New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Saul spoke with his son Jonathan and with all his servants about killing David. But Saul's son Jonathan took great delight in David.
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And Saul gave orders to his son Jonathan and to all his servants to put David to death. But Saul's son Jonathan had great delight in David.
2 Jonathan told David, "My father Saul is trying to kill you; therefore be on guard tomorrow morning; stay in a secret place and hide yourself.
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And Jonathan said to David, Saul, my father, is purposing your death: so now, take care in the morning, and keep yourself safe in a secret place:
3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you; if I learn anything I will tell you."
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And I will go out and take my place by my father's side in the field near where you are; and I will get into talk with my father about you, and when I see how things are, I will give you word.
4 Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him, "The king should not sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have been of good service to you;
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And Jonathan gave his father Saul a good account of David, and said to him, Let not the king do wrong against his servant, against David; because he has done you no wrong, and all his acts have had a good outcome for you:
5 for he took his life in his hand when he attacked the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced; why then will you sin against an innocent person by killing David without cause?"
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For he put his life in danger and overcame the Philistine, and the Lord gave all Israel salvation: you saw it and were glad: why then are you sinning against him who has done no wrong, desiring the death of David without cause?
6 Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan; Saul swore, "As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death."
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And Saul gave ear to the voice of Jonathan, and said with an oath, By the living Lord, he is not to be put to death.
7 So Jonathan called David and related all these things to him. Jonathan then brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.
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Then Jonathan sent for David and gave him word of all these things. And Jonathan took David to Saul, who kept him by his side as in the past.
8 Again there was war, and David went out to fight the Philistines. He launched a heavy attack on them, so that they fled before him.
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And there was war again: and David went out fighting the Philistines, causing great destruction among them; and they went in flight before him.
9 Then an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand, while David was playing music.
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And an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul, when he was seated in his house with his spear in his hand; and David made music for him.
10 Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. David fled and escaped that night.
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And Saul would have sent his spear through him, pinning him to the wall, but he got away and the spear went into the wall: and that night David went in flight and got away.
11 Saul sent messengers to David's house to keep watch over him, planning to kill him in the morning. David's wife Michal told him, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed."
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Then in that night Saul sent men to David's house to keep watch on him so as to put him to death in the morning: and David's wife Michal said to him, If you do not go away to a safe place tonight you will be put to death in the morning.
12 So Michal let David down through the window; he fled away and escaped.
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So Michal let David down through the window, and he went in flight and got away.
13 Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed; she put a net of goats' hair on its head, and covered it with the clothes.
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Then Michal took the image and put it in the bed, with a cushion of goat's hair at its head, and she put clothing over it.
14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick."
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And when Saul sent men to take David, she said, He is ill.
15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David for themselves. He said, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him."
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And Saul sent his men to see David, saying, Do not come back without him, take him in his bed, so that I may put him to death.
16 When the messengers came in, the idol was in the bed, with the covering of goats' hair on its head.
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And when the men came in, there was the image in the bed, with the cushion of goat's hair at its head
17 Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me like this, and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?" Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, "Let me go; why should I kill you?' "
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And Saul said to Michal, why have you been false to me, letting my hater go and get safely away? And in answer Michal said to Saul, He said to me, Let me go, or I will put you to death.
18 Now David fled and escaped; he came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and settled at Naioth.
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So David went in flight and got away and came to Ramah, to Samuel, and gave him an account of all Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and were living in Naioth.
19 Saul was told, "David is at Naioth in Ramah."
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And word was given to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah.
20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David. When they saw the company of the prophets in a frenzy, with Samuel standing in charge of them, the spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also fell into a prophetic frenzy.
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And Saul sent men to take David; and when they saw the band of prophets at work, with Samuel in his place at their head, the spirit of God came on Saul's men, and they became like prophets.
21 When Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they also fell into a frenzy. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also fell into a frenzy.
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And Saul, having news of this, sent other men, who in the same way became like prophets. And a third time Saul sent men, and they like the others became like prophets.
22 Then he himself went to Ramah. He came to the great well that is in Secu; he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" And someone said, "They are at Naioth in Ramah."
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Then he himself went to Ramah, and came to the great water-spring in Secu; and questioning the people he said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, They are at Naioth in Ramah.
23 He went there, toward Naioth in Ramah; and the spirit of God came upon him. As he was going, he fell into a prophetic frenzy, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
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And he went on from there to Naioth in Ramah: and the spirit of God came on him, and he went on, acting like a prophet, till he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24 He too stripped off his clothes, and he too fell into a frenzy before Samuel. He lay naked all that day and all that night. Therefore it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
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And he took off his clothing, acting like a prophet before Samuel, and falling down he was stretched out, without his clothing, all that day and all that night. This is the reason for the saying, Is even Saul among the prophets?
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.