Jonathan Defends David
Study note
Saul told Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan, who loved David dearly, warned David to hide. Jonathan then spoke to his father on David's behalf, reminding Saul of David's loyal service and his victory over Goliath. Jonathan pointed out that David had done nothing wrong and that killing him would be a sin against an innocent man. Saul listened and swore an oath that David would not be put to death. Jonathan brought David back, and for a time David served in the palace as before.
1 Saul openly told his son Jonathan and all his officials that he wanted David dead. But Jonathan cared about David deeply. And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
2 Jonathan pulled David aside and warned him, "My father Saul is plotting to kill you. Be extremely careful tomorrow morning. Find a hiding spot and stay out of sight." But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:
3 "I will go stand with my father out in the field where you are hiding. I will bring up the subject of you and see what he says. Then I will let you know what I find out." And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee.
4 Jonathan put in a good word for David with his father. He said, "King, please do not wrong your servant David. He has never done anything to hurt you. In fact, everything he has done has been exceedingly helpful to you." And Jonathan spake 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 works have been to thee-ward very good:
5 "He put his own life on the line when he killed the Philistine, and the Lord gave all of Israel a great victory that day. You saw it happen, and you were thrilled about it. So why would you sin against someone who is innocent? Why kill David when he has done nothing to deserve it?" For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?
6 Saul listened to Jonathan and swore an oath: "As the Lord lives, David will not be killed." And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.
7 Jonathan went to David and told him the good news. He brought David back to Saul, and David went back to serving the king like before. And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.
Saul Throws His Spear Again
Study note
War broke out again with the Philistines, and David won another great victory. But an evil spirit came upon Saul again while David was playing the harp. Once more Saul hurled his spear at David, trying to pin him to the wall. David ducked just in time. That night David fled and escaped. This was the last time David would be in Saul's palace.
8 Before long, war with the Philistines broke out again. David went out and fought them so fiercely that they turned and ran. 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.
9 Then an evil spirit from the Lord came over Saul while he was sitting at home. He had his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp nearby. And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.
10 Saul tried to pin David to the wall with his spear. David jumped out of the way just in time, and the spear stuck into the wall. David ran off into the night and got away safely. 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.
Michal Helps David Escape
Study note
Saul sent men to watch David's house with orders to kill him in the morning. Michal, David's wife, warned him and lowered him through a window during the night. She put an idol in the bed with goat hair on its head and covered it with clothes to make it look like David was sleeping. When Saul's men came, she told them David was sick. When Saul sent them back to bring David in his bed, they discovered the trick. Saul confronted Michal, who lied, saying David had threatened her life.
11 Saul sent soldiers to watch David's house so they could kill him first thing in the morning. But David's wife Michal warned him, "If you do not escape tonight, by tomorrow you will be a dead man." Saul also 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.
12 Michal helped David climb out through a window, and he ran off and got away safely. So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
13 Michal grabbed a household idol. She put it in the bed. She placed goat-hair on its head. She pulled a blanket over it to look like a sleeper. 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.
14 When Saul's men came to arrest David, Michal told them, "He is in bed. He is sick." And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.
15 Saul sent the soldiers back with new orders: "Bring him to me in his bed. I do not care if he is sick. I am going to kill him." And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
16 When the soldiers went inside, all they found in the bed was the idol with the goat hair pillow. And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.
17 Saul confronted Michal, "Why did you trick me and help my enemy escape?" Michal answered, "He threatened me. He said, 'Help me get out of here, or I will kill you.'" And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?
David Flees to Samuel
Study note
David escaped to Samuel at Ramah and told him everything Saul had done. The two of them went to stay at Naioth. When Saul sent messengers to capture David, the Spirit of God came upon them and they began prophesying instead. Saul sent messengers three times, and each time the same thing happened. Finally Saul went himself, and the Spirit of God came on him too. He stripped off his outer clothing and prophesied before Samuel all day and all night. This gave rise to the saying, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'
18 David escaped and ran to Samuel at Ramah. He told Samuel everything Saul had been doing to him. Then David and Samuel went to stay at a place called Naioth. 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 dwelt in Naioth.
19 Someone informed Saul, "David is at Naioth in Ramah." And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.
20 Saul sent soldiers to capture David. But when they arrived and saw a group of prophets prophesying with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came over Saul's men, and they started prophesying too. 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 upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
21 When Saul heard what happened, he sent another group of soldiers. The same thing happened to them. He sent a third group, and they also prophesying. 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.
22 Finally, Saul decided to go himself. He traveled to Ramah and arrived at the great cistern in Secu. He asked around, "Where are Samuel and David?" Someone told him, "They are at Naioth in Ramah." 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.
23 So Saul headed for Naioth. But the Spirit of God came over even Saul himself, and he walked along prophesying the whole way there. And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24 When Saul arrived, he stripped off his outer clothes and prophesied there in Samuel's presence. He lay on the ground without his robes all day and all night long. That is how the saying started: "Has Saul become one of the prophets too?" 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. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?