1 Samuel 18
18
David’s Love for Jonathan
1David finished talking to Saul. After that, Jonathan became David’s closest friend. He loved David as much as ⌞he loved⌟ himself. 2(From that day on Saul kept David ⌞as his servant⌟ and didn’t let him go back to his family.) 3So Jonathan made a pledge of mutual loyalty with David because he loved him as much as ⌞he loved⌟ himself. 4Jonathan took off the coat he had on and gave it to David along with his battle tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
5David was successful wherever Saul sent him. Saul put him in charge of the fighting men. This pleased all the people, including Saul’s officials.
David’s Success Makes Saul Jealous
6As they arrived, David was returning from a campaign against the Philistines. Women from all of Israel’s cities came to meet King Saul. They sang and danced, accompanied by tambourines, joyful music, and triangles. 7The women who were celebrating sang,
“Saul has defeated thousands
but David tens of thousands!”
8Saul became very angry because he considered this saying to be insulting. “To David they credit tens of thousands,” he said, “but to me they credit ⌞only⌟ a few thousand. The only thing left for David is my kingdom.” 9From that day on Saul kept an eye on David.
10The next day an evil spirit from God seized Saul. He began to prophesy in his house while David strummed a tune on the lyre as he did every day. Now, Saul had a spear in his hand. 11He raised the spear and thought, “I’ll nail David to the wall.” But David got away from him twice.
12Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left Saul. 13So he kept David away. He made David captain of a regiment. David led the troops out ⌞to battle⌟ and back again. 14He was successful in everything he undertook because the Lord was with him. 15Saul noticed how very successful he was and became ⌞even more⌟ afraid of him. 16Everyone in Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in and out ⌞of battle⌟.
17Finally, Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife if you prove yourself to be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” (Saul thought, “I must not lay a hand on him. Let the Philistines do that.”)
18“Who am I?” David asked Saul. “And how important are my relatives or my father’s family in Israel that I should be the king’s son-in-law?”
19But when the time came to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was married to Adriel from Meholah. 20However, Saul’s daughter Michal fell in love with David. When Saul was told about it, the news pleased him. 21Saul thought, “I’ll give her to David. She will trap him, and the Philistines will get him.” So he said to David a second time, “You will now be my son-in-law.”
22Saul ordered his officers, “Talk to David in private. Tell him, ‘The king likes you, and all his officers are fond of you. Become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”
23When Saul’s officers made it a point to say this, David asked, “Do you think it’s easy to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor and unimportant person.”
24When the officers told Saul what David had said, 25Saul replied, “Tell David, ‘The king doesn’t want any payment for the bride except 100 Philistine foreskins so that he can get revenge on his enemies.’ ” In this way Saul planned to have David fall into the hands of the Philistines. 26When his officers told David this, David concluded that it was acceptable to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the time was up, 27David and his men went out and struck down 200 Philistines. David brought the foreskins, and they counted them out for the king so that David could become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal as his wife. 28Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David. 29Then Saul was even more afraid of David, and so Saul became David’s constant enemy.
30The Philistine generals still went out ⌞to fight Israel⌟. But whenever they went out ⌞to fight⌟, David was more successful than the rest of Saul’s officers. So David gained a good reputation.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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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THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
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