God's Word Translation

1 Samuel 19:1-12 God's Word Translation (GW)

1. Saul told his son Jonathan and all his officers to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan was very fond of David,

2. so he reported to David, “My father Saul is trying to kill you. Please be careful tomorrow morning. Go into hiding, and stay out of sight.

3. I’ll go out and stand beside my father in the field where you’ll be. I’ll speak with my father about you. If I find out anything, I’ll tell you.”

4. So Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. “You should not commit a sin against your servant David,” he said. “He hasn’t sinned against you. Instead, he has done some very fine things for you:

5. He risked his life and killed the Philistine Goliath, and the Lord gave all Israel a great victory. When you saw it, you rejoiced. Why then should you sin by shedding David’s innocent blood for no reason?”

6. Saul listened to Jonathan, and he promised, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, he will not be killed.”

7. Jonathan told David all of this. Then Jonathan took David to Saul. So David was returned to his former status in Saul’s court.

8. When war broke out again, David went to fight the Philistines. He defeated them so decisively that they fled from him.

9. Then an evil spirit from the Lord came over Saul while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. David was strumming a tune.

10. Saul tried to nail David to the wall with his spear. But David dodged it, and Saul’s spear struck the wall. David fled, escaping ⌊from Saul⌋ that night.

11. Saul sent messengers to watch David’s house and kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, advised him, “If you don’t save yourself tonight, you’ll be dead tomorrow!”

12. So Michal lowered David through a window, and he ran away to escape.