1 Samuel 19 – Looking For Safety in Palace, Home, and Church

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 13 Jun 2021

Introduction

vs. 1-8 - David At The Palace

vs. 10-17 - David At Home

vs.18-24 David with Samuel & Prophets

Conclusion

1 Samuel 19 - Side-by side comparison of versionsA


Septuagint

Brenton

VulgateB

KJV

MT

1

καὶ ἐλάλησεν Σαουλ πρὸς Ιων­αθαν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς παῗ­δας αὐτοῦ θανα­τῶ­σαι τὸν Δαυιδ καὶ Ιωνα­θαν υἱὸς Σαουλ ᾑρεῗτο τὸν Δαυιδ σφόδρα

And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, to slay David. 2 And Jonathan, Saul's son, loved David much:

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.

And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. 2 But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David:

וַיְדַבֵּר שָׁאוּל, אֶל-יוֹנָתָן בְּנוֹ וְאֶל-כָּל-עֲבָדָיו, לְהָמִית, אֶת- דָּוִד; וִיהוֹנָתָן, בֶּן-שָׁאוּל, חָפֵץ בְּדָוִד, מְאֹד.

2

καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν Ιωναθαν τῷ Δαυιδ λέγων Σαουλ X X ζητεῗ θανατῶσαί σε φύλαξαι οὖν αὔριον πρωὶ καὶ κρύβηθι καὶ κάθισον κρυβῇ

and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul X X seeks to kill thee: take heed to thyself therefore to-morrow morning, and hide thyself, and dwell in secret.

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.

and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heedC to thyself until the morning, & abide in a secret [place], and hide thyself:

וַיַּגֵּד יְהוֹנָתָן לְדָוִד לֵאמֹר, מְבַקֵּשׁ שָׁאוּל אָבִי לַהֲמִיתֶךָ; וְעַתָּה הִשָּׁמֶר-נָא בַבֹּקֶר, וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בַסֵּתֶרD וְנַחְבֵּאתָ.

3

καὶ ἐγὼ ἐξελεύσ­ομαι καὶ στήσ­ομαι ἐχόμενος τοῦ πατρός μου ἐν ἀγρῷ οὗ ἐὰν ᾖς ἐκεῗ καὶ ἐγὼ λαλήσω περὶ σοῦ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ ὄψομαι ὅ [τι ἐὰν ᾖ] καὶ ἀπαγγελῶ σοι

And I will go forth, and stand near my father in the field where thou shalt be, and I will speak concerning thee to my father; and I will see what [his answer may be], and I will tell thee.

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.

And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will communeE with my father of thee; and what I seeF, that I will tell thee.

וַאֲנִי אֵצֵא וְעָמַדְתִּי לְיַד- אָבִי, בַּשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שָׁם, וַאֲנִי, אֲדַבֵּר בְּךָ אֶל- אָבִי; וְרָאִיתִי מָה, וְהִגַּדְתִּי לָךְ. {ס}

4

καὶ ἐλάλησεν Ιωναθαν περὶ Δαυιδ ἀγαθὰ πρὸς Σαουλ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν μὴ ἁμαρτησάτω ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὸν δοῦλόν σου X Δαυιδ ὅτι οὐχ ἡμάρτηκεν εἰς σέ καὶ τὰ ποιήματα αὐτοῦ ἀγαθὰ σφόδρα X X

And Jonathan spoke favorably concerning David to Saul his father, and said to him, Let not the king sin against thy servant X David, for he has not sinned against thee, and his deeds are very good X X.

And Jonathan spoke good things of David to Saul, his father: and said to him: Sin not, O king, against thy servant, X Da­vid, because he hath not sinned against thee, and his works are very good towards thee.

And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sin­ned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוֹנָתָן בְּדָוִד טוֹב, אֶל- שָׁאוּל אָבִיו; וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַל-יֶחֱטָא הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעַבְדּוֹ בְדָוִד, כִּי לוֹא חָטָא לָךְ, וְכִי מַעֲשָׂיו, טוֹב-לְךָ מְאֹד.

