1 Samuel 18
18
The Friendship of David and Jonathan
1When#Literally “And it happened as” he finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan became attached to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2Saul took him on that very day and did not allow him to return to his father’s house. 3Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. 4Jonathan stripped off the robe that he was wearing#Literally “which was on him” and gave it to David, along with his fighting attire,#Hebrew “gown,” in this context “fighting tunic,” perhaps “armor” and even his sword, his bow, and his belt.
David’s Successes Arouse Saul’s Suspicions
5David went out whenever#Literally “in all that” Saul sent him, and he succeeded. So Saul appointed him over the men of the war, and it pleased#Literally “was good in the eyes of” all the people and even pleased#Literally “was good in the eyes of” the servants of Saul. 6When they were coming back#Literally “And it happened at their coming” after David had returned from striking down the Philistine, the women went out from all the cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments. 7And the women sang as they danced, and they said,
“Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his ten thousands!”
8Saul became very angry,#Literally “And it was very hot for Saul” and this saying displeased him,#Literally “this thing was bad in his eyes” and he thought, “They have attributed to David ten thousands, but to me they have attributed thousands! What more can he have but the kingdom?”#Literally “And still for him is only the kingdom” 9So Saul was watching#The Masoretic Hebrew text (Kethib) reads “sin”; the translation follows the reading tradition (Qere) which has “eyeing” or “watching” David with suspicion from that day onward.
10On#Literally “And it happened from” the next day, the evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. Now David was playing the lyre with his hand on that day as usual,#Literally “as day on day” and the spear was in Saul’s hand. 11Then Saul hurled the spear and thought, “I will pin David to the wall.”#Literally “I will strike David and to the wall” But David eluded him twice. 12Now Saul was threatened by the presence of David#Literally “And Saul was afraid from the presence of David” because Yahweh was with him, but had departed from Saul. 13So Saul removed him from his presence,#Literally “from with him” and made him commander of a thousand, so he#That is, David marched in and out at the front of the army.#Literally “for he was going out and was coming in before the army” 14And David was achieving success in all his ways and Yahweh was with him, 15but when Saul saw that he was very successful, he was severely threatened by him.#Literally “he was terrified from his face” 16However, all of Israel and Judah were loving David, for he was going forth and marching ahead of them.
David Marries Saul’s Daughter Michal
17Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife. Only be a brave warrior#Literally “a son of valor” for me and fight the battles of Yahweh.” For Saul thought, “My hand will not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, the clan of my father in Israel, that I should be a son-in-law to the king?” 19But#Literally “And it happened” at the time Saul’s daughter Merab was to be given to David, she was given instead to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
20Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, so they told Saul, and the matter pleased him.#Literally “was right in his eyes” 21And Saul thought, “I will give her to him, so that she may be a snare for him and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time you can become my son-in-law today.” 22Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in secret, saying, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. So then, become a son-in-law of the king.’ ” 23And Saul’s servants spoke these words to David privately.#Literally “in the ears of David” But David said, “Is it insignificant in your sight#Literally “in your eyes” to become the son-in-law of the king, as I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” 24So the servants of Saul informed him, saying, “This is what David said.”#Literally “According to these words David spoke” 25Then Saul said, “This is what you must say to David: ‘The king desires no bride price#Literally “There is not a desire for the king for a bride price” except for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to avenge himself on the enemies of the king.’ ” (Now Saul had planned to allow David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.) 26So his servants told David these words, and the matter pleased David#Literally “was right in the eyes of David” to become the son-in-law of the king as the specified time had not expired.#Literally “the days were not full”
27And David got up, and he and his men went and struck down two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they presented the full number#Literally “they filled them up” to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as his wife. 28When Saul realized#Literally “saw and knew” that Yahweh was with David and his own daughter Michal#Literally “Michal the daughter of Saul” loved him, 29Saul was threatened by David still more,#Literally “added to be afraid from the presence of David” so Saul became a perpetual enemy of David.#Literally “was an enemy with David all the days” 30Then the commanders of the Philistines went out for battle, and as often as they went out, David succeeded more than all the servants of Saul, and his name became very esteemed.
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1 Samuel 18: LEB
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1 Samuel 18
18
Saul Fears David
1#2Sa 1:26; Ge 44:30; Dt 13:6When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, so that Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2#1Sa 17:15And Saul took him that day and would not permit him to return home to his father’s house. 3#1Sa 20:8–17; 20:42Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. 4#Ge 41:42So Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, even his garments, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
5#1Sa 18:14–15; 18:30David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he was successful. So Saul set him over the men of war, and it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of the servants of Saul.
6#Ex 15:20; Jdg 11:34When they came home, as David was returning from slaying the Philistine, the women came out from all cities of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 7#1Sa 21:11; Ex 15:21; 1Sa 29:5The dancing women sang and said,
“Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”
8#1Sa 15:28Saul became very angry, and this saying was displeasing to him. Therefore he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what remains for him to have but the kingdom?” 9So Saul was suspicious of David from that day and forward.
10#1Sa 19:9; 16:23It came to pass the following day, that an evil spirit from God came upon Saul, so that he raved in the midst of the house. And David was playing the lyre, as at other times. Now there was a spear in Saul’s hand. 11#1Sa 20:33; Isa 54:17And Saul threw the spear. For he said, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David avoided him two times.
12#1Sa 18:15; 18:29Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 13#2Sa 5:2Therefore Saul removed him from his presence and placed him as his captain over a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. 14#Ge 39:2–3; 39:23David was successful in all his ways and the Lord was with him. 15When Saul saw that he was very successful, he was afraid of him. 16#1Sa 18:5Now all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
David Marries Michal
17#1Sa 17:25; 18:25Saul said to David, “Behold my elder daughter Merab, I will give her to you as your wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul said, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
18#1Sa 18:23; 2Sa 7:18But David said to Saul, “Who am I? And what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19#Jdg 7:22; 2Sa 21:8So when it was time that Merab, daughter of Saul, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
20#1Sa 18:28Now Michal, daughter of Saul, loved David and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21#1Sa 18:17; Ex 10:7Saul said, “I will give her to him that she may be a snare to him, and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “For a second time, you may be my son-in-law today.”
22Saul commanded his servants, saying, “Speak to David in secret saying, ‘Listen, the king delights in you and all his servants love you. Now therefore become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”
23So the servants of Saul spoke these words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?”
24And the servants of Saul reported to him saying, “According to these words, David spoke.” 25#Ge 34:12; 1Sa 14:24Saul said, “Thus will you say to David, ‘The king does not desire any dowry but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies.’ ” But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Now the days had not expired; 27#2Sa 3:14therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins and they gave them in full to the king, that he might be the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife.
28When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, his daughter, loved him, 29Saul was yet the more afraid of David, and Saul became the enemy of David continually.
30#1Sa 18:5; 2Sa 11:1Then the commanders of the Philistines went out to make war. And when they went out David was more successful than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly honored.
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