Shmuel I 19 שמואל א י״ט

Shaul spoke to Yonoson his son and to all his servants about killing Dovid, but Yonoson, son of Shaul, liked Dovid very much.

And Yonoson told Dovid, saying, "My father Shaul wants to kill you, so now please be careful this morning; stay in a secret place, and hide yourself.

I will go out and stand next to my father in the field where you are; I will speak to my father about you, and I will see what happens and tell you."

So Yonoson spoke favorably of Dovid to his father Shaul, and said to him, "Let the king not sin against his servant, against Dovid, for he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds are very beneficial for you.

He endangered his life and slew the Philistine, and Adonoy granted a great salvation to all of Yisroel You saw and rejoiced. Why then should you sin [by spilling] innocent blood, to kill Dovid for no reason?"

Shaul listened to Yonoson's voice, and Shaul swore, "As Adonoy lives, he shall not be put to death."

Then Yonoson called Dovid, and Yonoson told him all these things. Yonoson brought Dovid to Shaul and he stayed with him as in previous times.

There was war again, and Dovid went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them a great blow, and they fled from him.

Then an evil spirit from Adonoy befell Shaul, while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and Dovid was playing [music] with his hand.

Shaul tried to strike Dovid and the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Shaul and the spear hit the wall. Dovid fled and escaped on that night.

Shaul sent messengers to Dovid's house to watch him and kill him in the morning. His wife Michal told Dovid, saying, "If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead."

Michal lowered Dovid through the window; he went and ran away and escaped.

Michal then took a manlike figure and put it in the bed; she put a goatskin at its head and covered it with a cloth.

Shaul sent messengers to take Dovid, but she said, "He is sick."

Shaul then sent the messengers [again] to inquire after Dovid, telling them, "Bring him up to me in the bed, to have him killed."

The messengers came and behold, the manlike figure was in the bed and a goatskin at its head!

Shaul asked Michal, "Why have you tricked me this way? You sent away my enemy and he has escaped." Michal said to Shaul, "He said to me, 'Let me go, why make me kill you.'"

Dovid fled and escaped, and came to Shmuel at Romoh; he told him all that Shaul had done to him, then he and Shmuel went and stayed at Nayos.

It was told to Shaul, saying, "Behold! Dovid is in Nayos, in Romoh."

Shaul sent messengers to take Dovid [captive; but upon arriving] they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Shmuel standing at their head, overseeing them. Then, upon Shaul's messengers the spirit of God came and they, too, prophesied.

When it was told to Shaul, he sent other messengers, but they, too, prophesied. Shaul continued and sent a third group of messengers, but they, too, prophesied.

Then he too went to Romoh. He came to the great pit in Seichu, and asked, saying, "Where are Shmuel and Dovid?" Someone replied, "They are at Nayos, in Romoh."

He went there, to Nayos in Romoh, and the spirit of God came upon him, as well, and he kept on prophesying until he came to Nayos in Romoh.

He too removed his garments and he, too, prophesied in Shmuel's presence; he fell down stripped [of his senses] all that day and the entire night. Therefore they say, "Is Shaul too among the prophets?"