1 Samuel 18
1 After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
[And it came to pass when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David and David loved him ] [as his own soul. ]
2 And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house.
[And Saul took him in that day, and did not suffer him to return to his father's house. ]
3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
[And Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. ]
4 And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
[And Jonathan stripped himself of his ] [upper garment, and gave it to David, and his mantle and all he had upon him, even to his sword and to his bow, and to his girdle. ]
5 So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.
[And David went out withersoever Saul sent him, and ] [acted wisely, and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was pleasing in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul. ]
6 As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.
And there came out women in dances to meet David out of all the cities of Israel, with timbrels, and with rejoicing, and with cymbals.
7 And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
And the women began [the strain], and said, Saul has struck his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”
And it seemed evil in the eyes of Saul concerning this matter, and he said, To David they have given ten thousands, and to me they have given thousands. [And what more can he have but the kingdom? ]
9 And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
[And Saul eyed David from that day and onward. ]
10 The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear,
[And it came to pass on the morrow that an evil spirit from God fell upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And David was playing on the harp with his hand, according to his daily custom. And Saul’s spear was in his hand. ]
11 and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
[And Saul took his spear and said, I will strike David even to the wall. But David escaped twice from his presence. ]
12 So Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.
And Saul was alarmed on account of David.
13 Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,
And he removed him from him, and made him a captain of a thousand for himself; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.
And David was prudent in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
15 When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.
And Saul saw that he was very wise, and he was afraid of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was leading them out to battle and back.
And all Israel and Juda loved David, because he came in and went out before the people.
17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
[And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merob, I will give her to you to Wife, only be you to me a mighty man and fight the wars of the Lord. And Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but the hand of the Philistines shall be upon him. ]
18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?”
[And David said to Saul, Who am I, and What is the life of my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son—in-law? ]
19 So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
[But it came to pass at the time when Merob Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given to Israel the Mothulathite to wife. ]
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
And Melchol the daughter of Saul loved David; and it was told Saul, and the thing was pleasing in his eyes.
21 “I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be my son-in-law.”
And Saul said, I will give her to him, and she shall be a stumbling block to him. Now the hand of the Philistines was against Saul.
22 Then Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become his son-in-law.’”
And Saul charged his servants, saying, Speak you privately to David, saying, Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you, and do you becomes the king's son-in-law.
23 But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”
And the servants of Saul spoke these words in the ears of David; and David said, [Is it] a light thing in your eyes to become son-in-law to the king? Whereas I [am] an humble man, an not honorable?
24 And the servants told Saul what David had said.
And the servants of Saul reported to him according to these words, which David spoke.
25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.
And Saul said, Thus shall you speak to David, The king wants no gift but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to avenge himself on the kings enemies. Now Saul thought to cast him into the hands of the Philistines.
26 When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,
And the servants of Saul report these words to David, and David was well pleased to become the son-in-law to the king.
27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.
And David arose, and went, he and his men, and struck among the Philistines a hundred men: and he brought their foreskins, and he becomes the king's son-in-law, and [Saul] gives him Melchol his daughter to wife.
28 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,
And Saul saw that the Lord [was] with David, and [that] all Israel loved him.
29 he grew even more afraid of David. So from then on Saul was David’s enemy.
And he was yet more afraid of David.
30 Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers, so that his name was highly esteemed.
[And the chief of the Philistines went forth; and it came to pass that from the suficiency of their expedition David acted Wisely above all the servants of Saul; and his name was honored exceedingly. ]
