1 Samuel 18
18
David and Jonathan
1And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. 5And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
6And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. 7And the women answered one another as they played, and said,
Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.
8And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
10And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. 11And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. 12And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul. 13Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. 15Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
17And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD's battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him. 18And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king? 19But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife. 20And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.
22And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law. 23And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 24And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. 25And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired. 27Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. 28And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him. 29And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.
30Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
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1 Samuel 18: KJV
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Rights in the Authorized (King James) Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Published by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.
Learn More About King James Version1 Samuel 18
18
Jonathan and David
1As soon as David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan’s life#18.1 Or soul; also twice more in this verse and in 18:3 became bound up with David’s life, and Jonathan loved David as much as himself.#18.1 The following verses are absent from LXXB: 18:1-5, 10-11, 17-19, 29b-30. 2From that point forward, Saul kept David in his service#18.2 MT lacks in his service. and wouldn’t allow him to return to his father’s household. 3And Jonathan and David made a covenant together because Jonathan loved David as much as himself. 4Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his armor, as well as his sword, his bow, and his belt. 5David went out and was successful in every mission Saul sent him to do. So Saul placed him in charge of the soldiers, and this pleased all the troops as well as Saul’s servants.
Saul jealous of David
6After David came back from killing the Philistine, and as the troops returned home, women from all of Israel’s towns came out to meet King Saul#18.6 MT; LXX to meet David with singing and dancing, with tambourines, rejoicing, and musical instruments. 7The women sang in celebration:
“Saul has killed his thousands,
but David has killed his tens of thousands!”
8Saul burned with anger. This song annoyed him. “They’ve credited David with tens of thousands,” he said, “but only credit me with thousands. What’s next for him—the kingdom itself?” 9So Saul kept a close eye on David from that point on.
10The next day an evil spirit from God came over Saul,#18.10 Or to Saul and he acted like he was in a prophetic frenzy in his house. So David played the lyre as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand, 11and he threw it, thinking, I’ll pin David to the wall. But David escaped from him two different times.
12Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with David but no longer with Saul. 13So Saul removed David from his service, placing him in command of a unit of one thousand men. David led the men out to war and back. 14David was successful in everything he did because the LORD was with him. 15Saul saw that he was very successful, and he was afraid of him. 16Everyone in Israel and Judah loved David because he led them out in war and back again.
17Saul said to David, “Look, here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage on this condition: you must be my warrior and fight the LORD’s battles.” I won’t raise my hand against him, Saul thought; let the Philistines do that!
18“I’m not worthy,” David replied to Saul, “and neither is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, to become the king’s son-in-law.” 19And so when the time came for Saul’s daughter Merab to be married to David, she was given to Adriel from Meholah instead.
20Now Saul’s younger daughter Michal loved David. When this was reported to Saul, he was happy about it. 21I’ll give her to him, Saul thought; she’ll cause him problems, and the Philistines will be against him.
So Saul said to David a second time, “Become my son-in-law now.”
22Saul instructed his servants, “Tell David in private: ‘Look, the king likes you, and all his servants love you. You should become the king’s son-in-law.’”
23Saul’s servants whispered these things in David’s ear. But David said, “Do you think it’s a simple matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I don’t! I’m poor and insignificant.”
24Saul’s servants reported what David said, 25and Saul replied, “Tell David this: ‘The king doesn’t want any bridal gift, just a hundred Philistine foreskins as vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” (Saul was hoping that David would die at the hands of the Philistines.) 26When the servants reported this to David, he was happy to become the king’s son-in-law. Even before the allotted time had expired,#18.26 Heb uncertain 27David got up and went with his soldiers and killed one hundred Philistines.#18.27 LXX, cf 2 Sam 3:14; MT two hundred David brought their foreskins and counted them out for the king so he could become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to him in marriage.
28When Saul knew for certain that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, 29then Saul was even more afraid of David. Saul was David’s enemy for the rest of his life.#18.29 Or Saul became David’s constant enemy. 30And whenever the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David would have more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, so his fame spread widely.
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