1 Samuel 18
18
David and Jonathan Become Friends
1-2Saul decided to take David with him. He would not let David go back home to his father. After David finished talking with Saul, Jonathan developed a strong friendship with David.#18:1-2 Jonathan … with David Literally, “Jonathan’s soul was tied to David’s soul.” 3Jonathan loved David as much as himself, so they made a special agreement. 4Jonathan took off the coat he was wearing and gave it to David. In fact, Jonathan gave David his whole uniform—including his sword, his bow, and even his belt.
Saul Notices David’s Success
5David went to fight wherever Saul sent him. He was very successful, so Saul put him in charge of the soldiers. This pleased everyone, even Saul’s officers. 6David would go out to fight against the Philistines. On the way home, after the battles, women in every town in Israel would come out to meet him. They sang and danced for joy as they played their tambourines and lyres. They did this right in front of Saul! 7The women sang,
“Saul has killed his thousands,
but David has killed tens of thousands.”
8This song upset Saul and he became very angry. Saul thought, “The women give David credit for killing tens of thousands of the enemy, and they give me credit for only thousands. A little more of this and they will give him the kingdom itself!#18:8 A little more … itself This is not in one of the oldest and best copies of the ancient Greek version.” 9So from that time on, Saul watched David very closely.
Saul Is Afraid of David
10The next day, an evil spirit from God took control of Saul and he went wild#18:10 Saul … wild Or “Saul prophesied.” The Hebrew word means that the person lost control of what they said and did. Usually this meant God was using them to give a special message to other people. in his house. David played the harp to calm him as he usually did, 11but Saul had a spear in his hand. He thought, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” Saul threw the spear twice, but David jumped out of the way both times.
12The Lord had left Saul and was now with David, so Saul was afraid of David. 13Saul sent David away and made him a commander over 1000 soldiers. This put David out among the men even more as they went into battle and returned. 14The Lord was with David, so he was successful in everything. 15Saul saw how successful David was and became even more afraid of him. 16But all the people in Israel and Judah loved David because he was out among them and led them into battle.
Saul Wants His Daughter to Marry David
17One day Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter, Merab. I will let you marry her. Then you will be like a son to me and you will be a real soldier.#18:17 real soldier That is, a member of the warrior class. They were free from certain duties of ordinary citizens. Then you will go and fight the Lord’s battles.” Saul was really thinking, “Now I won’t have to kill David. I will let the Philistines kill him for me.”
18But David said, “I am not an important man from an important family. I can’t marry the king’s daughter.”
19So when the time came for David to marry Saul’s daughter, Saul let her marry Adriel from Meholah.
20People told Saul that his daughter Michal loved David. This made Saul happy. 21He thought, “I will use Michal to trap David. I will let Michal marry David, and then I will let the Philistines kill him.” So Saul said to David a second time, “You can marry my daughter today.”
22Saul commanded his officers to speak to David in private. He told them to say, “Look, the king likes you. His officers like you. You should marry his daughter.”
23Saul’s officers said these things to David, but David answered, “Do you think it is easy to become the king’s son-in-law? I am just a poor, ordinary man.”
24Saul’s officers told Saul what David said. 25Saul told them, “Say this to David, ‘David, the king doesn’t want you to pay money for his daughter.#18:25 money for his daughter In Bible times a man usually had to give money to a woman’s father before he could marry her. He wants to get even with his enemy, so the price for marrying his daughter is 100 Philistine foreskins.’” That was Saul’s secret plan. He thought the Philistines would kill David.
26Saul’s officers told this to David. David was happy that he had a chance to become the king’s son-in-law, so immediately 27he and his men went out to fight the Philistines. They killed 200#18:27 200 The ancient Greek version has “100.” Philistines. David took these Philistine foreskins and gave them to Saul. He did this because he wanted to become the king’s son-in-law.
Saul let David marry his daughter Michal. 28He saw that the Lord was with David and he also saw that his daughter, Michal, loved David. 29So Saul became even more afraid of David and was against him all that time.