5

καὶ ἔθετοG τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὸν ἀλλόφυλον καὶ ἐποίησεν κύριος σωτηρίαν μεγάλην καὶ πᾶς Ισραηλ εἶδον καὶ ἐχάρησαν καὶ ἵνα τί ἁμαρτάνεις εἰς αἷμα ἀθῷονH θανατῶσαι τὸν Δαυιδ δωρεάνI

And he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great deliverance; and all Israel X saw, and rejoined: why then dost thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

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?

For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvationJ for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת-נַפְשׁוֹ בְכַפּוֹ וַיַּךְ אֶת-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוָה תְּשׁוּעָה גְדוֹלָה לְכָל-יִשְׂרָאֵל--רָאִיתָ, וַתִּשְׂמָח; וְלָמָּה תֶחֱטָא בְּדָם נָקִי, לְהָמִית אֶת-דָּוִד חִנָּם.

6

καὶ ἤκουσεν Σαουλ τῆς φωνῆς Ιωναθαν καὶ ὤμοσεν Σαουλ [λέγων] ζῇ κύριος εἰ ἀποθανεῗται

And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, saying, As the Lord lives, he shall not die.

And when Saul heard [this, he was appeased] with the words of Jonathan, and X swore: As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain.

And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swareK, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.

וַיִּשְׁמַע שָׁאוּל, בְּקוֹל יְהוֹנָתָן; וַיִּשָּׁבַע שָׁאוּל, חַי-יְהוָה אִם-Lיוּמָת.

7

καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Ιωναθαν τὸν Δαυιδ καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν X αὐτῷ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα καὶ εἰσήγαγεν Ιωναθαν τὸν Δαυιδ πρὸς Σαουλ καὶ ἦν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ ἐχθὲς καὶ τρίτην ἡμέρανM

And Jonathan called David, and X told him all these words; and Jonathan brought David in to Saul, and he was before him as in former times.

Then Jonathan called David, and X 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.

And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewedN him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

וַיִּקְרָא יְהוֹנָתָן, לְדָוִד, וַיַּגֶּד-לוֹ יְהוֹנָתָן, אֵת כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה; וַיָּבֵא יְהוֹנָתָן אֶת-דָּוִד אֶל-שָׁאוּל, וַיְהִי לְפָנָיו כְּאֶתְמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם. {ס}

8

καὶ προσέθετο ὁ πόλεμος γενέσθαι [πρὸς Σαουλ] καὶ κατίσχυσεν Δαυ­ιδ καὶ ἐπολέμη­σεν τοὺς ἀλλο­φύλους καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν αὐτοῗς πληγὴν μεγάλην [σφόδρα] καὶ ἔφυγον ἐκ προσώπου αὐτοῦ

And there was again war [against Saul]; and David did valiantly, and fought against the Philistines, and smote them with a [very] great slaughter, and they fled from before him.

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.

And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him.

וַתּוֹסֶף הַמִּלְחָמָה, לִהְיוֹת; וַיֵּצֵא דָוִד וַיִּלָּחֶם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים, וַיַּךְ בָּהֶם מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה, וַיָּנֻסוּ, מִפָּנָיו.

9

καὶ ἐγένετο πνεῦμα θεοῦ πονηρὸν ἐπὶ Σαουλ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν οἴκῳ καθεύδων καὶ δόρυ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ Δαυιδ ἔψαλλεν ἐν ταῗς χερσὶν [αὐτοῦ]

And an evil spirit from God was upon Saul, and he was resting in his house, and a spear was in his hand, and David was playing [on the harp] with [his] hand[s].

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.

And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelinO in his hand: and David played with [his] hand.

וַתְּהִי רוּחַ יְהוָה רָעָה, אֶל- שָׁאוּל, וְהוּא בְּבֵיתוֹ יֹשֵׁב, וַחֲנִיתוֹ בְּיָדוֹ; וְדָוִד, מְנַגֵּן בְּיָדP.

10

καὶ ἐζήτει Σαουλ πατάξαι τὸ δόρυ εἰς Δαυιδ X καὶ ἀπέστη Δαυιδ ἐκ προσώπου Σαουλ καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὸ δόρυ εἰς τὸν τοῗχον καὶ Δαυιδ ἀνεχώρησεν καὶ διεσώθη 11 [καὶ ἐγενήθη] ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ

And Saul sought to smite David with the spear X; and David withdrew suddenly from the presence of Saul; and he drove the spear into the wall; and David retreated and escaped. 11 [And it came to pass] in that night,

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.

