Basic English Version : Read the Bible in 1 Year

1 Samuel (1 Kings) 18 / Basic English

1. Now after David's talk with Saul was ended, the soul of Jonathan was joined with the soul of David, and David became as dear to him as his very life.
2. And that day Saul took David and would not let him go back to his father's house.
3. Then Jonathan and David made an agreement together, because of Jonathan's love for David.
4. And Jonathan took off the robe he had on and gave it to David, with all his military dress, even to his sword and his bow and the band round his body.
5. And David went wherever Saul sent him, and did wisely: and Saul put him at the head of his men of war, and this was pleasing to all the people as well as to Saul's servants.
6. Now on their way, when David came back after the destruction of the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, with songs and dances, meeting David with melody and joy and instruments of music.
7. And the women, answering one another in their song, said, Saul has put to death his thousands and David his tens of thousands.
8. And Saul was very angry and this saying was unpleasing to him; and he said, They have given David credit for tens of thousands, and to me for only thousands: what more is there for him but the kingdom?
9. And from that day Saul was looking with envy on David.
10. Now on the day after, an evil spirit from God came on Saul with great force and he was acting like a prophet among the men of his house, while David was making music for him, as he did day by day: and Saul had his spear in his hand.
11. And Saul, balancing the spear in his hand, said, I will give David a blow, pinning him to the wall. And David got away from him twice.
12. And Saul went in fear of David, because the Lord was with David and had gone away from Saul.
13. So Saul sent him away, and made him a captain over a thousand; and he went about his business before the people.
14. And in all his undertakings David did wisely; and the Lord was with him.
15. And when Saul saw how wisely he did, he was in fear of him.
16. But David was loved by all Israel and Judah, for he went out and came in before them.
17. And Saul said to David, Here is my oldest daughter Merab, whom I will give you for your wife: only be strong for me, fighting in the Lord's wars. For Saul said, Let it not be through me that his fate comes to him, but through the Philistines.
18. And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my father's family in Israel, that I am to be son-in-law to the king?
19. But when the time came to give Merab, Saul's daughter, to David, she was given to Adriel of Meholath.
20. And Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David: and Saul had word of it and was pleased.
21. And Saul said, I will give her to him, so that she may be a cause of danger to him, and so that the hands of the Philistines may be against him. So Saul said to David, Today you are to become my son-in-law for the second time.
22. And Saul gave his servants orders saying, Have talk with David secretly and say to him, See how the king has delight in you, and how you are loved by all his servants: then be the king's son-in-law.
23. And Saul's servants said these things to David. And David said, Does it seem to you a small thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, of no great name?
24. And the servants of Saul gave him an account of what David had said.
25. And Saul said, Then say to David, The king has no desire for any bride-price, but only for the private parts of a hundred Philistines so that the king may get the better of his haters. But it was in Saul's mind that David might come to his end by the hands of the Philistines.
26. And when his servants said these words to David, he was well pleased to be the son-in-law of the king. And the days were still not past.
27. So David and his men got up and went, and put to death two hundred of the Philistines; and David took their private parts and gave the full number of them to the king, so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for his wife.
28. And it was clear to Saul that the Lord was with David; and he was loved by all Israel.
29. And Saul's fear of David became all the greater, and he went on hating him, day by day.
30. Then the rulers of the Philistines went out to war: and whenever they went out, David did more wisely than all the other servants of Saul, so that his name became greatly honoured.

