1 E falou Saul a Jônatas, seu filho, e a todos os seus servos para que matassem Davi. Porém Jônatas, filho de Saul, estava mui afeiçoado a Davi. 2 E Jônatas o anunciou a Davi, dizendo: Meu pai, Saul, procura matar-te; pelo que, agora, guarda-te, pela manhã, e fica-te num lugar oculto, e esconde-te. 3 E sairei eu e estarei à mão de meu pai no campo em que estiveres; e eu falarei de ti a meu pai, e verei o que houver, e to anunciarei. 4 Então, Jônatas falou bem de Davi a Saul, seu pai, e disse-lhe: Não peque o rei contra seu servo Davi, porque ele não pecou contra ti, e porque os seus feitos te são mui bons. 5 Porque pôs a sua alma na mão e feriu aos filisteus, e fez o Senhor um grande livramento a todo o Israel; tu mesmo o viste e te alegraste; por que, pois, pecarias contra sangue inocente, matando Davi sem causa? 6 E Saul deu ouvidos à voz de Jônatas e jurou Saul: Vive o Senhor, que não morrerá. 7 E Jônatas chamou a Davi, e contou-lhe todas estas palavras, e Jônatas levou Davi a Saul; e esteve perante ele como dantes.

8 E tornou a haver guerra; e saiu Davi, e pelejou contra os filisteus, e feriu-os de grande ferida; e fugiram diante dele. 9 Porém o espírito mau, da parte do Senhor, se tornou sobre Saul, estando ele assentado em sua casa e tendo na mão a sua lança, e tangendo Davi com a mão o instrumento de música. 10 E procurava Saul encravar a Davi na parede, porém ele se desviou de diante de Saul, o qual feriu com a lança a parede; então, fugiu Davi e escapou naquela mesma noite. 11 Porém Saul mandou mensageiros à casa de Davi, que o guardassem e o matassem pela manhã; do que Mical, sua mulher, avisou a Davi, dizendo: Se não salvares a tua vida esta noite, amanhã te matarão.

12 Então, Mical desceu a Davi por uma janela; e ele se foi, e fugiu, e escapou. 13 E Mical tomou uma estátua, e a deitou na cama, e pôs-lhe à cabeceira uma pele de cabra, e a cobriu com uma coberta. 14 E, mandando Saul mensageiros que trouxessem a Davi, ela disse: Está doente. 15 Então, Saul mandou mensageiros que vissem Davi, dizendo: Trazei-mo mesmo na cama, para que o mate. 16 Vindo, pois, os mensageiros, eis que estava a estátua na cama, e a pele de cabra, à sua cabeceira. 17 Então, disse Saul a Mical: Por que assim me enganaste e deixaste ir e escapar o meu inimigo? E disse Mical a Saul: Porque ele me disse: Deixa-me ir, por que hei de eu matar-te?

18 Assim, Davi fugiu, e escapou, e veio a Samuel, a Ramá, e lhe participou tudo quanto Saul lhe fizera; e foram, ele e Samuel, e ficaram em Naiote. 19 E o anunciaram a Saul, dizendo: Eis que Davi está em Naiote, em Ramá. 20 Então, enviou Saul mensageiros para trazerem a Davi, os quais viram uma congregação de profetas profetizando, onde estava Samuel, que presidia sobre eles; e o Espírito de Deus veio sobre os mensageiros de Saul, e também eles profetizaram. 21 E, avisado disso Saul, enviou outros mensageiros, e também estes profetizaram; então, enviou Saul ainda uns terceiros mensageiros, os quais também profetizaram. 22 Então, foi também ele mesmo a Ramá e chegou ao poço grande que estava em Seco; e, perguntando, disse: Onde estão Samuel e Davi? E disseram-lhe: Eis que estão em Naiote, em Ramá. 23 Então, foi para Naiote, em Ramá; e o mesmo Espírito de Deus veio sobre ele, e ia profetizando, até chegar a Naiote, em Ramá. 24 E ele também despiu as suas vestes, e ele também profetizou diante de Samuel, e esteve nu por terra todo aquele dia e toda aquela noite; pelo que se diz: Está também Saul entre os profetas?

1 And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan the son of Saul loved David exceedingly.2 And Jonathan told David, saying: Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: wherefore look to thyself, I beseech thee, in the morning, and thou shalt abide in a secret place and shalt be hid.3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art: and I will speak of thee to my father, and whatsoever I shall see, I will tell thee.4 And Jonathan spoke good things of David to Saul his father: and said to him: Sin not, O king, against thy servant, David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and his works are very good towards thee.5 And he put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought great salvation for all Israel. Thou sawest it and didst rejoice. Why therefore wilt thou sin against innocent blood by killing David, who is without fault?6 And when Saul heard this he was appeased with the words of Jonathan, and swore: As the Lord liveth he shall not be slain.7 Then Jonathan called David and told him all these words: and Jonathan brought in David to Saul, and he was before him, as he had been yesterday and the day before.8 And the war began again, and David went out and fought against the Philistines, and defeated them with a great slaughter, and they fled from his face.9 And the evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, and he sat in his house, and held a spear in his hand: and David played with his hand.10 And Saul endeavoured to nail David to the wall with his spear. And David slipt away out of the presence of Saul: and the spear missed him, and was fastened in the wall, and David fled and escaped that night.11 Saul therefore sent his guards to David's house to watch him, that he might be killed in the morning. And when Michol David's wife had told him this, saying: Unless thou save thyself this night, to morrow thou wilt die,12 She let him down through a window. And he went and fled away and escaped.13 And Michol took an image and laid it on the bed, and put a goat's skin with the hair at the head of it, and covered it with clothes.14 And Saul sent officers to seize David: and it was answered that he was sick.15 And again Saul sent to see David, saying: Bring him to me in the bed, that he may be slain.16 And when the messengers were come in, they found an image upon the bed, and a goat's skin at its head.17 And Saul said to Michol: Why hast thou deceived me so, and let my enemy go and flee away? And Michol answered Saul: Because he said to me: Let me go, or else I will kill thee.18 But David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel in Ramatha, and told him all that Saul had done to him: and he and Samuel went and dwelt in Najoth.19 And it was told Saul by some, saying: Behold David is in Najoth in Ramatha.20 So Saul sent officers to take David: and when they saw a company of prophets prophesying, and Samuel presiding over them, the spirit of the Lord came also upon them, and they likewise began to prophesy.21 And when this was told Saul, he sent other messengers: but they also prophesied. And again Saul sent messengers the third time: and they prophesied also. And Saul being exceedingly angry,22 Went also himself to Ramatha, and came as far as the great cistern, which is in Socho, and he asked, and said: In what place are Samuel and David? And it was told him: Behold they axe in Najoth in Ramatha.23 And he went to Najoth in Ramatha, and the spirit of the Lord came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied till he came to Najoth in Ramatha.24 And he stripped himself also of his garments, and prophesied with the rest before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and night. This gave occasion to a proverb: What! is Saul too among the prophets?