And Saul soughtQ to smiteR David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped awayS out of Saul's presence, and he smoteT the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.

וַיְבַקֵּשׁ שָׁאוּל לְהַכּוֹת בַּחֲנִית, בְּדָוִד וּבַקִּיר, וַיִּפְטַר מִפְּנֵי שָׁאוּל, וַיַּךְ אֶת-הַחֲנִית בַּקִּיר; וְדָוִד נָס וַיִּמָּלֵט, בַּלַּיְלָה הוּא. {פ}

11

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Σαουλ ἀγγέλους εἰς οἶκον Δαυιδ φυλάξαι αὐτὸν XU τοῦ θανατῶ­σαι αὐτὸν πρωί καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν τῷ Δαυιδ Μελχολ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ λέγ­ουσα ἐὰν μὴ σὺ σώσῃς τὴν ψυχὴν σαυτοῦ τὴν νύκ­τα ταύτην αὔριον θανατωθήσῃ

that Saul sent messengers to the house of David to watch him, in order to slay him in the morning; and Melchol David's wife told him, saying, Unless thou save thy life this night, to-morrow thou shalt be slain.

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:

Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slayV him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou saveW not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.

וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל מַלְאָכִים אֶל-בֵּית דָּוִדX, לְשָׁמְרוֹ, וְלַהֲמִיתוֹ, בַּבֹּקֶר; וַתַּגֵּד לְדָוִד, מִיכַל אִשְׁתּוֹ לֵאמֹר, אִם- אֵינְךָ מְמַלֵּט אֶת- נַפְשְׁךָ הַלַּיְלָה, מָחָר אַתָּה מוּמָת.

12

καὶ κατάγει ἡ Μελ­χολ τὸν Δαυιδ διὰ τῆς θυρίδος καὶ ἀπ­ῆλθεν καὶ ἔφυγεν καὶ σῴζεται

So Melchol lets David down by the window, and he departed, and fled, and escaped.

X She let him down through a window. And he went and fled away, and escaped.

So Michal let David down through a Ywindow: and he wentZ, and fled, and escaped.

וַתֹּרֶד מִיכַל אֶת-דָּוִד, בְּעַד הַחַלּוֹן; וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּבְרַח, וַיִּמָּלֵט.

13

καὶ ἔλαβεν ἡ Μελχολ τὰ κενο­τάφιαAA καὶ ἔθετο ἐπὶ τὴν κλίνην καὶ ἧπαρ τῶν αἰγῶνAB ἔθετο πρὸς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκάλυψεν αὐτὰ ἱματίῳ

And Melchol took images, and laid them on the bed, and she put the liver of a goat by his head, and covered them with cloth[es].

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 cloth[es].

And Michal took an imageAC, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillowAD of goats' [hair] for his bolsterAE, and covered it with a cloth.

וַתִּקַּח מִיכַל אֶת- הַתְּרָפִים, וַתָּשֶׂם AFאֶל-הַמִּטָּה, וְאֵת כְּבִירAG הָעִזִּים, שָׂמָה מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיוAH; וַתְּכַס, בַּבָּגֶד. ס

14

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Σαουλ ἀγγέλους λαβεῗν τὸν Δαυιδ καὶ λέγουσιν ἐνο­χλεῗσθαιAI αὐτόν

And Saul sent messengers to take David; and they say that he is sick.

And Saul sent officers to seize David; and it [was] answered that he was sick.

And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.

וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל מַלְאָכִים, לָקַחַת אֶת-דָּוִד; וַתֹּאמֶר, חֹלֶה הוּא. ס

15

καὶ ἀποστέλλει X X X X ἐπὶ τὸν Δαυιδ λέγων ἀγάγετε αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης πρός με τοῦ θανατῶσαι αὐτόν

And he sends X X X to David, saying, Bring him to me on the bed, that [I may] slay him.

And again Saul sent X X to see David, saying: Bring him to me in the bed, that he may be slain.

And Saul sent the messengers again to see Da­vid, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that [I may] slay him.

וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל אֶת- הַמַּלְאָכִים, לִרְאוֹת אֶת-דָּוִד לֵאמֹר: הַעֲלוּ אֹתוֹ בַמִּטָּה אֵלַי, לַהֲמִתוֹ.

