Read Scripture ad-free with Bible Gateway Plus—trusted Study Bibles and commentaries beside every verse. Try it FREE for 7 days.
Log In/Sign Up

#
1 Samuel 19
New International Version

### Saul Tries to Kill David

19 Saul told his son Jonathan(A) and all the attendants to kill(B) David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David 2 and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding(C) and stay there. 3 I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak(D) to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”

4 Jonathan spoke(E) well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong(F) to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. 5 He took his life(G) in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory(H) for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent(I) man like David by killing him for no reason?”

6 Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”

7 So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.(J)

8 Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.

9 But an evil[a] spirit(K) from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre,(L) 10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded(M) him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

11 Saul sent men to David’s house to watch(N) it and to kill him in the morning.(O) But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window,(P) and he fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took an idol(Q) and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.

14 When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said,(R) “He is ill.”

15 Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.” 16 But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair.

17 Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?”

Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’”

18 When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah(S) and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. 19 Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah”; 20 so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets(T) prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on(U) Saul’s men, and they also prophesied.(V) 21 Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

“Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said.

23 So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying(W) until he came to Naioth. 24 He stripped(X) off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s(Y) presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”(Z)

#### Footnotes

1. 1 Samuel 19:9 Or But a harmful

#### Cross references

1. 1 Samuel 19:1 : S 1Sa 18:1
2. 1 Samuel 19:1 : 1Sa 18:9
3. 1 Samuel 19:2 : 1Sa 20:5, 19
4. 1 Samuel 19:3 : 1Sa 20:12
5. 1 Samuel 19:4 : 1Sa 20:32; 22:14; Pr 31:8, 9; Jer 18:20
6. 1 Samuel 19:4 : 1Sa 25:21; Pr 17:13
7. 1 Samuel 19:5 : S Jdg 9:17; S 12:3
8. 1 Samuel 19:5 : S 1Sa 11:13
9. 1 Samuel 19:5 : S Ge 31:36; Dt 19:10-13
10. 1 Samuel 19:7 : S 1Sa 18:2, 13
11. 1 Samuel 19:9 : S Jdg 9:23
12. 1 Samuel 19:9 : S 1Sa 10:5
13. 1 Samuel 19:10 : 1Sa 18:11
14. 1 Samuel 19:11 : Ps 59 Title
15. 1 Samuel 19:11 : Jdg 16:2
16. 1 Samuel 19:12 : S Jos 2:15; Ac 9:25; 2Co 11:33
17. 1 Samuel 19:13 : S Ge 31:19
18. 1 Samuel 19:14 : S Ex 1:19; Jos 2:4
19. 1 Samuel 19:18 : S 1Sa 7:17
20. 1 Samuel 19:20 : S Nu 11:29
21. 1 Samuel 19:20 : S Nu 11:25
22. 1 Samuel 19:20 : S 1Sa 10:5
23. 1 Samuel 19:23 : 1Sa 10:13
24. 1 Samuel 19:24 : 2Sa 6:20; Isa 20:2
25. 1 Samuel 19:24 : 1Sa 15:35
26. 1 Samuel 19:24 : S 1Sa 10:11

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

### More on the NIV

- Unleash God's Word!

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Artisan Collection Bible, Gilded Edges, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Radiant Virtues Bible: A Beautiful Word Collection, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Explore the virtues of faith, hope, and love
Retail: $69.98
Our Price: $48.99
Save: $20.99 (30%)
Buy Now
View more titles