< 1 Samuel 18 >

1 And it comes to pass, when he finishes to speak to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan has been bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loves him as his own soul.
וַיְהִ֗י כְּכַלֹּתֹו֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וְנֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ יְהֹ֣ונָתָ֔ן נִקְשְׁרָ֖ה בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ דָּוִ֑ד וַיֶּאֱהָבֹו (וַיֶּאֱהָבֵ֥הוּ) יְהֹונָתָ֖ן כְּנַפְשֹֽׁו׃
2 And Saul takes him on that day, and has not permitted him to return to the house of his father.
וַיִּקָּחֵ֥הוּ שָׁא֖וּל בַּיֹּ֣ום הַה֑וּא וְלֹ֣א נְתָנֹ֔ו לָשׁ֖וּב בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיו׃
3 And Jonathan makes—David also—a covenant, because he loves him as his own soul,
וַיִּכְרֹ֧ת יְהֹונָתָ֛ן וְדָוִ֖ד בְּרִ֑ית בְּאַהֲבָתֹ֥ו אֹתֹ֖ו כְּנַפְשֹֽׁו׃
4 and Jonathan strips himself of the upper robe which [is] on him, and gives it to David, and his long robe, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
וַיִּתְפַּשֵּׁ֣ט יְהֹונָתָ֗ן אֶֽת־הַמְּעִיל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֔יו וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖הוּ לְדָוִ֑ד וּמַדָּ֕יו וְעַד־חַרְבֹּ֥ו וְעַד־קַשְׁתֹּ֖ו וְעַד־חֲגֹרֹֽו׃
5 And David goes out wherever Saul sends him; he acted wisely, and Saul sets 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.
וַיֵּצֵ֨א דָוִ֜ד בְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁלָחֶ֤נּוּ שָׁאוּל֙ יַשְׂכִּ֔יל וַיְשִׂמֵ֣הוּ שָׁא֔וּל עַ֖ל אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וַיִּיטַב֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י כָל־הָעָ֔ם וְגַ֕ם בְּעֵינֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֥י שָׁאֽוּל׃ פ
6 And it comes to pass, in their coming in, in David’s returning from striking the Philistine, that the women come out from all the cities of Israel to sing—also the dancers—to meet Saul the king, with tambourines, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments;
וַיְהִ֣י בְּבֹואָ֗ם בְּשׁ֤וּב דָּוִד֙ מֵהַכֹּ֣ות אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔י וַתֵּצֶ֨אנָה הַנָּשִׁ֜ים מִכָּל־עָרֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לָשֹׁור (לָשִׁ֣יר) וְהַמְּחֹלֹ֔ות לִקְרַ֖את שָׁא֣וּל הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ בְּתֻפִּ֥ים בְּשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּבְשָׁלִשִֽׁים׃
7 and the women answer—those playing, and say, “Saul has struck among his thousands, And David among his myriads.”
וַֽתַּעֲנֶ֛ינָה הַנָּשִׁ֥ים הַֽמְשַׂחֲקֹ֖ות וַתֹּאמַ֑רְןָ הִכָּ֤ה שָׁאוּל֙ בַּאֱלְפֹו (בַּאֲלָפָ֔יו) וְדָוִ֖ד בְּרִבְבֹתָֽיו׃
8 And it is exceedingly displeasing to Saul, and this thing is evil in his eyes, and he says, “They have given myriads to David, and they have given the thousands to me, and what more [is there] for him but the kingdom?”
וַיִּ֨חַר לְשָׁא֜וּל מְאֹ֗ד וַיֵּ֤רַע בְּעֵינָיו֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָתְנ֤וּ לְדָוִד֙ רְבָבֹ֔ות וְלִ֥י נָתְנ֖וּ הָאֲלָפִ֑ים וְעֹ֥וד לֹ֖ו אַ֥ךְ הַמְּלוּכָֽה׃
9 And Saul is eyeing David from that day and from then on.
וַיְהִ֥י שָׁא֖וּל עָוֹן (עֹויֵ֣ן) אֶת־דָּוִ֑ד מֵהַיֹּ֥ום הַה֖וּא וָהָֽלְאָה׃ ס
10 And it comes to pass, on the next day, that the spirit of sadness [from] God prospers over Saul, and he prophesies in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as [he did] day by day, and the javelin [is] in the hand of Saul,
וַיְהִ֣י מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת וַתִּצְלַ֣ח רוּחַ֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים ׀ רָעָ֤ה ׀ אֶל־שָׁאוּל֙ וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֣א בְתֹוךְ־הַבַּ֔יִת וְדָוִ֛ד מְנַגֵּ֥ן בְּיָדֹ֖ו כְּיֹ֣ום ׀ בְּיֹ֑ום וְהַחֲנִ֖ית בְּיַד־שָׁאֽוּל׃
11 and Saul casts the javelin and says, “I strike through David, even through the wall”; and David turns around out of his presence twice.