16

καὶ ἔρχονται οἱ ἄγγελοι καὶ ἰδοὺ τὰ κενοτάφια ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης καὶ ἧπαρ τῶν αἰγῶν πρὸς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ

And the messengers come, and, behold, the images were on the bed, and the goat's liver at his head.

And when the messengers were come in, [they] found an image upon the bed, and a goat skin at his head.

And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.

וַיָּבֹאוּ, הַמַּלְאָכִים, וְהִנֵּה הַתְּרָפִים, אֶל-הַמִּטָּה; וּכְבִיר הָעִזִּים, מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו. ס

17

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ τῇ Μελχολ ἵνα τί οὕτως παρε­λογίσω με καὶ ἐξαπέστειλας τὸν ἐχθρόν μου καὶ διεσώθη καὶ εἶπεν Μελχολ τῷ Σαουλ αὐτὸς εἶπεν X ἐξαπό­στει­λόν με εἰ δὲ μή θανατώσω σε

And Saul said to Melchol, Why hast thou thus deceived me, and suffered my enemy to depart, and he has escaped? and Melchol said to Saul, He said X X, let me go, and if not, I will slay thee.

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.

And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent awayAJ mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל- מִיכַל, לָמָּה כָּכָה רִמִּיתִנִי, וַתְּשַׁלְּחִי אֶת- אֹיְבִי, וַיִּמָּלֵט; וַתֹּאמֶר מִיכַל אֶל-שָׁאוּל, הוּא- אָמַר אֵלַי שַׁלְּחִנִי לָמָה אֲמִיתֵךְ.

18

καὶ Δαυιδ ἔφυγεν καὶ διεσώθη καὶ παραγίνεται πρὸς Σαμουηλ εἰς Αρμα­θαιμ καὶ ἀπαγγέλ­λει αὐτῷ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίη­σεν αὐτῷ Σαουλ καὶ ἐπορεύ­θη Δαυιδ καὶ Σαμ­ουηλ καὶ ἐκάθι­σαν ἐν Ναυαθ [ἐν Ραμα]AK

So David fled, and escaped, and comes to Samuel to Armathaim, and tells him all that Saul had done to him: and Samuel and David went, and dwelt in Navath [in Rama].

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.

So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

וְדָוִד בָּרַח וַיִּמָּלֵט, וַיָּבֹא אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתָה, וַיַּגֶּד-לוֹ, אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה-לוֹ שָׁאוּל; וַיֵּלֶךְ הוּא וּשְׁמוּאֵל, וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בנויתAL.

19

καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Σαουλ λέγοντες ἰδοὺ Δαυιδ ἐν Ναυαθ ἐν Ραμα

And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is in Navath in Rama.

And it was told Saul [by some], saying: Behold David is in Najoth, in Ramatha.

And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.

וַיֻּגַּד לְשָׁאוּל, לֵאמֹר: הִנֵּה דָוִד, בנוית בָּרָמָה.

20

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Σαουλ ἀγγέλους λαβεῗν τὸν Δαυιδ καὶ εἶδαν τὴν ἐκκλησίανAM τῶν προφητῶν X καὶ Σαμουηλ εἱστήκει καθεστηκὼς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοῦ Σαουλ πνεῦμα θεοῦ καὶ xAN προφητεύουσιν

And Saul sent messengers to take David, and they saw the assembly of the prophets X, and Samuel stood as appointed over them; and the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they X prophesy.

So Saul sent officers to take David: and when they saw a company of prophets prophesying, and Samuel presiding over them, X the Spirit of the Lord came also upon them X X X, and they likewise began to prophesy.

And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the companyAO of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointedAP over them, X the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל מַלְאָכִים, לָקַחַת אֶת-דָּוִד, וַיַּרְאAQ אֶת-לַהֲקַתAR הַנְּבִיאִים נִבְּאִים, וּשְׁמוּאֵל עֹמֵד נִצָּב עֲלֵיהֶם; וַתְּהִי עַל-מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁאוּל, רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ, גַּם-הֵמָּה.

