Saul Tries to Kill David

(Psalm 59:1–17)

Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David.

But Jonathan delighted greatly in David, 2 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 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 

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 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 

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 

So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and [David] was with [Saul] as before

8 

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 

But as Saul was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, a spirit of distress[fn] from the LORD came upon him. While David was playing the harp 10 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 

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 So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped.

13 

Then Michal took a household idol[fn] and laid [it] in the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. 14 When Saul sent the messengers to seize David, Michal said,“He [is] ill.”

15 

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 And when the messengers entered, there was the idol in the bed vvv with the goat [hair] on its head.

17 

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 

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 

When Saul was told that David was at Naioth in Ramah, 20 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 

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 

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 

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 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?” 20