30The Philistine commanders continued to go out to fight the Israelites, but David defeated them every time. He became famous as Saul’s best officer.
Currently Selected:
1 Samuel 18: ERV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Sh'mu'el Alef (1 Sa) 18
18
1By the time David had finished speaking to Sha’ul, Y’honatan found himself inwardly drawn by David’s character, so that Y’honatan loved him as he did himself. 2That day, Sha’ul took David into his service and would not let him go home to his father’s house any more. 3Y’honatan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as he did himself. 4Y’honatan removed the cloak he was wearing and gave it to David, his armor too, including his sword, bow and belt. 5David would go out, and no matter where Sha’ul sent him, he was successful. Sha’ul put him in charge of the fighting men; all the people thought it good, and so did Sha’ul’s servants.
6As David and the others were returning from the slaughter of the P’lishti, the women came out of all the cities of Isra’el to meet King Sha’ul, singing and dancing joyfully with tambourines and three-stringed instruments. 7In their merrymaking the women sang,
“Sha’ul has killed his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands.”
8Sha’ul became very angry, because this song displeased him. He said, “They give David credit for tens of thousands, but me they give credit for only thousands. Now all he lacks is the kingdom!” 9From that day on, Sha’ul viewed David with suspicion.
10The following day an evil spirit from God came powerfully over Sha’ul, so that he fell into a frenzy in the house. David was there, playing his lyre as on other occasions. This time Sha’ul had his spear in his hand; 11and he threw the spear, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David dodged out of the way twice. 12Sha’ul became afraid of David, because Adonai was with him and had left Sha’ul. 13Therefore Sha’ul put him at a distance from himself by making him commander over a thousand; his goings and comings became public knowledge. 14David had great success in all his ways; Adonai was with him. 15When Sha’ul saw how very successful he was, he became afraid of him. 16But all Isra’el and Y’hudah loved David, because they knew about all his campaigns.
17Sha’ul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merav. I will give her to you as your wife; only continue displaying your courage for me, and fight Adonai’s battles.” Sha’ul was thinking, “I don’t dare touch him, so let the P’lishtim do away with him.” 18David’s response to Sha’ul was, “Who am I, that I should become the king’s son-in-law? I don’t have any kind of a life, and my father’s family has no rank in Isra’el.” 19However, when it was time for Merav Sha’ul’s daughter to be given to David, she was given to Adri’el the Mecholati as his wife. 20But Mikhal Sha’ul’s daughter fell in love with David. They told Sha’ul, and it pleased him. 21Sha’ul said, “I’ll give her to him, so that she can entrap him, and the P’lishtim can do away with him.” So Sha’ul said to David, “Today you will become my son-in-law through the second [daughter].” 22Sha’ul ordered his servants to speak privately with David and say, “Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you; so become the king’s son-in-law.” 23Sha’ul’s servants said this to David; but David replied, “Do you think being the king’s son-in-law is something to be treated so casually, given that I’m a poor man without social standing?” 24Sha’ul’s servants reported back to him how David had responded. 25Sha’ul said, “Here’s what you are to say to David: ‘The king doesn’t want any dowry; he wants a hundred foreskins of the P’lishtim, so that he can have vengeance on the king’s enemies.” For Sha’ul was hoping to have David killed by the P’lishtim. 26When his servants said these words to David, it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. Even before the time [for him to be married], 27David got up and set out, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the P’lishtim. He brought their foreskins and gave all of them to the king in order to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Sha’ul gave him Mikhal his daughter as his wife.
28Sha’ul saw and understood that Adonai was with David and that Mikhal Sha’ul’s daughter loved him. 29This only made Sha’ul the more afraid of David, so that Sha’ul became David’s enemy for the rest of his life.
30The leaders of the P’lishtim would attack; but whenever they attacked, David was more successful than any of Sha’ul’s servants; so that David acquired a great reputation.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
For more information and to purchase a hard copy of the Complete Jewish Bible,
Learn More About Complete Jewish Bible