Saul Tries To Have David Killed
1 One day, Saul told his son Jonathan and his officers to kill David. But Jonathan and David were best friends, 2-3 and he warned David, “My father is trying to have you killed, so be very careful. Hide in a field tomorrow morning, and I'll bring him there. Then I'll talk to him about you, and if I find out anything, I'll let you know.”
4-5 The next morning, Jonathan reminded Saul about the many good things David had done for him. Then he said, “Why do you want to kill David? He hasn't done anything to you. He has served in your army and has always done what's best for you. He even risked his life to kill Goliath. The Lord helped Israel win a great victory that day, and it made you happy.”
6 Saul agreed and promised, “I swear by the living Lord that I won't have David killed!”
7 Jonathan went to David and told him what Saul had said. Then he brought David to Saul, and David served in Saul's army just as he had done before.
8 The next time there was a war with the Philistines, David fought hard and forced them to retreat.
Michal Helps David Escape
9-10 One night, David was in Saul's home, playing the harp for him. Saul was sitting there, holding a spear, when an evil spirit from the Lord took control of him. Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but David dodged, and it stuck in the wall. David ran out of the house and escaped.
11 Saul sent guards to watch David's house all night and then to kill him in the morning.
Michal, David's wife, told him, “If you don't escape tonight, they'll kill you tomorrow!” 12 She helped David leave through a window and climb down to the ground. As David ran off, 13 Michal put a statue in his bed. She put goat hair on its head and dressed it in some of David's clothes.
14 The next morning, Saul sent guards to arrest David. But Michal told them, “David is sick.”
15 Saul sent the guards back and told them, “Bring David to me—bed and all—so I can kill him.”
16 When the guards went in, all they found in the bed was the statue with the goat hair on its head.
17 “Why have you tricked me this way?” Saul asked Michal. “You helped my enemy get away!”
She answered, “He said he would kill me if I didn't help him escape!”
Samuel Helps David Escape
18 Meanwhile, David went to Samuel at Ramah and told him what Saul had done. Then Samuel and David went to Prophets Village and stayed there.
19 Someone told Saul, “David is at Prophets Village in Ramah.”
20 Saul sent a few soldiers to bring David back. They went to Ramah and found Samuel in charge of a group of prophets who were all prophesying. Then the Spirit of God took control of the soldiers and they started prophesying too.
21 When Saul heard what had happened, he sent some more soldiers, but they prophesied just like the first group. He sent a third group of soldiers, but the same thing happened to them. 22 Finally, Saul left for Ramah himself. He went as far as the deep pit at the town of Secu, and he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”
“At Prophets Village in Ramah,” the people answered.
23 Saul left for Ramah. But as he walked along, the Spirit of God took control of him, and he started prophesying. Then, when he reached Prophets Village, 24 he stripped off his clothes and prophesied in front of Samuel. He dropped to the ground and lay there naked all that day and night. That's how the saying started, “Is Saul now a prophet?”
Dafite unosumikilisiwa ndi Saulo
1 Saulo wakabudza nkololo uwe Jonatani ne balanda babe bose ngekwe kubulaya Dafite. Koga Jonatani wakabe ne ludo gukulu kwazo muna Dafite. 2 Jonatani kadwa Dafite kati, “Tate bangu Saulo banogwisa zila ye kukubulaya, tjimuka mangwanana uzwitjengete, utizhe unobgwata. 3 Ndowobhudila kuzhe, anoma na tate pa shango pa unowobe ulipo, alebeleka na tate nge kuko, ngono ndowokubudza tjandinowobe ndabona.” 4 Jonatani wakaleba bubuya ngekwa Dafite na tate babe Saulo, ebadwa eti, “Mambo ngabasithame tjibi ngekwe nlanda wabo Dafite, ngobe iye akuna tjaakamutjinya nditjo, nenge zwaakathama, zwaakabe ne mbuzilo wulu kwazo mu muli. 5 Wakalonga butjilo gugwe mu mbatsha paakabulaya Nfilisitiya, ngono Yahwe bakazhisila Iziraela yose kukunda kukulu kwazo. Makakubona, mukashatha, ngono ini mungathama tjibi nge kutebula malopa asina nlandu nge kubulaya Dafite asina nlandu kene?” 6 Saulo katola dama la Jonatani, katuna kati, “Ndolebesa, na Yahwe banotjila, Dafite aatowobulawa.” 7 Ndizo Jonatani kadana Dafite kanlondela zose zwalebgwa. Kantola kan'yisa kuna Saulo, ngono Dafite kabgwiliziwa mu nshingo uwe wa kale.
