1 Samuel 18
18
David and Jonathan’s Friendship
1As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan #ch. 20:17; Deut. 13:6; [ch. 19:2; 2 Sam. 1:26]loved him as his own soul. 2And Saul took him that day #[ch. 17:15]and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because #[See ver. 1 above]he loved him as his own soul. 4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5And David went out #ver. 14, 15, 30and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
Saul’s Jealousy of David
6As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, #Ex. 15:20; Judg. 11:34the women came out of all the cities 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 #[Ex. 15:21] sang to one another as they celebrated,
# ch. 21:11; 29:5 “Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”
8And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but #ch. 15:28the kingdom?” 9And Saul eyed David from that day on.
10The next day #ch. 16:14; [Judg. 9:23] a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and #ch. 19:23, 24; [1 Kgs. 18:29; Acts 16:16] he raved within his house while David was #See ch. 16:16 playing the lyre, as he did day by day. #ch. 19:9Saul had his spear in his hand. 11And Saul #ch. 19:10; 20:33hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.
12 # ver. 15, 29 Saul was afraid of David because #ver. 28; ch. 16:18 the Lord was with him #ch. 16:14; 28:15but had departed from Saul. 13So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. #ver. 16; [Num. 27:17; 2 Sam. 5:2]And he went out and came in before the people. 14And David #ver. 5 had success in all his undertakings, #[See ver. 12 above]for the Lord was with him. 15And when Saul saw that #[See ver. 14 above]he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16#[ver. 5]But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
David Marries Michal
17Then Saul said to David, “Here is #ch. 14:49 my elder daughter Merab. #ch. 17:25 I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me #ch. 25:28 and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, #ver. 21, 25but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18And David said to Saul, #ver. 23; 2 Sam. 7:18“Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to #[2 Sam. 21:8] Adriel the #Judg. 7:22Meholathite for a wife.
20Now #[See ver. 17 above] Saul’s daughter Michal #ver. 28loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may #Ex. 10:7 be a snare for him #ver. 17 and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time,#18:21 Hebrew by two #[ver. 26]“You shall now be my son-in-law.” 22And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, #[Num. 16:9]“Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” 24And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” 25Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no #Gen. 34:12; Ex. 22:17 bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, #ch. 14:24 that he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” #ver. 17, 21Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. #[ver. 21]Before the time had expired, 27David arose and went, #ver. 13 along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. #2 Sam. 3:14And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28But when Saul saw and knew that #ver. 12 the Lord was with David, #ver. 20and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.
30 # ch. 19:8; [2 Sam. 11:1] Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out #ver. 5David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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1 Samuel 18
18
1 And it happened that, when he had completed speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan adhered to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him like his own soul.
2 And Saul took him that day, and would not permit him to return to his father's house.
3 Then David and Jonathan formed a pact. For he loved him like his own soul.
4 And Jonathan took off the coat that he was wearing, and he gave it to David, with the rest of his garments, even to his sword and bow, and even his belt.
5 Also, David went out to do everything whatsoever that Saul sent him to do, and he conducted himself prudently. And Saul set him over men of war. And he was acceptable in the eyes of the entire people, and most of all in the sight of the servants of Saul.
6 Now when David returned, after he had struck down the Philistine, the women went out, from all the cities of Israel, leading the singing and dancing, rejoicing with timbrels and bells, so as to meet king Saul.
7 And the women sang, as they played, saying, "Saul has struck down a thousand, and David ten thousand."
8 Then Saul became exceedingly angry, and this word was displeasing in his eyes. And he said: "They have given David ten thousand, and to me they gave only one thousand. What is left for him, except the kingdom itself?"
9 Therefore, Saul did not regard David with a good eye, from that day and thereafter.
10 Then, on the next day, the evil spirit from God assailed Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And David played with his hand, just as at every other time. And Saul held a lance in his hand.
11 And he threw it, thinking that he would be able to fix David to the wall. And David stepped aside twice, from before his face.
12 And Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, but he had withdrawn from Saul.
13 Therefore, Saul sent him away from himself, and he made him tribune over one thousand men. And he entered and departed in the sight of the people.
14 Also, David acted prudently in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
15 And so, Saul saw that he was exceedingly prudent, and he began to be wary of him.
16 But all of Israel and Judah loved David. For he entered and departed before them.
17 And Saul said to David: "Behold, my elder daughter, Merab. I will give her to you as wife. Only be a valiant man, and fight the wars of the Lord." Now Saul was considering within himself, saying, "Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines be upon him."
18 Then David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my life, and what is my father's kinship within Israel, that I should be the son-in-law of the king?"
19 Then it happened that, at the time when Merab, the daughter of Saul, was to be given to David, she was given to Adriel, the Meholathite, as wife.
20 Now Michal, the other daughter of Saul, loved David. And this was reported to Saul, and it pleased him.
21 And Saul said, "I will give her to him, so that she may be a stumbling block to him, and so that the hand of the Philistines may be upon him." And Saul said to David, "In two things, you shall be my son-in-law today."
22 And Saul commanded his servants to speak to David privately, saying: "Behold, you are pleasing to the king, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, be the son-in-law of the king."
23 And the servants of Saul spoke all these words to the ears of David. And David said: "Does it seem a small matter to you, to be the son-in-law of the king? I am but a poor and unimportant man."
24 And the servants reported to Saul, saying, "David has spoken words in this manner."
25 Then Saul said, "Speak in this way to David: The king does not have need of any dowry, but only one hundred foreskins from the Philistine men, so that he may be vindicated from the enemies of the king." So did Saul think to deliver David into the hands of the Philistines.
26 And when his servants had repeated to David the words that Saul had spoken, the word was pleasing in the eyes of David, so that he would become son-in-law of the king.
27 And after a few days, David, rising up, went with the men who were under him, and he struck down two hundred men of the Philistines. And he brought their foreskins, and he counted them out for the king, so that he might be his son-in-law. And so, Saul gave to him his daughter Michal as wife.
28 And Saul saw and understood that the Lord was with David. And Michal, the daughter of Saul, loved him.
29 And Saul began to fear David all the more. And Saul became the enemy of David, every day.
30 And the leaders of the Philistines departed. And from the beginning of their departure, David conducted himself more prudently than all the servants of Saul, and his name became exceedingly celebrated.
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