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 cometh to pass, when he finisheth to speak unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan hath been bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loveth 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 taketh him on that day, and hath not permitted him to turn back to the house of his father.
3 Then David and Jonathan formed a pact. For he loved him like his own soul.
And Jonathan maketh — also David — a covenant, because he loveth 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 strippeth himself of the upper robe which [is] upon him, and giveth it to David, and his long robe, even unto his sword, and unto his bow, and unto 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 goeth out whithersoever Saul doth send him; he acted wisely, and Saul setteth him over the men of war, and it is good 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 it cometh to pass, in their coming in, in David's returning from smiting the Philistine, that the women come out from all the cities of Israel to sing — also the dancers — to meet Saul the king, with tabrets, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments;
7 And the women sang, as they played, saying, “Saul has struck down a thousand, and David ten thousand.”
and the women answer — those playing, and say, 'Saul hath smitten among his thousands, And David among his myriads.'
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 is displeasing to Saul exceedingly, and this thing is evil in his eyes, and he saith, 'They have given to David myriads, and to me they have given the thousands, and more to him [is] only the kingdom;'
9 Therefore, Saul did not regard David with a good eye, from that day and thereafter.
and Saul is eyeing David from that day and thenceforth.
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 cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the spirit of sadness [from] God prospereth over Saul, and he prophesieth in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as day by day, and the javelin [is] in the hand of Saul,
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 casteth the javelin, and saith, 'I smite through David, even through the wall;' and David turneth round out of his presence twice.
12 And Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, but he had withdrawn from Saul.
And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for Jehovah hath been with him, and from Saul He hath turned aside;
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 Saul turneth him aside from him, and appointeth him to himself head of a thousand, and he goeth out an cometh in, before the people.
14 Also, David acted prudently in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
And David is in all his ways acting wisely, and Jehovah [is] with him,
15 And so, Saul saw that he was exceedingly prudent, and he began to be wary of him.
and Saul seeth that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him,
16 But all of Israel and Judah loved David. For he entered and departed before them.
and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them.
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 saith unto David, 'Lo, my elder daughter Merab — her I give to thee for a wife; only, be to me for a son of valour, and fight the battles of Jehovah;' and Saul said, 'Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines 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 saith unto Saul, 'Who [am] I? and what my life — the family of my father in Israel — that I am son-in-law to the king?'
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.
And it cometh to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she hath been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
20 Now Michal, the other daughter of Saul, loved David. And this was reported to Saul, and it pleased him.
And Michal daughter of Saul loveth David, and they declare to Saul, and the thing is right 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 saith, 'I give her to him, and she is to him for a snare, and the hand of the Philistines is on him;' and Saul saith unto David, 'By the second — thou dost become my son-in-law to-day.'
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 commandeth his servants, 'Speak unto David gently, saying, Lo, the king hath delighted in thee, and all his servants have loved thee, and now, be son-in-law to the king.'
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 speak in the ears of David these words, and David saith, 'Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king — and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?'
24 And the servants reported to Saul, saying, “David has spoken words in this manner.”
And the servants of Saul declare to him, saying, 'According to these words hath David spoken.'
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 saith, 'Thus do ye say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a hundred foreskins of the Philistines — to be avenged on the enemies of the king;' and Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand 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 his servants declare to David these words, and the thing is right in the eyes of David, to be son-in-law to the king; and the days have not been full,
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 riseth and goeth, he and his men, and smiteth among the Philistines two hundred men, and David bringeth in their foreskins, and they set them before the king, to be son-in-law to the king; and Saul giveth to him Michal his daughter for a wife.
28 And Saul saw and understood that the Lord was with David. And Michal, the daughter of Saul, loved him.
And Saul seeth and knoweth that Jehovah [is] with David, and Michal daughter of Saul hath loved him,
29 And Saul began to fear David all the more. And Saul became the enemy of David, every day.
and Saul addeth to be afraid of the presence of David yet; and Saul is an enemy with David all the days.
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 princes of the Philistines come out, and it cometh to pass from the time of their coming out, David hath acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious.
