1 Samuel 18

Saul Fears David

1When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, # Ge 44:30 so that Jonathan loved him as his own soul. # Dt 13:6; 2Sa 1:26 2And Saul took him that day and would not permit him to return home to his father’s house. # 1Sa 17:15 3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant # 1Sa 20:8–17, 42 because he loved him as his own soul. 4So Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, even his garments, # Ge 41:42 his sword, his bow, and his belt.

5David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he was successful. # 1Sa 18:14–15, 30 So Saul set him over the men of war, and it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of the servants of Saul.

6When they came home, as David was returning from slaying the Philistine, the women came out from all cities of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. # Ex 15:20; Jdg 11:34 7The dancing women sang # Ex 15:21 and said,

“Saul has slain his thousands,

and David his ten thousands.” # 1Sa 21:11; 29:5

8Saul became very angry, and this saying was displeasing to him. Therefore he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what remains for him to have but the kingdom?” # 1Sa 15:28 9So Saul was suspicious of David from that day and forward.

10The next day an evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he raved in his house. David was playing the lyre, as at other times. # 1Sa 16:23; 19:9 Now there was a spear in Saul’s hand. 11And Saul threw the spear. # 1Sa 20:33; Isa 54:17 For he said, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David avoided him two times.

12Saul was afraid of David # 1Sa 18:15, 29 because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 13Therefore Saul removed him from his presence and placed him as his captain over a thousand. # 2Sa 5:2 And he went out and came in before the people. 14David was successful in all his ways and the Lord was with him. # Ge 39:2–3, 23 15When Saul saw that he was very successful, he was afraid of him. 16Now all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

David Marries Michal

17Saul said to David, “Behold my elder daughter Merab, I will give her to you as your wife. # 1Sa 17:25 Only be valiant for me, and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul said, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” # 1Sa 18:25

18But David said to 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?” # 1Sa 18:23; 2Sa 7:18 19So when it was time that Merab, daughter of Saul, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife. # Jdg 7:22; 2Sa 21:8

20Now Michal, daughter of Saul, loved David # 1Sa 18:28 and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21Saul said, “I will give her to him that she may be a snare to him, # Ex 10:7 and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “For a second time, you may be my son-in-law today.” # 1Sa 18:17

22Saul commanded his servants, saying, “Speak to David in secret saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you and all his servants love you. Now therefore become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”

23So the servants of Saul spoke these words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem 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 reported to him saying, “According to these words, David spoke.” 25Saul said, “Thus will you say to David, ‘The king does not desire any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, # Ge 34:12 to be avenged of the king’s enemies.’ ” # 1Sa 14:24 But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Now the days had not expired; 27therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins and they gave them in full to the king, that he might be the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife. # 2Sa 3:14

28When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, his daughter, loved him, 29Saul was yet the more afraid of David, and Saul became the enemy of David continually.

30Then the commanders of the Philistines went out to make war. # 2Sa 11:1 And when they went out David was more successful than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly honored. # 1Sa 18:5

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1 Samuel 18: MEV

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1 Samuel 18

Jonathan’s Covenant Love for David

1Now it came to pass, when David had finished speaking to Saul, Jonathan’s soul was knit to David’s soul, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

2Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father’s house.

3Then Jonathan cut a covenant with David, because he loved him as himself.

4Jonathan stripped off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, along with his armor: his sword, bow and belt.

Saul’s Jealousy

5So David went out wherever Saul sent him and had success, so Saul set him over the men of war. It was pleasing in the eyes of all the people as well as in the eyes of Saul’s courtiers.

6Upon their coming back, upon David’s return from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing in circles to greet King Saul, with timbrels, with joy and with three-stringed instruments.

7So the women sang one to another, as they were dancing saying, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”

8Then Saul became very angry—this saying was evil in his eyes—and he commented, “They’ve ascribed to David ten thousands and to me they’ve ascribed thousands. Now what more does he lack but the kingdom?”

9So Saul eyed David from that day on.

10It came about the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, so that he was raving within the palace. While David was playing music with his hand, as he did day by day, Saul had his spear in his hand,

11and Saul hurled the spear, thinking, “I’ll pin David to the wall!” But David eluded him—twice.

12Now Saul became afraid of David, because Adonai was with him but had departed from Saul.

13Therefore Saul removed him from his entourage by appointing him as a captain of a thousand. So David went out and came in before the troops.

14David had success in all his undertakings, since Adonai was with him.

15When Saul saw that he had great success, he dreaded him.

16But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

17Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab—I give her to you as a wife. Only continue to be my son of valor and fight Adonai’s battles.” For Saul thought, “My hand needn’t be against him—let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

18But David replied to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”

19But when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David in marriage, she was given as wife to Adriel the Meholathite instead.

Michal’s Love for David

20Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. When they told Saul, the matter pleased him.

21Saul thought, “I will give her to him, so that she may become a snare to him—and the hand of the Philistines will be against him.” So Saul said to David, “You can still become my son-in-law, even today, with the second one.”

22Then Saul commanded his courtiers, “Speak with David privately and say, ‘Behold, the king delights in you and all his courtiers love you. So now, become the king’s son-in-law!’”

23So Saul’s courtiers whispered these words in David’s ears. But David said, “Is it a light thing to you becoming the king’s son-in-law, considering that I am a poor man and of little account?”

24Saul’s courtiers reported back to him what David had said.

25Then Saul said, “Thus you will say to David, ‘The king desires no bridal dowry except 100 foreskins of the Philistines—to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” So Saul schemed to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26When his courtiers told David these words, the word seemed right in David’s eyes to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the days were fulfilled,

27 David had risen, gone with his men and killed 200 Philistine men. Then David brought their foreskins and gave them in full number to the king—to become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.

28When Saul saw and realized that Adonai was with David and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him,

29Saul grew even more afraid of David. Thus Saul became David’s enemy for all days.

30When the chiefs of the Philistines marched out, as often as they came out, David proved more successful than all of Saul’s officers. So his name became highly esteemed.

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