1 Samuel 18
18
Jonathan's Covenant with David
1When David#18.1 Heb he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father's house. 3Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. 4Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that he was wearing, and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him; as a result, Saul set him over the army. And all the people, even the servants of Saul, approved.
6As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments.#18.6 Or triangles, or three-stringed instruments 7And the women sang to one another as they made merry,
“Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”
8Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9So Saul eyed David from that day on.
Saul Tries to Kill David
10The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand; 11and Saul threw the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
12Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 13So Saul removed him from his presence, and made him a commander of a thousand; and David marched out and came in, leading the army. 14David had success in all his undertakings; for the Lord was with him. 15When Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in awe of him. 16But all Israel and Judah loved David; for it was he who marched out and came in leading them.
David Marries Michal
17Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife; only be valiant for me and fight the Lord's battles.” For Saul thought, “I will not raise a hand against him; let the Philistines deal with him.” 18David said to Saul, “Who am I and who are my kinsfolk, my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19But at the time when Saul's daughter Merab should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.
20Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David. Saul was told, and the thing pleased him. 21Saul thought, “Let me give her to him that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time,#18.21 Heb by two “You shall now be my son-in-law.” 22Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘See, the king is delighted with you, and all his servants love you; now then, become the king's son-in-law.’ ” 23So Saul's servants reported these words to David in private. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and of no repute?” 24The servants of Saul told him, “This is what David said.” 25Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no marriage present except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged on the king's enemies.’ ” Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26When his servants told David these words, David was well pleased to be the king's son-in-law. Before the time had expired, 27David rose and went, along with his men, and killed one hundred#18.27 Gk Compare 2 Sam 3.14: Heb two hundred of the Philistines; and David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife. 28But when Saul realized that the Lord was with David, and that Saul's daughter Michal loved him, 29Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy from that time forward.
30Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle; and as often as they came out, David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his fame became very great.
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1 Samuel 18: NRSV
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Shmuel Alef 18
18
1And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Sha'ul, that the nefesh Yonatan was kashur (tied together) with the nefesh Dovid, and Yonatan loved him as his own nefesh.
2And Sha'ul drafted him that day, and would let him return no more to the bais aviv.
3Then Yonatan and Dovid made a brit (covenant), because he loved him as his own nefesh.
4And Yonatan stripped himself of the me'il (robe) that was upon him, and gave it to Dovid, and his middah (war garments), even to his cherev, and to his keshet, and to his khagor (belt).
5And Dovid went out whithersoever Sha'ul sent him, and prospered; and Sha'ul set him over the anshei hamilchamah, and he was accepted in the sight of kol HaAm, and also in the sight of the avdei Sha'ul.
6And it came to pass as they came, when Dovid was returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, that the nashim came out of all towns of Yisroel, singing and dancing, to meet Sha'ul HaMelech, with tambourines, with simchah, and with cymbals.
7And the nashim answered one another as they played, and said, Sha'ul hath slain his alafim, and Dovid his revavot (myriads).
8And Sha'ul was very angry, and the saying was displeasing in his eyes and he said, They have ascribed unto Dovid revavot, and to me they have ascribed but alafim; and what can he have more but the maluchah (kingship)?
9And there was jealous suspicion in the way Sha'ul eyed Dovid from that day forward.
10And it came to pass on the next day, that the ruach Elohim ra'ah came upon Sha'ul, and he prophesied inside the bais; and Dovid made#18:10 kinnor music with his yad, as at other times; and there was a khanit in the yad Sha'ul.
11And Sha'ul hurled the khanit; for he said, I will pin Dovid even to the wall with it. And Dovid escaped his presence twice.
12And Sha'ul was afraid of Dovid, because Hashem was with him, and was departed from Sha'ul.
13Therefore Sha'ul removed him from him, and made him his sar elef; and he went out and came in before HaAm.
14And Dovid was maskil (successful) in kol drakhim of him; and Hashem was with him.
15Wherefore when Sha'ul saw that he was maskil me'od, he was afraid of him.
16But kol Yisroel and Yehudah loved Dovid, because he went out and came in before them.
17And Sha'ul said to Dovid, Hinei bitti hagedolah Merav, her will I give thee as isha; only be thou ben chayil (valiant) for me, and fight Hashemʼs milchamot. For Sha'ul said, Let not mine yad be upon him, but let the yad Pelishtim be upon him.
18And Dovid said unto Sha'ul, Who am I? And what is my life, or the mishpakhat avi in Yisroel, that I should be Choson to HaMelech?
19But it came to pass at the time when Merav Bat Sha'ul should have been given to Dovid, that she was given as isha unto Adriel the Mecholati.
20And Michal Bat Sha'ul loved Dovid; and they told Sha'ul, and the thing was yashar in#18:20 Sha'ulʼs eyes.
21And Sha'ul said, I will give him her, that she may be a mokesh to him, and that the yad Pelishtim may be against him. Wherefore Sha'ul said to Dovid, Thou shalt this day become Choson to me by one of my two.
22And Sha'ul commanded his avadim, saying, Commune with Dovid privately, and say, Hinei, HaMelech hath chafetz (delight) in thee, and all his avadim love thee; now therefore be Choson to HaMelech.
23And the avadim of Sha'ul spoke those devarim in the ears of Dovid. And Dovid said, Seemeth it a light thing in your eyes to become Choson to HaMelech, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
24And the avadim of Sha'ul told him, saying, According to these words spoke Dovid.
25And Sha'ul said, Thus shall ye say to Dovid, HaMelech has chafetz (desire) for not any mohar (dowry, bride price) but a hundred arelot (foreskins) of the Pelishtim, to be avenged of the oyevei HaMelech. But Sha'ul schemed to make Dovid fall by the yad Pelishtim.
26And when his avadim told Dovid these devarim, it pleased Dovid well to be Choson of HaMelech; and the yamim#18:26 leading up to the due-date of the arelot were not expired.
27Wherefore Dovid arose and went, he and his anashim, and slaughtered of the Pelishtim (Philistines) two hundred ish; and Dovid brought their arelot, and they gave them in full count to HaMelech, that he might be the Choson of HaMelech. And Sha'ul gave him Michal bitto as isha.
28And Sha'ul saw and knew that Hashem was with Dovid, and that Michal Bat Sha'ul loved him.
29And Sha'ul was yet the more afraid of Dovid; and Sha'ul became oyev to Dovid kol hayamim.
30Then the sarim of the Pelishtim went forth [to fight]; and it came to pass, after they went forth, that Dovid prospered#18:30 in military success more than all the avadim (officers) of Sha'ul; so that shmo became esteemed as of good reputation. And Sha'ul spoke to Yonatan#18:30 Yehonaton bno, and to all his avadim, that they should kill Dovid.
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