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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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
1 Samuel 18
18
1And it cometh to pass, when he finisheth to speak unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan hath been bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loveth him as his own soul.
2And Saul taketh him on that day, and hath not permitted him to turn back to the house of his father.
3And Jonathan maketh — also David — a covenant, because he loveth him as his own soul,
4and Jonathan strippeth himself of the upper robe which [is] upon him, and giveth it to David, and his long robe, even unto his sword, and unto his bow, and unto his girdle.
5And David goeth out whithersoever Saul doth send him; he acted wisely, and Saul setteth him over the men of war, and it is good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.
6And it cometh to pass, in their coming in, in David's returning from smiting the Philistine, that the women come out from all the cities of Israel to sing — also the dancers — to meet Saul the king, with tabrets, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments;
7and the women answer — those playing, and say, ‘Saul hath smitten among his thousands, And David among his myriads.’
8And it is displeasing to Saul exceedingly, and this thing is evil in his eyes, and he saith, ‘They have given to David myriads, and to me they have given the thousands, and more to him [is] only the kingdom;’
9and Saul is eyeing David from that day and thenceforth.
10And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the spirit of sadness [from] God prospereth over Saul, and he prophesieth in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as day by day, and the javelin [is] in the hand of Saul,
11and Saul casteth the javelin, and saith, ‘I smite through David, even through the wall;’ and David turneth round out of his presence twice.
12And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for Jehovah hath been with him, and from Saul He hath turned aside;
13and Saul turneth him aside from him, and appointeth him to himself head of a thousand, and he goeth out an cometh in, before the people.
14And David is in all his ways acting wisely, and Jehovah [is] with him,
15and Saul seeth that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him,
16and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them.
17And Saul saith unto David, ‘Lo, my elder daughter Merab — her I give to thee for a wife; only, be to me for a son of valour, and fight the battles of Jehovah;’ and Saul said, ‘Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.’
18And David saith unto Saul, ‘Who [am] I? and what my life — the family of my father in Israel — that I am son-in-law to the king?’
19And it cometh to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she hath been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
20And Michal daughter of Saul loveth David, and they declare to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes,
21and Saul saith, ‘I give her to him, and she is to him for a snare, and the hand of the Philistines is on him;’ and Saul saith unto David, ‘By the second — thou dost become my son-in-law to-day.’
22And Saul commandeth his servants, ‘Speak unto David gently, saying, Lo, the king hath delighted in thee, and all his servants have loved thee, and now, be son-in-law to the king.’
23And the servants of Saul speak in the ears of David these words, and David saith, ‘Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king — and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?’
24And the servants of Saul declare to him, saying, ‘According to these words hath David spoken.’
25And Saul saith, ‘Thus do ye say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a hundred foreskins of the Philistines — to be avenged on the enemies of the king;’ and Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26And his servants declare to David these words, and the thing is right in the eyes of David, to be son-in-law to the king; and the days have not been full,
27and David riseth and goeth, he and his men, and smiteth among the Philistines two hundred men, and David bringeth in their foreskins, and they set them before the king, to be son-in-law to the king; and Saul giveth to him Michal his daughter for a wife.
28And Saul seeth and knoweth that Jehovah [is] with David, and Michal daughter of Saul hath loved him,
29and Saul addeth to be afraid of the presence of David yet; and Saul is an enemy with David all the days.
30And the princes of the Philistines come out, and it cometh to pass from the time of their coming out, David hath acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious.
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