1 Samuel 18
18
Saul’s Growing Fear of David
1David finished talking with Saul. After that, Jonathan and David became close friends. Jonathan loved David just as he loved himself. 2From that time on, Saul kept David with him. He didn’t let him return home to his family. 3Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him just as he loved himself. 4Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David. He also gave him his military clothes. He even gave him his sword, his bow and his belt.
5David did everything Saul sent him to do. He did it so well that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. That pleased Saul’s whole army, including his officers.
6After David had killed Goliath, the men of Israel returned home. The women came out of all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul. They danced and sang joyful songs. They played harps and tambourines. 7As they danced, they sang,
“Saul has killed thousands of men.
David has killed tens of thousands.”
8That song made Saul very angry. It really upset him. He said to himself, “They are saying David has killed tens of thousands of men. But they are saying I’ve killed only thousands. The only thing left for him to get is the kingdom itself.” 9From that time on, Saul watched David closely.
10The next day an evil spirit sent by God came powerfully on Saul. Saul began to prophesy in his house. At that same time David began to play the harp, just as he usually did. Saul was holding a spear. 11He threw it at David. As he did, he said to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David got away from him twice.
12The Lord had left Saul and was with David. So Saul was afraid of David. 13He sent David away. He put him in command of 1,000 men. David led the troops in battle. 14In everything he did, he was very successful. That’s because the Lord was with him. 15When Saul saw how successful David was, he became afraid of him. 16But all the troops of Israel and Judah loved David. That’s because he led them in battle.
17Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you to be your wife. Just serve me bravely and fight the Lord’s battles.” Saul said to himself, “I won’t have to lift my hand to strike him down. The Philistines will do that!”
18But David said to Saul, “Who am I? Is anyone in my whole family that important in Israel? Am I worthy to become the king’s son-in-law?” 19The time came for Saul to give his daughter Merab to David. Instead, Saul gave her to Adriel from Meholah to be his wife.
20Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David. When they told Saul about it, he was pleased. 21“I’ll give her to David to be his wife,” Saul said to himself. “Then maybe she’ll trap him. And maybe the Philistines will strike him down.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second chance to become my son-in-law.”
22Then Saul gave an order to his attendants. He said, “Speak to David in private. Tell him, ‘The king likes you. All his attendants love you. So become his son-in-law.’ ”
23Saul’s attendants spoke those very words to David. But David said, “Do you think it’s a small thing to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man. I’m not very well known.”
24Saul’s attendants told him what David had said. 25Saul said, “Tell David, ‘Here’s the price the king wants for the bride. He wants you to kill 100 Philistines. Then bring back the skins you cut off when you circumcise them. That’s how Saul will get even with his enemies.’ ” Saul hoped that the Philistines would strike David down.
26Saul’s attendants also told David those things. Then David was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the wedding day, 27David and his men went out and killed 200 Philistines. They circumcised the Philistines. Then David brought back all the skins. They counted out the full number and gave them to the king. By doing that, David could become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave David his daughter Michal to be his wife.
28Saul realized that the Lord was with David. He also realized that his daughter Michal loved David. 29So Saul became even more afraid of him. As long as Saul lived, he remained David’s enemy.
30The Philistine commanders kept on going out to battle. Every time they did, David had more success against them than the rest of Saul’s officers. So his name became well known.
Currently Selected:
1 Samuel 18: NIrV
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
1 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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.