1 Samuel (1 Kings) 19 / Basic English

1. And Saul gave orders to his son Jonathan and to all his servants to put David to death. But Saul's son Jonathan had great delight in David.
2. And Jonathan said to David, Saul, my father, is purposing your death: so now, take care in the morning, and keep yourself safe in a secret place:
3. And I will go out and take my place by my father's side in the field near where you are; and I will get into talk with my father about you, and when I see how things are, I will give you word.
4. And Jonathan gave his father Saul a good account of David, and said to him, Let not the king do wrong against his servant, against David; because he has done you no wrong, and all his acts have had a good outcome for you:
5. For he put his life in danger and overcame the Philistine, and the Lord gave all Israel salvation: you saw it and were glad: why then are you sinning against him who has done no wrong, desiring the death of David without cause?
6. And Saul gave ear to the voice of Jonathan, and said with an oath, By the living Lord, he is not to be put to death.
7. Then Jonathan sent for David and gave him word of all these things. And Jonathan took David to Saul, who kept him by his side as in the past.
8. And there was war again: and David went out fighting the Philistines, causing great destruction among them; and they went in flight before him.
9. And an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul, when he was seated in his house with his spear in his hand; and David made music for him.
10. And Saul would have sent his spear through him, pinning him to the wall, but he got away and the spear went into the wall: and that night David went in flight and got away.
11. Then in that night Saul sent men to David's house to keep watch on him so as to put him to death in the morning: and David's wife Michal said to him, If you do not go away to a safe place tonight you will be put to death in the morning.
12. So Michal let David down through the window, and he went in flight and got away.
13. Then Michal took the image and put it in the bed, with a cushion of goat's hair at its head, and she put clothing over it.
14. And when Saul sent men to take David, she said, He is ill.
15. And Saul sent his men to see David, saying, Do not come back without him, take him in his bed, so that I may put him to death.
16. And when the men came in, there was the image in the bed, with the cushion of goat's hair at its head
17. And Saul said to Michal, why have you been false to me, letting my hater go and get safely away? And in answer Michal said to Saul, He said to me, Let me go, or I will put you to death.
18. So David went in flight and got away and came to Ramah, to Samuel, and gave him an account of all Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and were living in Naioth.
19. And word was given to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah.
20. And Saul sent men to take David; and when they saw the band of prophets at work, with Samuel in his place at their head, the spirit of God came on Saul's men, and they became like prophets.
21. And Saul, having news of this, sent other men, who in the same way became like prophets. And a third time Saul sent men, and they like the others became like prophets.
22. Then he himself went to Ramah, and came to the great water-spring in Secu; and questioning the people he said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, They are at Naioth in Ramah.
23. And he went on from there to Naioth in Ramah: and the spirit of God came on him, and he went on, acting like a prophet, till he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24. And he took off his clothing, acting like a prophet before Samuel, and falling down he was stretched out, without his clothing, all that day and all that night. This is the reason for the saying, Is even Saul among the prophets?

Psalms 122 / Basic English

1. <A Song of the going up. Of David.> I was glad because they said to me, We will go into the house of the Lord.
2. At last our feet were inside your doors, O Jerusalem.
3. O Jerusalem, you are like a town which is well joined together;
4. To which the tribes went up, even the tribes of the Lord, for a witness to Israel, to give praise to the name of the Lord.
5. For there seats for the judges were placed, even the rulers' seats of the line of David.
6. O make prayers for the peace of Jerusalem; may they whose love is given to you do well.
7. May peace be inside your walls, and wealth in your noble houses.
8. Because of my brothers and friends, I will now say, Let peace be with you.
9. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will be working for your good.

Psalms 123 / Basic English

1. <A Song of the going up.> To you my eyes are lifted up, even to you whose seat is in the heavens.
2. See! as the eyes of servants are turned to the hands of their masters, and the eyes of a servant-girl to her owner, so our eyes are waiting for the Lord our God, till he has mercy on us.
3. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us: for all men are looking down on us.
4. For long enough have men of pride made sport of our soul.

Psalms 124 / Basic English

1. <A Song of the going up. Of David.> If it had not been the Lord who was on our side (let Israel now say);
2. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men came up against us;
3. They would have made a meal of us while still living, in the heat of their wrath against us:
4. We would have been covered by the waters; the streams would have gone over our soul;
5. Yes, the waters of pride would have gone over our soul.
6. Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be wounded by their teeth.
7. Our soul has gone free like a bird out of the net of those who would take her: the net is broken, and we are free.
8. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.