8 Ngwa ikamuka kakale, ngono Dafite kabhuda kanogwa ne Bafilisitiya. Kagwa nabo nge masimba kababulaya kwazo, bakadwa panli bakatizha.
9 Ngono meya mibi inodwa kuna Yahwe ikadelukila muna Saulo, aligele mu ng'umba iye akabhata thumo nge luboko, kukati Dafite elidza harepa, 10 Saulo kagwiso kothomelela Dafite mu guma nge thumo, koga kalidzeta, kuti thumo linobhaya mu guma. Dafite katizha, kanyeluka mu busiku igogu.
11 Saulo wakatumila balume ku ng'umba ya Dafite kuilinda, kuti bambulaye mangwanana. Koga nkadzi wa Dafite Mikhali kanluma zebe kati, “Ha usingake ukatizha busiku igogu kuzwitjidza, mangwana unowobulawa.” 12 Mikhali kathukisa Dafite nge fesitere, katizha kapudzumuka lufu. 13 Mikhali katola ifano tje ndzimu wakabezhiwa katjikushika pa bulawo, katjisazamidza nsazamilo we bukuse gwe mbudzi, katjifukidza nge ngubo. 14 Kwakati Saulo atuma bathu kunobhata Dafite, Mikhali kabadwa kati, “Unogwala.” 15 Ndizo Saulo kabgwiliza bathu kuti banobona Dafite, kabadwa kati, “Munsenge nge bulawo gugwe muzhise ku ndili, ndimbulaye.” 16 Kwakati balume bengina mukati, bakawana tjifano tje ndzimu wakabezhiwa tjili lele pa bulawo, ne nsazamilo we bukuse gwe mbudzi pa misholo yatjo. 17 Saulo kadwa Mikali kati, “Hwutini wanditjebela kwakajali, waletjedza tjita tjangu tjiyenda, kuti ndizo apudzumuke kene?”
Mikali kashandula Saulo eti, Wakandidwa kati, “Undiletje ndiyende, ndisidwe ndikubulaya.”
18 Kwakati Dafite atizha apudzumuka, kayenda kuna Samuele ku Rama, kaswika kambudza zose zwaakathamwa ndi Saulo. Ndizo iye na Samuele bakayenda ku Naioti bakanogalako. 19 Saulo kalumwa zebe kuyi, “Dafite uku Naioti ku Rama.” 20 Ndizo Saulo katuma bathu kunotola Dafite. Kwakati bebona goko le balebesambeli lili mu kulebesambeli na Samuele alimile ali iye nsholo wabo, meya ye Ndzimu ikabhata batumwa ba Saulo, naibo bo bakabe mu meya bakalebesambeli. 21 Kwakati Saulo ebudziwa ngekwe kuthu ikoku, katuma bathu bamwe, naibo bakalebesambelibo. Saulo katuma bathu kakale gwe butatu, na ibo bakalebesambeli bo. 22 Ndizo Saulo kazwiyendigwa ku Rama. Kaswika pa tshime gulu limu Seku, kabhuzwa kati, “Bangayi Samuele na Dafite kene?” Ngono mmwe kan'dabila kati, “Baku Naioti ku Rama.” 23 Kayenda ko, wakati akalinga Naioti mu Rama, meya ye Ndzimu ikadelukila munli. Kwakati akabhata eyenda, kalebesambeli, kudzina enoswika ku Naioti mu Rama. 24 Kazwiambula zwiambalo, na iyebo kalebesambeli mbeli kwa Samuele. Kakandalala ali mbujo sikati ilelo lose ne busiku igugo gose. Ndipo pakatangisa ndebeleko inoti, “Apa Saulo na iyebo upakati kwe balebesambeli?”