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καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Σαουλ καὶ ἀπέ­στειλεν ἀγγέλους ἑτέρους καὶ ἐπροφήτευσαν καὶ αὐτοί καὶ προσέθετο Σαουλ ἀποστεῗλαι ἀγγέλους τρίτους καὶ ἐπροφήτευ­σαν καὶ αὐτοί

And it was told Saul, and he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied: and Saul sent again a third set of messengers, and they also prophesied.

And when this was told Saul, he sent other messengers: but they also prophesied. And again Saul sent messengers the 3rd time: and they prophesied also. [And Saul being exceeding angry,]

And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.

וַיַּגִּדוּAS לְשָׁאוּל, וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אֲחֵרִים, וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ, גַּם-הֵמָּה; ס וַיֹּסֶף שָׁאוּל, וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים שְׁלִשִׁים, וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ, גַּם-הֵמָּה.

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[καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ Σαουλ] καὶ ἐπορεύθη καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς Αρμα­θαιμ καὶ ἔρχεται ἕως τοῦ φρέατος τοῦ ἅλω τοῦ ἐν τῷ Σεφι καὶ ἠρώτη­σεν καὶ εἶπεν ποῦ Σαμ­ουηλ καὶ Δαυιδ καὶ εἶπανAT ἰδοὺ ἐν Ναυαθ ἐν Ραμα

[And Saul was very angry,] and went himself also to Armathaim, and he comes as far as the well of the threshing floor that is in Sephi; and he asked and said, Where are Sam­uel and David? And they said, Behold, in Navath in Rama.

X 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 are] in Najoth, in Ramatha.

Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and saidAU, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, [they be] at Naioth in Ramah.

וַיֵּלֶךְ גַּם-הוּא הָרָמָתָה, וַיָּבֹא עַד-בּוֹר הַגָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר בַּשֶּׂכוּAV, וַיִּשְׁאַל וַיֹּאמֶר, אֵיפֹה שְׁמוּאֵל וְדָוִד; וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּה בנוית בָּרָמָה.

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καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐκεῗθεν εἰς Ναυαθ ἐν Ραμα καὶ ἐγενήθη καὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ πνεῦμα θεοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύετο X προφητεύων ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῗν αὐτὸν εἰς Ναυαθ ἐν Ραμα

And he went thence to Navath in Rama: and there came the Spirit of God upon him also, and he went on X prophesying till he came to Navath in Rama.

And he went XAW 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.

And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went onAX, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

וַיֵּלֶךְ שָׁם, אֶל-נוית בָּרָמָה; וַתְּהִי עָלָיו גַּם-הוּא רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וַיִּתְנַבֵּאAY, עַד-בֹּאוֹ, בנוית בָּרָמָה.

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καὶ ἐξεδύσατο XAZ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπροφήτευσεν X X ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν καὶ ἔπεσεν γυμνὸς ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην καὶ ὅλην τὴν νύκτα διὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγον εἰBA καὶ Σαουλ ἐν προφήταις

And he X took off his clothes, and X X prophesied before them; and lay down naked all that day and all that night: therefore they said, Is Saul also among the prophets?

And he stripped himself also of his garments, and X X 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?

And he stripped off his clothes also, and X X prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

וַיִּפְשַׁט גַּם-הוּא בְּגָדָיו, וַיִּתְנַבֵּא גַם-הוּא לִפְנֵי שְׁמוּאֵל, וַיִּפֹּל עָרֹם, כָּל-הַיּוֹם הַהוּא וְכָל-הַלָּיְלָה; עַל-כֵּן, יֹאמְרוּ--הֲגַם שָׁאוּל, בַּנְּבִיאִםBB. פ


1“The reason why he did not order them to break into the house, and slay him at once, but wait till morning, seems to be, lest should he be alarmed by their breaking in, he might take the advantage of the night, and easily escape, or another person through mistake might be slain for him; and therefore, that they might be sure of him, they were to watch till it was broad daylight, when they could not well miss him.” ~J. Gill
Goldman, following Wellhausen, suggested that it was against the ancient code of manners to enter the house of one’s enemy during the night.

