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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Shmuel Alef 18
18
1And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Sha'ul, that the nefesh Yonatan was kashur (tied together) with the nefesh Dovid, and Yonatan loved him as his own nefesh.
2And Sha'ul drafted him that day, and would let him return no more to the bais aviv.
3Then Yonatan and Dovid made a brit (covenant), because he loved him as his own nefesh.
4And Yonatan stripped himself of the me'il (robe) that was upon him, and gave it to Dovid, and his middah (war garments), even to his cherev, and to his keshet, and to his khagor (belt).
5And Dovid went out whithersoever Sha'ul sent him, and prospered; and Sha'ul set him over the anshei hamilchamah, and he was accepted in the sight of kol HaAm, and also in the sight of the avdei Sha'ul.
6And it came to pass as they came, when Dovid was returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, that the nashim came out of all towns of Yisroel, singing and dancing, to meet Sha'ul HaMelech, with tambourines, with simchah, and with cymbals.
7And the nashim answered one another as they played, and said, Sha'ul hath slain his alafim, and Dovid his revavot (myriads).
8And Sha'ul was very angry, and the saying was displeasing in his eyes and he said, They have ascribed unto Dovid revavot, and to me they have ascribed but alafim; and what can he have more but the maluchah (kingship)?
9And there was jealous suspicion in the way Sha'ul eyed Dovid from that day forward.
10And it came to pass on the next day, that the ruach Elohim ra'ah came upon Sha'ul, and he prophesied inside the bais; and Dovid made#18:10 kinnor music with his yad, as at other times; and there was a khanit in the yad Sha'ul.
11And Sha'ul hurled the khanit; for he said, I will pin Dovid even to the wall with it. And Dovid escaped his presence twice.
12And Sha'ul was afraid of Dovid, because Hashem was with him, and was departed from Sha'ul.
13Therefore Sha'ul removed him from him, and made him his sar elef; and he went out and came in before HaAm.
14And Dovid was maskil (successful) in kol drakhim of him; and Hashem was with him.
15Wherefore when Sha'ul saw that he was maskil me'od, he was afraid of him.
16But kol Yisroel and Yehudah loved Dovid, because he went out and came in before them.
17And Sha'ul said to Dovid, Hinei bitti hagedolah Merav, her will I give thee as isha; only be thou ben chayil (valiant) for me, and fight Hashemʼs milchamot. For Sha'ul said, Let not mine yad be upon him, but let the yad Pelishtim be upon him.
18And Dovid said unto Sha'ul, Who am I? And what is my life, or the mishpakhat avi in Yisroel, that I should be Choson to HaMelech?
19But it came to pass at the time when Merav Bat Sha'ul should have been given to Dovid, that she was given as isha unto Adriel the Mecholati.
20And Michal Bat Sha'ul loved Dovid; and they told Sha'ul, and the thing was yashar in#18:20 Sha'ulʼs eyes.
21And Sha'ul said, I will give him her, that she may be a mokesh to him, and that the yad Pelishtim may be against him. Wherefore Sha'ul said to Dovid, Thou shalt this day become Choson to me by one of my two.
22And Sha'ul commanded his avadim, saying, Commune with Dovid privately, and say, Hinei, HaMelech hath chafetz (delight) in thee, and all his avadim love thee; now therefore be Choson to HaMelech.
23And the avadim of Sha'ul spoke those devarim in the ears of Dovid. And Dovid said, Seemeth it a light thing in your eyes to become Choson to HaMelech, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
24And the avadim of Sha'ul told him, saying, According to these words spoke Dovid.
25And Sha'ul said, Thus shall ye say to Dovid, HaMelech has chafetz (desire) for not any mohar (dowry, bride price) but a hundred arelot (foreskins) of the Pelishtim, to be avenged of the oyevei HaMelech. But Sha'ul schemed to make Dovid fall by the yad Pelishtim.
26And when his avadim told Dovid these devarim, it pleased Dovid well to be Choson of HaMelech; and the yamim#18:26 leading up to the due-date of the arelot were not expired.
27Wherefore Dovid arose and went, he and his anashim, and slaughtered of the Pelishtim (Philistines) two hundred ish; and Dovid brought their arelot, and they gave them in full count to HaMelech, that he might be the Choson of HaMelech. And Sha'ul gave him Michal bitto as isha.
28And Sha'ul saw and knew that Hashem was with Dovid, and that Michal Bat Sha'ul loved him.
29And Sha'ul was yet the more afraid of Dovid; and Sha'ul became oyev to Dovid kol hayamim.
30Then the sarim of the Pelishtim went forth [to fight]; and it came to pass, after they went forth, that Dovid prospered#18:30 in military success more than all the avadim (officers) of Sha'ul; so that shmo became esteemed as of good reputation. And Sha'ul spoke to Yonatan#18:30 Yehonaton bno, and to all his avadim, that they should kill Dovid.
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