1 Samuel 18
1 After David finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan became great friends with David. He loved David as he loved himself.
Now after David's talk with Saul was ended, the soul of Jonathan was joined with the soul of David, and David became as dear to him as his very life.
2 From that time on Jonathan had David work for him and would not let him go back home.
And that day Saul took David and would not let him go back to his father's house.
3 Jonathan made a solemn agreement with David because he loved him as he loved himself.
Then Jonathan and David made an agreement together, because of Jonathan's love for David.
4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, together with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
And Jonathan took off the robe he had on and gave it to David, with all his military dress, even to his sword and his bow and the band round his body.
5 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.
And David went wherever Saul sent him, and did wisely: and Saul put him at the head of his men of war, and this was pleasing to all the people as well as to Saul's servants.
6 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.
Now on their way, when David came back after the destruction of the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, with songs and dances, meeting David with melody and joy and instruments of music.
7 As they danced the women sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
And the women, answering one another in their song, said, Saul has put to death his thousands and David his tens of thousands.
8 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!”
And Saul was very angry and this saying was unpleasing to him; and he said, They have given David credit for tens of thousands, and to me for only thousands: what more is there for him but the kingdom?
9 From that time on Saul viewed David with suspicion.
And from that day Saul was looking with envy on David.
10 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,
Now on the day after, an evil spirit from God came on Saul with great force and he was acting like a prophet among the men of his house, while David was making music for him, as he did day by day: and Saul had his spear in his hand.
11 and he threw it at David, saying to himself, “I'll pin David to the wall.” But David managed to escape him twice.
And Saul, balancing the spear in his hand, said, I will give David a blow, pinning him to the wall. And David got away from him twice.
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David, but he had given up on Saul.
And Saul went in fear of David, because the Lord was with David and had gone away from Saul.
13 So Saul sent David away and made him a commander of a thousand soldiers, leading them out and back as part of the army.
So Saul sent him away, and made him a captain over a thousand; and he went about his business before the people.
14 David was very successful in everything he did, because the Lord was with him.
And in all his undertakings David did wisely; and the Lord was with him.
15 When Saul saw how successful David was, he was even more afraid of him.
And when Saul saw how wisely he did, he was in fear of him.
16 But everyone in Israel and Judah loved David, because of his leadership in the army.
But David was loved by all Israel and Judah, for he went out and came in before them.
17 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!”
And Saul said to David, Here is my oldest daughter Merab, whom I will give you for your wife: only be strong for me, fighting in the Lord's wars. For Saul said, Let it not be through me that his fate comes to him, but through the Philistines.
18 “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.
And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my father's family in Israel, that I am to be son-in-law to the king?
19 However, when the time came to give Merab, Saul's daughter, to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah instead.
But when the time came to give Merab, Saul's daughter, to David, she was given to Adriel of Meholath.
20 Meanwhile Saul's daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and when Saul was told, he was happy about it.
And Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David: and Saul had word of it and was pleased.
21 “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.”
And Saul said, I will give her to him, so that she may be a cause of danger to him, and so that the hands of the Philistines may be against him. So Saul said to David, Today you are to become my son-in-law for the second time.
22 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?’”
And Saul gave his servants orders saying, Have talk with David secretly and say to him, See how the king has delight in you, and how you are loved by all his servants: then be the king's son-in-law.
23 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.”
And Saul's servants said these things to David. And David said, Does it seem to you a small thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, of no great name?
24 When Saul's servants explained to him what David had said,
And the servants of Saul gave him an account of what David had said.
25 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.
And Saul said, Then say to David, The king has no desire for any bride-price, but only for the private parts of a hundred Philistines so that the king may get the better of his haters. But it was in Saul's mind that David might come to his end by the hands of the Philistines.
26 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,
And when his servants said these words to David, he was well pleased to be the son-in-law of the king. And the days were still not past.
27 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.
So David and his men got up and went, and put to death two hundred of the Philistines; and David took their private parts and gave the full number of them to the king, so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for his wife.
28 Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal was in love with David,
And it was clear to Saul that the Lord was with David; and he was loved by all Israel.
29 and so he became even more afraid of David, and was David's enemy for the rest of his life.
And Saul's fear of David became all the greater, and he went on hating him, day by day.
30 Whenever the Philistine commanders attacked, David was more successful in battle than all of Saul's officers, so that his reputation grew rapidly.
Then the rulers of the Philistines went out to war: and whenever they went out, David did more wisely than all the other servants of Saul, so that his name became greatly honoured.
