himself, to Ramah, and came in as far as the well of the threshing-floor which is in Sephi, and asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said—Lo! in Naioth, in Ramah.

²³ And, when he departed from thence towards Naioth in Ramah, then came upon, him also, the Spirit of God, and he went on and on, and was moved to prophesy, until he entered Naioth in Ramah.

²⁴ And, even he, stripped off his upper garments, and, even he, was moved to prophesy before Samuel, and lay prostrate, disrobed, all that day, and all the night. For this cause, do they say, Is, even Saul, among the prophets?