1 Samuel 18
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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1 Samuel 18: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
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.
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