Kings I 18
1 [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. ]
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 Saul took him in that day, and did not suffer him to 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 [And Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. ]
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant of friendship because Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
4 [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. ]
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 [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. ]
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 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.
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 the women began [the strain], and said, Saul has struck his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
The women sang one to another as they played. They sang: “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
8 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? ]
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 Saul eyed David from that day and onward. ]
Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.
10 [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. ]
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 Saul took his spear and said, I will strike David even to the wall. But David escaped twice from his presence. ]
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 And Saul was alarmed on account of David.
Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him, but was no longer with Saul.
13 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.
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 David was prudent in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
David was prospering in all his ways, for Yahweh was with him.
15 And Saul saw that he was very wise, and he was afraid of him.
When Saul saw that he prospered, he stood in awe of him.
16 And all Israel and Juda loved David, because he came in and went out before the people.
But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
17 [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. ]
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 the life of my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son—in-law? ]
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 [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. ]
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 And Melchol the daughter of Saul loved David; and it was told Saul, and the thing was pleasing in his eyes.
But Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. They told Saul, and this pleased him.
21 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.
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 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.
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 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 honourable?
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 of Saul reported to him according to these words, which David spoke.
The servants of Saul reported to him the words which David spoke.
25 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.
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 And the servants of Saul report these words to David, and David was well pleased to become the son-in-law to the king.
When his servants told David these words, it pleased David to be the king's son-in-law.
27 And David arose, and went, he and his men, and struck amongst 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.
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 And Saul saw that the Lord [was] with David, and [that] all Israel loved him.
When Saul saw, and he knew that Yahweh was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him,
29 And he was yet more afraid of David.
Saul was even more afraid of David. Saul was continually David's enemy.
30 [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 honoured exceedingly. ]
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.