2“...shewing the neare coniunction betweene man and wife, preferring her husbands safety, before the displeasure of her father, according to the first institution: for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife...” ~Andrew Willett
“How Michal came to know the danger her husband was in does not appear; perhaps she had notice sent her from court, or rather was herself aware of the soldiers about the house, when they were going to bed, though they kept so still and silent that they said, Who dost hear? which David takes notice of, Psalm 59:7.” ~M. Henry

3A couple of commentators, including Tsumura (NICOT), insisted that this means shepherd’s tents in a pasture.

4Targums, Puritan commentators Andrew Willet, Matthew Henry, and John Gill, and other more modern commentators Jamieson, .Other historic Jewish rabbis (Ben Gersom, Abarbinel) have suggested that they prophecied verbally of David’s ascendance to the throne. Gill gives some credence to this.

5 2 Sam. 6:20, using the root גלה, whereas the roots in 1 Sam. 19:24 are פּשׁט and ערם

6 So Rashi, B. Isaiah,Willett, Henry, Gill, Jamieson, K&D, Driver, Goldman, and Tsumura.

7Num. 24:4 uses the same verb נףל in that sense. This was the position of Junius, Willett, Henry, Gill, Jamieson, K&D, and Tsumura, in their commentaries.

8cf. Matthew Henry: “In flying to Samuel he made God his refuge, trusting in the shadow of his wings; where else can a good man think himself safe? .... And, doubtless, what little pleasure is to be had in this world those have it that live a life of communion with God”

9“God usually in these days turneth not men’s hearts on the sudden, that there should be continual exercise of the preaching of his word, and of the labour and diligence of those which hear unto their edifying.” ~Andrew Willett

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing any part of 1 Samuel 19 is 4Q52, which contains fragments of vs. 10-17, and which has been dated to 250 B.C. Where consonants of this DSS are legible and in agreement with the MT, I have colored the MT purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

BThis is the Douay-Reims English translation of the Latin Vulgate

CNASB, NIV, ESV = “be on guard” which is a more literal translation of the Hebrew (and Greek).

D[H]e seems to suggest as if it was not safe for him to be in his own house, and in his own bedchamber that night, but that it was advisable to retire to some private place, where it might not be known or suspected that he was there. By what follows he means some field, and a private place in it.” ~J. Gill
Tsumura (NICOT) claimed that this is the same “hiding” in the field referred to in 20:19.

ENASB, NIV, ESV = “speak” The Hebrew word is the one usually translated “speak” by the KJV.

FKJV has the most literal translation. NASB & NIV render “find out,” which would be a different Hebrew verb (מצא), and ESV renders “learn,” which would also be a different Hebrew verb (למד).

GSymmachus translated with a synonym exedwken (“gave away”)

HSymmachus translated with a synonym anaition (“irreproachable”)

ISymmachus translated with a synonym mathn (“vain”)

JNASB = deliverance,” NIV = “victory”

KNASB = “vowed,” NIV = “took oath”

LThe letters sureq and mem have switched places for euphonic purposes, but it is the same as ימות.

MSymmachus translated from the MT with literal woodenness wV pro miaV kai prin (“as before the first and third”)

NNASB & NIV = “told,” ESV = “reported”

ONASB, NIV = “spear” also in the following verse

PSeveral Hebrew manuscripts add a vav to the end (“his”), and the Vulgate and Septuagint also appear to support this.

QNASB, NIV = “tried”

RNASB, NIV = “pin”

SNIV, ESV = “eluded”

TNASB = “stuck,” NIV = “drove,” ESV = “struck”

UAlthough the initial vav is obliterated in the DSS, there is plenty of room for it in the spacing between legible portions of this verse and the previous, so on that basis, I think it more probable that the DSS has the copula (which is also in the MT) than not.

VNASB = “put to death” (a better rendering of the Hiphil form here), NIV, ESV = “kill” (By the way, the purple Hebrew text is in the DSS.)

WNIV = “run,” “Escape” (ESV) is more central to the meaning of this Hebrew word, but the LXX translates “save.”

XThe location of David’s house at this point is not known, but it was only about 2 miles as the crow flies between Gibeah of Saul and Ramah of Samuel.

YWindow” is definite in both the Greek & Hebrew. Perhaps there was only one.

ZThe NIV & ESV omit this phrase, but it is in the Greek and Hebrew.

