1 Samuel 19
19
Saul Tries to Kill David
1Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David, 2told him what his father was planning. “Tomorrow morning,” he warned him, “you must find a hiding place out in the fields. 3I’ll ask my father to go out there with me, and I’ll talk to him about you. Then I’ll tell you everything I can find out.”
4The next morning Jonathan spoke with his father about David, saying many good things about him. “The king must not sin against his servant David,” Jonathan said. “He’s never done anything to harm you. He has always helped you in any way he could. 5Have you forgotten about the time he risked his life to kill the Philistine giant and how the Lord brought a great victory to all Israel as a result? You were certainly happy about it then. Why should you murder an innocent man like David? There is no reason for it at all!”
6So Saul listened to Jonathan and vowed, “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.”
7Afterward Jonathan called David and told him what had happened. Then he brought David to Saul, and David served in the court as before.
8War broke out again after that, and David led his troops against the Philistines. He attacked them with such fury that they all ran away.
9But one day when Saul was sitting at home, with spear in hand, the tormenting spirit#19:9 Or evil spirit. from the Lord suddenly came upon him again. As David played his harp, 10Saul hurled his spear at David. But David dodged out of the way, and leaving the spear stuck in the wall, he fled and escaped into the night.
Michal Saves David’s Life
11Then Saul sent troops to watch David’s house. They were told to kill David when he came out the next morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead by morning.” 12So she helped him climb out through a window, and he fled and escaped. 13Then she took an idol#19:13 Hebrew teraphim; also in 19:16. and put it in his bed, covered it with blankets, and put a cushion of goat’s hair at its head.
14When the troops came to arrest David, she told them he was sick and couldn’t get out of bed.
15But Saul sent the troops back to get David. He ordered, “Bring him to me in his bed so I can kill him!” 16But when they came to carry David out, they discovered that it was only an idol in the bed with a cushion of goat’s hair at its head.
17“Why have you betrayed me like this and let my enemy escape?” Saul demanded of Michal.
“I had to,” Michal replied. “He threatened to kill me if I didn’t help him.”
18So David escaped and went to Ramah to see Samuel, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. Then Samuel took David with him to live at Naioth. 19When the report reached Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, 20he sent troops to capture him. But when they arrived and saw Samuel leading a group of prophets who were prophesying, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men, and they also began to prophesy. 21When Saul heard what had happened, he sent other troops, but they, too, prophesied! The same thing happened a third time. 22Finally, Saul himself went to Ramah and arrived at the great well in Secu. “Where are Samuel and David?” he demanded.
“They are at Naioth in Ramah,” someone told him.
23But on the way to Naioth in Ramah the Spirit of God came even upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy all the way to Naioth! 24He tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground all day and all night, prophesying in the presence of Samuel. The people who were watching exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet?”
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1 Samuel 19: NLT
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1 Samuel 19
19
David Delivered from Saul
1Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. # 1Sm 18:8-9 But Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much, # 1Sm 18:1-3 2so he told him: “My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning and hide in a secret place and stay there. 3I’ll go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are and talk to him about you. When I see what he says, I’ll tell you.” # 1Sm 20:32-33
4Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. He said to him: “The king should not sin against his servant David. # Gn 44:22; Pr 17:13; Jr 18:20 He hasn’t sinned against you; in fact, his actions have been a great advantage to you. 5He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, # 1Sm 17:42-51 and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel. # 1Sm 11:13 You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason? ” # Dt 19:10-13; 1Sm 20:32
6Saul listened to Jonathan’s advice and swore an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.” 7So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these words. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he did before. # 1Sm 16:21; 18:2,10,13
8When war broke out again, David went out and fought against the Philistines. He defeated them with such a great force that they fled from him.
9Now an evil spirit sent from the Lord # 1Sm 16:14; 18:10-11 came on Saul as he was sitting in his palace holding a spear. # 1Sm 18:10 David was playing the lyre, # 1Sm 16:14-16; 18:10 10and Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear. # 1Sm 18:11; 20:33 As the spear struck the wall, David eluded Saul, ran away, and escaped that night. 11Saul sent agents to David’s house to watch for him and kill him in the morning. # Ps 59 title But his wife Michal # 1Sm 18:20 warned David, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead tomorrow! ” 12So she lowered David from the window, and he fled and escaped. # Jos 2:15; Ac 9:23-25 13Then Michal took the household idol and put it on the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. 14When Saul sent agents to seize David, Michal said, “He’s sick.” # Jos 2:5
15Saul sent the agents back to see David and said, “Bring him on his bed so I can kill him.” 16When the messengers arrived, to their surprise, the household idol was on the bed with some goat hair on its head.
17Saul asked Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away, and he has escaped! ”
She answered him, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you? ’ ”
18So David fled and escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah # 1Sm 7:17 and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel left and stayed at Naioth. # 2Kg 6:1-2
19When it was reported to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, 20he sent agents to seize David. # 1Sm 19:11; Jn 7:32 However, when they saw the group of prophets prophesying # 1Sm 10:5-6,10 with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s agents, and they also started prophesying. 21When they reported to Saul, he sent other agents, and they also began prophesying. # Nm 11:25 So Saul tried again and sent a third group of agents, and even they began prophesying. 22Then Saul himself went to Ramah. He came to the large cistern at Secu, looked around, and asked, “Where are Samuel and David? ”
“At Naioth in Ramah,” someone said.
23So he went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God also came on him, # 1Sm 10:10 and as he walked along, he prophesied until he entered Naioth in Ramah. 24Saul then removed his clothes and also prophesied before Samuel; he collapsed and lay naked # Is 20:2; Mc 1:8 all that day and all that night. That is why they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets? ” # 1Sm 10:5-13
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