1 Samuel

1 Samuel 19:11–17

¹¹Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!” ¹²So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped.

¹³Then Michal took a household idol^b and laid it in the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. ¹⁴When Saul sent the messengers to seize David, Michal said, “He is ill.”

¹⁵But Saul sent the messengers back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so I can kill him.” ¹⁶And when the messengers entered, there was the idol in the bed with the goat hair on its head.

¹⁷And Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away, and he has escaped!”

Michal replied, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away, or I will kill you!’”

Footnotes

b 19:13 Or a household god; Hebrew teraphim; also in verse 16

Read all of 1 Samuel 19

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 19:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Saul	שָׁא֨וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
sent	וַיִּשְׁלַח֩	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
messengers	מַלְאָכִ֜ים	mal·’ā·ḵîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
David’s	דָּוִד֙	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
house	בֵּ֤ית	bêṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
to watch him	לְשָׁמְר֔וֹ	lə·šā·mə·rōw	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
and kill him	וְלַהֲמִית֖וֹ	wə·la·hă·mî·ṯōw	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H4191 die
in the morning	בַּבֹּ֑קֶר	bab·bō·qer	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1242 morning
But David’s wife	אִשְׁתּוֹ֙	’iš·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
Michal	מִיכַ֤ל	mî·ḵal	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4324 Mikal
warned	וַתַּגֵּ֣ד	wat·tag·gêḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H5046 be conspicuous
If	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
you do not	אֵ֨ינְךָ֜	’ê·nə·ḵā	Adverb; second person masculine singular	H369 nothing, nought
run	מְמַלֵּ֤ט	mə·mal·lêṭ	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H4422 slip away
for your life	נַפְשְׁךָ֙	nap̄·šə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
tonight	הַלַּ֔יְלָה	hal·lay·lāh	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity
tomorrow	מָחָ֖ר	mā·ḥār	Adverb	H4279 tomorrow, in time to come
you	אַתָּ֥ה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
will be dead	מוּמָֽת׃	mū·māṯ	Verb - Hofal - Participle - masculine singular	H4191 die

1 Samuel 19:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So Michal	מִיכַ֛ל	mî·ḵal	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4324 Mikal
lowered	וַתֹּ֧רֶד	wat·tō·reḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3381 come or go down, descend
David	דָּוִ֖ד	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
from	בְּעַ֣ד	bə·‘aḏ	Preposition	H1157 separation
the window	הַחַלּ֑וֹן	ha·ḥal·lō·wn	Article; Noun - common singular	H2474 window
and he ran away	וַיִּבְרַ֖ח	way·yiḇ·raḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1272 go through, flee
and escaped	וַיִּמָּלֵֽט׃	way·yim·mā·lêṭ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4422 slip away

1 Samuel 19:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Michal	מִיכַ֜ל	mî·ḵal	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4324 Mikal
took	וַתִּקַּ֨ח	wat·tiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3947 take
a household idol	הַתְּרָפִ֗ים	hat·tə·rā·p̄îm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8655 Teraphim
and laid	וַתָּ֙שֶׂם֙	wat·tā·śem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H7760 put, place, set
in	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the bed	הַמִּטָּ֔ה	ham·miṭ·ṭāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4296 couch, bed
placed	שָׂ֖מָה	śā·māh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H7760 put, place, set
some goat hair	כְּבִ֣יר	kə·ḇîr	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3523 quilt
on its head	מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו	mə·ra·’ă·šō·ṯāw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H4763 headpiece, head-rest
and covered	וַתְּכַ֖ס	wat·tə·ḵas	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3680 cover
it with a garment	בַּבָּֽגֶד׃ס	bab·bā·ḡeḏ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H899 treachery

1 Samuel 19:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When Saul	שָׁא֛וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
sent	וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
the messengers	מַלְאָכִ֖ים	mal·’ā·ḵîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
to seize	לָקַ֣חַת	lā·qa·ḥaṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3947 take
David	דָּוִ֑ד	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
Michal said	וַתֹּ֖אמֶר	wat·tō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
He	הֽוּא׃פ	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
ill	חֹלֶ֥ה	ḥō·leh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H2470 be weak, sick

1 Samuel 19:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But Saul	שָׁאוּל֙	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
sent	וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
the messengers back	הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים	ham·mal·’ā·ḵîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
to see	לִרְא֥וֹת	lir·’ō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7200 see
David	דָּוִ֖ד	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
and told them	לֵאמֹ֑ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
Bring	הַעֲל֨וּ	ha·‘ă·lū	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
him	אֹת֧וֹ	’ō·ṯōw	Direct object marker; third person masculine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
up to me	אֵלַ֖י	’ê·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H413 motion to
in his bed	בַמִּטָּ֛ה	ḇam·miṭ·ṭāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4296 couch, bed
so I can kill him	לַהֲמִתֽוֹ׃	la·hă·mi·ṯōw	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H4191 die

1 Samuel 19:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And when the messengers	הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים	ham·mal·’ā·ḵîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
entered	וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙	way·yā·ḇō·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
there was	וְהִנֵּ֥ה	wə·hin·nêh	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
the idol	הַתְּרָפִ֖ים	hat·tə·rā·p̄îm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8655 Teraphim
in	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the bed	הַמִּטָּ֑ה	ham·miṭ·ṭāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4296 couch, bed
with the goat	הָעִזִּ֖ים	hā·‘iz·zîm	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H5795 she-goat
on its head	מְרַאֲשֹׁתָֽיו׃	mə·ra·’ă·šō·ṯāw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H4763 headpiece, head-rest

1 Samuel 19:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And Saul	שָׁא֜וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
said	וַיֹּ֨אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to Michal	מִיכַ֗ל	mî·ḵal	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4324 Mikal
Why	לָ֤מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
did you deceive me	רִמִּיתִ֔נִי	rim·mî·ṯi·nî	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person feminine singular; first person common singular	H7411 cast, shoot
like this	כָּ֙כָה֙	kā·ḵāh	Adverb	H3602 thus
You sent my enemy	אֹיְבִ֖י	’ō·yə·ḇî	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H341 be hostile to
away	וַתְּשַׁלְּחִ֥י	wat·tə·šal·lə·ḥî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person feminine singular	H7971 send
and he has escaped	וַיִּמָּלֵ֑ט	way·yim·mā·lêṭ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4422 slip away
Michal	מִיכַל֙	mî·ḵal	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4324 Mikal
replied	וַתֹּ֤אמֶר	wat·tō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
He	הוּא־	hū-	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
said	אָמַ֥ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to me	אֵלַ֛י	’ê·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H413 motion to
Help me get away	שַׁלְּחִ֖נִי	šal·lə·ḥi·nî	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H7971 send
or	לָמָ֥ה	lā·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
I will kill you	אֲמִיתֵֽךְ׃	’ă·mî·ṯêḵ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular; second person feminine singular	H4191 die

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 19:11 Psalm 59:1–17 · Judges 16:2

1 Samuel 19:12 Joshua 2:15 · 2 Corinthians 11:32–33 · Acts 9:24–25 · Psalm 34:19

1 Samuel 19:13 Genesis 31:19 · Judges 18:17 · Judges 18:14

1 Samuel 19:14 Joshua 2:5

1 Samuel 19:17 2 Samuel 2:22

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.