AALXX is literally “empty grave,” cf. synonyms by other Greek versions in the centuries after the LXX: Aquila: morfwmata (“forms”), Symmachus: eidwla (“idols”), Theodotian: qerafin (“teraphim” – transliteration of the Hebrew word.) Sym. and Theod. use the same in v.16, whereas Aq. renders protomai (“the before-mentioned things”?)

AB A. = to pan plhqoV (“the whole shebang” – also in v.16), Q. = cober (transliteration of the Hebrew word translated “liver/cover/quilt.”

ACThis is the Hebrew word “teraphim,” translated “[household] idol” by the NASB & NIV. The Hebrew ending is plural, thus the plurals in the LXX.

ADNASB = “quilt,” NIV = “some hair”

AENASB, NIV, ESV = “head” (same in v.16)

AFThe Cairo Geniza manuscripts from a century before the MT read with the synonym על (“upon”), which clarifies, but does not change the meaning.

AGכְּבִיר, from כָּבַר, signifies something woven, and עִזִּים goats' hair, as in Ex. 25:4. But it is impossible to decide with certainty what purpose the cloth of goats' hair was to serve; whether it was merely to cover the head of the teraphim with hair, and so make it like a human head, or to cover the head and face as if of a person sleeping. The definite article not only before תְּרָפִים and בֶּגֶד, but also with הָעִזִּים כְּבִיר, suggests the idea that all these things belonged to Michal's house furniture, and that עִזִּים כְּבִיר was probably a counterpane made of goats' hair, with which persons in the East are in the habit of covering the head and face when sleeping.” ~Keil & Delitzsch

AH Most English versions interpret the Teraphim as a singular idol, even though it has a plural spelling, and then interpret it as the referent of the 3ms pronoun “its head.” The only singular masculine noun in the sentence is “cover/quilt/liver.”

AIcf. synonym from Aquila = arrwstein (“to be sick/ill”)

AJNASB, ESV translated less-literally “let go.”

AK Neither the MT nor the Vulgate support the additional descriptor of the place “in Ramah,” which is found in the LXX. (Unfortunately, no legible DSS is available of this verse for comparison.) But since the full phrase “Navith in Ramah” does occur in the next verse in the MT, the LXX does not change the meaning.

ALHere and in vs.16, 22, and 23, the MT and Vulgate (and several other Hebrew manuscripts – and even Keil & Delitzsch’s commentary), support the LXX spelling of “Navat.” KJV, NASB, NIV, & ESV all followed the Qere editorial note in the margin of the MT with the spelling “Naioth” (making the yod and vav swap places), rather than the MT. Symmachus, however, instead of transliterating, translated with the word diaitwmenoi (“apartments”) here, and with the word oikhsesi (“in the house”) in v.22 (which is a reasonable translation of the root of the Hebrew nvh).
McClintock & Strong: “Naioth… from an early date has been interpreted to mean the huts or dwellings of a school or college of prophets over which Samuel presided, as Elisha did over those at Gilgal and Jericho. This appears first in the Targum-Jonathan, where for Naioth we find throughout בֵּית אוּלְפָנָא, "the house of instruction," the term which appears in later times to have been regularly applied to the schools of the rabbis (Buxtorf, Lex. Talm. Col. 106)…”
Easton Illustrated Bible Dictionary: “Naioth: dwellings, the name given to the prophetical college established by Samuel near Ramah. It consisted of a cluster of separate dwellings, and hence its name…”
Eerdman’s Dictionary of the Bible: “Although its linguistic form is uncertain, Naioth should be related to Heb. nāweh, which is a shepherd’s camp pitched outside a city. Such a camp was apparently also the dwelling of Samuel and his disciples.”
Keil & Delitzsch Commentary: “...applied to the coenobium of the pupils of the prophets, who had assembled round Samuel in the neighbourhood of Ramah. The plural נְוָיֹת points to the fact, that this coenobium consisted of a considerable number of dwelling-places or houses, connected together by a hedge or wall…. If we bear in mind, that, according to 1Sam.3:1, before the call of Samuel as prophet, the prophetic word was very rare in Israel, and prophecy was not widely spread, there can be no doubt that these unions of prophets arose in the time of Samuel, and were called into existence by him… It is ... generally assumed, that the study of the law and of the history of the divine guidance of Israel formed a leading feature in the occupations of the pupils of the prophets, which also included the cultivation of sacred poetry and music, and united exercises for the promotion of the prophetic inspiration... from the time of Samuel downwards the writing of sacred history formed an essential part of the prophet's labours… sacred music not only received a fresh impulse from David, who stood in a close relation to the association of prophets at Ramah, but was also raised by him into an integral part of public worship… just as, in the time of Samuel, it was the fall of the legal sanctuary and priesthood which created the necessity for the founding of schools of the prophets; so in the times of Elijah and Elisha, and in the kingdom of the ten tribes, it was the utter absence of any sanctuary of Jehovah which led these prophets to found societies of prophets… Consequently the founding of associations of prophets is to be regarded as an operation of divine grace, which is generally manifested with all the greater might where sin most mightily abounds.”

