1 Samuel 18
1 And it came to pass, when he had ended speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
After David finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan became great friends with David. He loved David as he loved himself.
2 And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father's house.
From that time on Jonathan had David work for him and would not let him go back home.
3 And Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
Jonathan made a solemn agreement with David because he loved him as he loved himself.
4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his dress, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, together with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
5 And David went forth; whithersoever Saul sent him he prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
David was successful in doing everything Saul asked him to do, so Saul made him an officer in the army. This pleased everyone, including Saul's other officers.
6 And it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambours, with joy, and with triangles.
When the soldiers returned home after David had killed the Philistine, the women of all the towns of Israel came out singing and dancing to meet King Saul, happily celebrating with tambourines and musical instruments.
7 And the women answered [one another] as they played, and said, Saul hath smitten his thousands, And David his ten thousands.
As they danced the women sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
8 And Saul was very wroth, and that saying was evil in his sight; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed the thousands; and [what] is there more for him but the kingdom?
What they were singing made Saul very angry as he didn't think it was right. He said to himself, “They've given David credit for killing tens of thousands, but only thousands to me. All that's left is to give him the kingdom!”
9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
From that time on Saul viewed David with suspicion.
10 And it came to pass the next day that an evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house, but David played with his hand, as on other days; and the spear was in Saul's hand.
The following day an evil spirit from God came on Saul with power, and he was ranting inside the house while David played the harp as he regularly did. Saul happened to be holding a spear,
11 And Saul cast the spear, and thought, I will smite David and the wall. But David turned away from him twice.
and he threw it at David, saying to himself, “I'll pin David to the wall.” But David managed to escape him twice.
12 And Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovah was with him, and had departed from Saul.
Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David, but he had given up on Saul.
13 And Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
So Saul sent David away and made him a commander of a thousand soldiers, leading them out and back as part of the army.
14 And David prospered in all his ways; and Jehovah was with him.
David was very successful in everything he did, because the Lord was with him.
15 And Saul saw that he prospered well, and he stood in awe of him.
When Saul saw how successful David was, he was even more afraid of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
But everyone in Israel and Judah loved David, because of his leadership in the army.
17 And Saul said to David, Behold my eldest daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife; only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah's battles. But Saul thought, My hand shall not be upon him, but the hand of the Philistines shall be upon him.
One day Saul told David, “Here's my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage, but only if you prove to me you're a brave warrior and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul was thinking, “I don't need to be the one to kill him—let the Philistines do it!”
18 And David said to Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?
“But who am I, and what status does my family have in Israel, for me to become the son-in-law of the king?” David replied.
19 And it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
However, when the time came to give Merab, Saul's daughter, to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah instead.
20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing was right in his sight.
Meanwhile Saul's daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and when Saul was told, he was happy about it.
21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be upon him. And Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law a second time.
“I'll give her to David,” Saul thought. “She can be the bait so the Philistines can trap him.” So Saul said to David, “This is the second time you can become my son-in-law.”
22 And Saul commanded his servants, Speak with David secretly, saying, Behold, the king has delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son-in-law.
Saul gave these instructions to his servants, “Talk with David in private and tell him, ‘Look, the king is very happy with you, and all of us love you. Why not become the king's son-in-law?’”
23 And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Is it a light thing in your eyes to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
Saul's servants spoke privately to David, but he replied, “Do you think it's nothing to become the king's son-in-law? I'm a poor man, and I'm not important.”
24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner did David speak.
When Saul's servants explained to him what David had said,
25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David: The king does not desire any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
Saul told them, “Tell David, ‘The only dowry the king wants for the bride is one hundred foreskins of dead Philistine as a way of taking revenge on his enemies.’” Saul's plan was to have David be killed by the Philistines.
26 And his servants told David these words; and the thing was right in David's sight to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not expired,
When the servants reported what the king had said back to David, he was happy to become the king's son-in-law. While there was still time,
27 when David arose and went, he and his men, and smote of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they delivered them in full to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife.
David set off with his men and killed two hundred Philistines, and brought back their foreskins. They counted them all out before the king so that David could become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
28 And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David; and Michal Saul's daughter loved him.
Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal was in love with David,
29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy continually.
and so he became even more afraid of David, and was David's enemy for the rest of his life.
30 And the princes of the Philistines went forth; and it came to pass, whenever they went forth, that David succeeded better than all the servants of Saul; and his name was much esteemed.
Whenever the Philistine commanders attacked, David was more successful in battle than all of Saul's officers, so that his reputation grew rapidly.
