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.
When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan 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.
Saul took David into his service that day; he did not let him return to his father's house.
3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant of friendship because Jonathan 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.
Jonathan took off the robe that he was wearing and gave it to David with his armor, as well as his sword, bow, and belt.
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.
David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he succeeded. Saul set him over the men of war. This was pleasing in the eyes of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
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.
As they came home from defeating the Philistines, the women came from all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments.
7 And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
The women sang one to another as they played. They sang: “Saul has killed 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?”
Saul was very angry, and this song displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but they have ascribed only thousands to me. What more can he have but the monarchy?”
9 And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.
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,
The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul and he raved within the house. So David played his instrument, as he did each day. Saul had a spear in his hand.
11 and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
Saul threw the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from Saul's presence twice in this way.
12 So Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.
Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him, but was no longer with Saul.
13 Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,
So Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him a commander of a thousand. In this way David went out and came in before the people.
14 and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.
David was prospering in all his ways, for Yahweh was with him.
15 When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.
When Saul saw that he prospered, he stood in awe of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was leading them out to battle and back.
But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
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.”
Then Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you as a wife. Only be courageous for me and fight Yahweh's battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on 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?”
David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, or my father's clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?”
19 So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
But at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
But Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. They told Saul, and this pleased him.
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.”
Then Saul thought, “I will give her to him, so that she can be a trap for him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David a second time, “You will be my son-in-law.”
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.’”
Saul commanded his servants, “Speak with David in private, and say, 'See, the king takes pleasure in you, and all his servants love you. Now then, become 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.”
So Saul's servants spoke these words to David. Then David said, “Is it a small matter to you to be the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?”
24 And the servants told Saul what David had said.
The servants of Saul reported to him the 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.
Then Saul said, “Say this to David, 'The king does not desire any price for the bride except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged from the king's enemies.'” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand 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,
When his servants told David these words, it pleased David to be the king's son-in-law.
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.
Before those days had expired, David went with his men and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, so that he might be the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter as his wife.
28 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,
When Saul saw, and he knew that Yahweh was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him,
29 he grew even more afraid of David. So from then on Saul was David’s enemy.
Saul was even more afraid of David. Saul was continually David's enemy.
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.
Then the princes of the Philistines came out for battle, and as often as they came out, David succeeded more than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly regarded.