AMCompare with other Greek translations in the early centuries AD: A. omilon (“throng”), S. sustrofhn (“mob”), Q. susthma (“gathering?”).

ANLater Greek versions include a translation of the Hebrew words missing in the LXX as kaige autoi (“even they”).

AOSee AJ & AL; the Hebrew word is different from the word which the KJV translated “company” in ch. 10. NIV = “group”

APNASB = “presiding,” NIV = “as leader,” ESV = “as head”

AQThe LXX, Vulgate, Targums, Syriac, as well as all the English versions I know of translated this singular verb as plural, which makes me suspect an error in the MT. It doesn’t make a big difference in meaning because there is only one person (Saul) behind the plural messengers who would act upon their report back to him. Gill followed Kimchi in explaining the singular as “the chief messenger.” Cf. Keil & Delitzsch: “The singular וַיַּרְא is certainly very striking here; but it is hardly to be regarded as merely a copyist's error for the plural וַיִּרְאוּ, … and understood either as relating to the leader of the messengers, or as used because the whole company of messengers were regarded as one body.”

ARAlthough there is an Ethiopian root lhq which means “senior,” neither להק nor הקת are words in Hebrew, so it is commonly assumed that the MT scribe experienced a moment of dyslexia, spelling the word for “assembly” (קהל) backwards. Compare to 10:5&10, where the word חבל (“company/band”) is used. Another possibility is that this is a specialized word used among the prophets to describe their ranks. Perhaps it is like our word “sodality,” used to distinguish a para-church religious meeting from a regular worship service of all believers. I could even imagine a creative prophet reversing the word for “church assembly” to invent a word for this relatively-new institution of schools of prophets. (I was intrigued to find that Kimchi and Keil & Delitzsch had the same theory!) Nevertheless, Tsumura (NICOT) and R.P. Gordon opted for “elders.”

ASThe MT spelling of this verb is plural active (“they told”), but the Vulgate and Septuagint (and all the English versions I’ve seen) read passive and singular (“it was told”).

ATSyriac version supports the plural of the LXX (“they said”), but the Vulgate and MT are agreed on singular (“one said”).

AUNIV & ESV omit “and said,” even though it is in the MT, Vulgate, Septuagint, and historic English translations.

AVThis place is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. It supposedly means “watchtower” or “bare height.” I wonder if it could be a corruption of Shechem, which was a city of refuge (Jos 20:7) on a hill where Jacob’s Well (John 4) was located, and a place that Saul might expect a political fugitive to go for refuge. The problem is that this might be a bit further north than the events of this story.

AW“There” is also missing in the Lucian rescription of the Septuagint (and thus perhaps in the NIV?), but it’s in the MT and the original Septuagint.

AXThe verb “went/walked” is made emphatic through repetition in the MT, but it is not so in the LXX. The emphatic-ness of the MT appears to be carried into English translations with phrases like “as he walked” (ESV), “went/walked along” (NASB/NIV), and “went on” (KJV).

AYThis is a Hitpael imperfect verb, but the LXX and many English versions translate it as a participle. The Syriac and Targums translate it as an infinitive, but the parallel structure of the imperfect verbs for “went” and “prophecied” make it not unreasonable for these translations to change verb types in order to bring over the idea of simultaneous action.

AZLater Greek versions corrected to the MT kaige autoV (“and even he”).

BAcf. Aquila mh (not”) and S. oti (“that”).

BB“Now the proverb recurs, Is Saul among the prophets? See 1Sa. 10:12. Then it was different from what it had been, but now contrary. He is rejected of God, and actuated by an evil spirit, and yet among the prophets.”~M. Henry

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