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
David’s Success
1When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan committed himself to David, and loved him as much as he loved himself. # 1Sm 20:17; 2Sm 1:26 2Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him return to his father’s house.
3Jonathan made a covenant with David # 1Sm 20:8,16; 23:18 because he loved him as much as himself. 4Then Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, # Gn 41:42 along with his military tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
5David marched out with the army and was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul put him in command of the soldiers, which pleased all the people and Saul’s servants as well.
6As the troops were coming back, when David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, # Ex 15:20-21; Jdg 11:34 singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments. 7As they celebrated, the women sang:
Saul has killed his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands. # 1Sm 21:11; 29:5
8Saul was furious and resented this song. # Lit furious; this saying was evil in his eyes “They credited tens of thousands to David,” he complained, “but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom? ” # 1Sm 15:28; 24:20 9So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.
Saul Attempts to Kill David
10The next day an evil spirit sent from God took control of Saul, # 1Sm 16:14; 19:9 and he began to rave # Or prophesy inside the palace. David was playing the lyre as usual, # 1Sm 16:23 but Saul was holding a spear, # 1Sm 19:9 11and he threw it, thinking, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” # 1Sm 19:10; 20:33 But David got away from him twice.
12Saul was afraid of David, # 1Sm 18:15,29 because the Lord was with David # 1Sm 16:13,18 but had left Saul. # 1Sm 16:14; 17:36,47; 2Sm 5:2 13Therefore, Saul reassigned David and made him commander over 1,000 men. David led the troops # 2Sm 5:2 14and continued to be successful in all his activities because the Lord was with him. # 1Sm 3:19; 16:18 15When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded him. 16But all Israel and Judah loved David # 1Sm 18:5 because he was leading their troops. 17Saul told David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you as a wife, # 1Sm 17:25 if you will be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” # Nm 21:14; 1Sm 17:36-37; 25:28 But Saul was thinking, “My hand doesn’t need to be against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” # 1Sm 18:21; 18:25
18Then David responded, “Who am I, # 1Sm 9:21; 18:23; 2Sm 7:18 and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law? ” 19When it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife. # Jdg 7:22; 2Sm 21:8; 1Kg 19:16
David’s Marriage to Michal
20Now Saul’s daughter Michal # 1Sm 18:28 loved David, and when it was reported to Saul, it pleased him. # Lit Saul, the thing was right in his eyes 21“I’ll give her to him,” Saul thought. “She’ll be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him.” # 1Sm 18:17 So Saul said to David a second time, “You can now be my son-in-law.” # 1Sm 18:20
22Saul then ordered his servants, “Speak to David in private and tell him, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Therefore, you should become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”
23Saul’s servants reported these words directly to David, # Lit words in David’s ears but he replied, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor man who is common.” # Gn 29:20; 34:12
24The servants reported back to Saul, “These are the words David spoke.”
25Then Saul replied, “Say this to David: ‘The king desires no other bride-price # Gn 34:12; Ex 22:17 except 100 Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’ ” # 1Sm 14:24 Actually, Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines. # 1Sm 18:17
26When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased # Lit David, it was right in David’s eyes to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, # Lit And the days were not full 27David and his men went out and killed 200 # LXX reads 100 Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as full payment to the king to become his son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David as his wife. # 2Sm 3:14 28Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, 29and he became even more afraid of David. As a result, Saul was David’s enemy from then on.
30Every time the Philistine commanders came out to fight, # 2Sm 11:1 David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers. # 1Sm 18:5 So his name became well known.
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