1 Samuel 18
1 And it happened that, when he had completed speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan adhered to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him like his own soul.
[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 Saul took him that day, and would not permit him to 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 David and Jonathan formed a pact. For he loved him like his own soul.
[And Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. ]
4 And Jonathan took off the coat that he was wearing, and he gave it to David, with the rest of his garments, even to his sword and bow, and even 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 Also, David went out to do everything whatsoever that Saul sent him to do, and he conducted himself prudently. And Saul set him over men of war. And he was acceptable in the eyes of the entire people, and most of all in the sight of the servants of Saul.
[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 Now when David returned, after he had struck down the Philistine, the women went out, from all the cities of Israel, leading the singing and dancing, rejoicing with timbrels and bells, so as to meet king Saul.
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 the women sang, as they played, saying, “Saul has struck down a thousand, and David ten thousand.”
And the women began [the strain], and said, Saul has struck his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 Then Saul became exceedingly angry, and this word was displeasing in his eyes. And he said: “They have given David ten thousand, and to me they gave only one thousand. What is left for him, except the kingdom itself?”
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 Therefore, Saul did not regard David with a good eye, from that day and thereafter.
[And Saul eyed David from that day and onward. ]
10 Then, on the next day, the evil spirit from God assailed Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And David played with his hand, just as at every other time. And Saul held a lance in his hand.
[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 threw it, thinking that he would be able to fix David to the wall. And David stepped aside twice, from before his face.
[And Saul took his spear and said, I will strike David even to the wall. But David escaped twice from his presence. ]
12 And Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, but he had withdrawn from Saul.
And Saul was alarmed on account of David.
13 Therefore, Saul sent him away from himself, and he made him tribune over one thousand men. And he entered and departed in the sight of the people.
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 Also, David acted prudently in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
And David was prudent in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
15 And so, Saul saw that he was exceedingly prudent, and he began to be wary of him.
And Saul saw that he was very wise, and he was afraid of him.
16 But all of Israel and Judah loved David. For he entered and departed before them.
And all Israel and Juda loved David, because he came in and went out before the people.
17 And Saul said to David: “Behold, my elder daughter, Merab. I will give her to you as wife. Only be a valiant man, and fight the wars of the Lord.” Now Saul was considering within himself, saying, “Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines be upon 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 Then David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life, and what is my father’s kinship within Israel, that I should be 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 Then it happened that, at the time when Merab, the daughter of Saul, was to be given to David, she was given to Adriel, the Meholathite, as wife.
[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 Michal, the other daughter of Saul, loved David. And this was reported to Saul, and 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 And Saul said, “I will give her to him, so that she may be a stumbling block to him, and so that the hand of the Philistines may be upon him.” And Saul said to David, “In two things, you shall be my son-in-law today.”
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 And Saul commanded his servants to speak to David privately, saying: “Behold, you are pleasing to the king, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, be the son-in-law of the king.”
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 And the servants of Saul spoke all these words to the ears of David. And David said: “Does it seem a small matter to you, to be the son-in-law of the king? I am but a poor and unimportant man.”
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 reported to Saul, saying, “David has spoken words in this manner.”
And the servants of Saul reported to him according to these words, which David spoke.
25 Then Saul said, “Speak in this way to David: The king does not have need of any dowry, but only one hundred foreskins from the Philistine men, so that he may be vindicated from the enemies of the king.” So did Saul think to deliver David into 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 And when his servants had repeated to David the words that Saul had spoken, the word was pleasing in the eyes of David, so that he would become son-in-law of the king.
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 And after a few days, David, rising up, went with the men who were under him, and he struck down two hundred men of the Philistines. And he brought their foreskins, and he counted them out for the king, so that he might be his son-in-law. And so, Saul gave to him his daughter Michal as wife.
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 And Saul saw and understood that the Lord was with David. And Michal, the daughter of Saul, loved him.
And Saul saw that the Lord [was] with David, and [that] all Israel loved him.
29 And Saul began to fear David all the more. And Saul became the enemy of David, every day.
And he was yet more afraid of David.
30 And the leaders of the Philistines departed. And from the beginning of their departure, David conducted himself more prudently than all the servants of Saul, and his name became exceedingly celebrated.
[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. ]
