1 And Saul spoke {dabber: communicated with authority} to Jonathan his son and to all his servants to kill David, but Jonathan son of Saul was very pleased {khafets: had strong affection} with David.
2 And Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul is seeking {mebaqesh: hostile intent} to kill you. Now be on guard, please, in the morning, and you shall remain in the hiding place {seter: protective refuge} and you shall hide yourself.”
3 And I will go out and stand {amadti: position myself} beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak about you to my father, and I will see what I find and will tell {higadti: report findings} you.
4 And Jonathan spoke well{tov: commend positively} of David to his father Saul, and he said to him, “Let not the king sin{yecheta: act unrighteously} against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you, and his deeds are very good for you.”
5 And he put his life {nefesh: life essence} in his hand and struck the Philistine, and the LORD {YHWH, Divine Warrior} made a great salvation {teshuah: deliverance} for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin by shedding innocent blood to kill David without cause?
6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore {shava: solemn vow}, “As surely as the LORD {YHWH, Life-Guarantor} lives, he shall not be put to death.”
7 And Jonathan called {vayyiqra: formal summons} David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought David before {le-panav: close proximity} Saul, and he was in his presence as before.
8 The battle continued {tosaf: resumed conflict} again, and David went out and fought the Philistines and struck them a great blow {makkah: powerful strike}, so they fled from before him.
9 Now an evil spirit {ruach: harmful presence} from the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Ruler} came upon Saul while he was seated in his house holding his spear, and David was playing the lyre.
10 And Saul sought {vakash: determined pursuit} to strike David with the spear against the wall, but David evaded him, and Saul drove the spear into the wall. David fled and escaped {malat: desperate escape} that night.
11 Saul sent messengers {malakhim: royal envoys} to David’s house to keep watch and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, his wife, warned David, saying, “If you do not escape {memallet: find safety} with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be slain.”
12 And Michal let David down through the window {chalon: narrow opening}, and he went, fled, and escaped {imalet: secured deliverance}.
13 And Michal took the teraphim {terafim: household idols} and placed them on the bed, put the goats’ hair pillow {kevir: stuffed cushion} at its head, and covered it with a garment.
14 Then Saul dispatched messengers {mal'akhim: official envoys} to capture David, and she said, “He is ill {choleh: feigned illness}.”
15 Then Saul sent the messengers {malakhim: royal envoys} to see David, saying, “Bring him to me on the bed {mittah: bed carried by attendants} so that I may kill him.”
16 And the messengers entered, and behold, the teraphim {teraphim: household idols} were on the bed, with a goats’ hair pillow {kebir: stuffed cushion} at its head.
17 And Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived {rimmitini: intentional betrayal} me like this and sent away my enemy {oyvi: adversary}, so that he has escaped?” And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’”
18 And David fled and escaped {vayyimmalet: narrow escape}, and he came to Samuel at Ramah, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and they stayed in the dwellings {benuyoth: communal lodgings} at Naioth.
19 And it was told {yugad: reported news} to Saul, saying, “Behold, David is in Naioth {b’naiyot: prophetic community} in Ramah.”
20 And Saul sent messengers {malakhim: official envoys} to take David, and when they saw the band of prophets prophesying with Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God {ruach Elohim: Divine Power} came upon Saul’s messengers, and they also prophesied.
21 And they informed {vayaggidu: delivered report} Saul, and he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Then Saul persisted {vayosef: continued effort} and sent messengers a third time, and they also prophesied.
22 And he also went to Ramah {ramah: elevated site} and came to the great well in Seku {seku: wooded ravine}, and he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And he said, “Behold, they are in Naioth in Ramah.”
23 Saul went there to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God {Elohim, Source of Prophetic Empowerment} was also upon him; and he walked about prophesying {hitnabe: divine communication} until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24 And he also stripped off {pashat: complete removal} his garments and also prophesied {nabaʾ: ecstatic utterance} before Samuel; and he lay naked all that day and all that night. Therefore, they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”