וַיָּ֤טֶל שָׁאוּל֙ אֶֽת־הַחֲנִ֔ית וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אַכֶּ֥ה בְדָוִ֖ד וּבַקִּ֑יר וַיִּסֹּ֥ב דָּוִ֛ד מִפָּנָ֖יו פַּעֲמָֽיִם׃
12 And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for YHWH has been with him, and He has turned aside from Saul;
וַיִּרָ֥א שָׁא֖וּל מִלִּפְנֵ֣י דָוִ֑ד כִּֽי־הָיָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ עִמֹּ֔ו וּמֵעִ֥ם שָׁא֖וּל סָֽר׃
13 and Saul turns him aside from him, and appoints him to himself [for] head of one thousand, and he goes out and comes in, before the people.
וַיְסִרֵ֤הוּ שָׁאוּל֙ מֵֽעִמֹּ֔ו וַיְשִׂמֵ֥הוּ לֹ֖ו שַׂר־אָ֑לֶף וַיֵּצֵ֥א וַיָּבֹ֖א לִפְנֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃ פ
14 And David is acting wisely in all his ways, and YHWH [is] with him,
וַיְהִ֥י דָוִ֛ד לְכָל־דָּרְכָ֖ו מַשְׂכִּ֑יל וַֽיהוָ֖ה עִמֹּֽו׃
15 and Saul sees that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him,
וַיַּ֣רְא שָׁא֔וּל אֲשֶׁר־ה֖וּא מַשְׂכִּ֣יל מְאֹ֑ד וַיָּ֖גָר מִפָּנָֽיו׃
16 and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them.
וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וִיהוּדָ֔ה אֹהֵ֖ב אֶת־דָּוִ֑ד כִּֽי־ה֛וּא יֹוצֵ֥א וָבָ֖א לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ פ
17 And Saul says to David, “Behold, my elder daughter Merab—I give her to you for a wife; only, be for a son of valor to me, and fight the battles of YHWH”; and Saul said, “Do not let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.”
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד הִנֵּה֩ בִתִּ֨י הַגְּדֹולָ֤ה מֵרַב֙ אֹתָהּ֙ אֶתֶּן־לְךָ֣ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ךְ הֱיֵה־לִּ֣י לְבֶן־חַ֔יִל וְהִלָּחֵ֖ם מִלְחֲמֹ֣ות יְהוָ֑ה וְשָׁא֣וּל אָמַ֗ר אַל־תְּהִ֤י יָדִי֙ בֹּ֔ו וּתְהִי־בֹ֖ו יַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ ס
18 And David says to Saul, “Who [am] I? And what [is] my life—the family of my father in Israel—that I am son-in-law of the king?”
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶל־שָׁא֗וּל מִ֤י אָֽנֹכִי֙ וּמִ֣י חַיַּ֔י מִשְׁפַּ֥חַת אָבִ֖י בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־אֶהְיֶ֥ה חָתָ֖ן לַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
19 And it comes to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she has been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
וַיְהִ֗י בְּעֵ֥ת תֵּ֛ת אֶת־מֵרַ֥ב בַּת־שָׁא֖וּל לְדָוִ֑ד וְהִ֧יא נִתְּנָ֛ה לְעַדְרִיאֵ֥ל הַמְּחֹלָתִ֖י לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
20 And Michal daughter of Saul loves David, and they declare [it] to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes,
וַתֶּאֱהַ֛ב מִיכַ֥ל בַּת־שָׁא֖וּל אֶת־דָּוִ֑ד וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ לְשָׁא֔וּל וַיִּשַׁ֥ר הַדָּבָ֖ר בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
21 and Saul says, “I give her to him, and she is for a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines is on him”; and Saul says to David, “By the second—you become my son-in-law today.”
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל אֶתְּנֶ֤נָּה לֹּו֙ וּתְהִי־לֹ֣ו לְמֹוקֵ֔שׁ וּתְהִי־בֹ֖ו יַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שָׁאוּל֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד בִּשְׁתַּ֛יִם תִּתְחַתֵּ֥ן בִּ֖י הַיֹּֽום׃
22 And Saul commands his servants, “Speak to David gently, saying, Behold, the king has delighted in you, and all his servants have loved you, and now, be son-in-law of the king.”
וַיְצַ֨ו שָׁא֜וּל אֶת־עֲבָדָ֗ו דַּבְּר֨וּ אֶל־דָּוִ֤ד בַּלָּט֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּ֨ה חָפֵ֤ץ בְּךָ֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכָל־עֲבָדָ֖יו אֲהֵב֑וּךָ וְעַתָּ֖ה הִתְחַתֵּ֥ן בַּמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
23 And the servants of Saul speak these words in the ears of David, and David says, “Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law of the king—and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?”
וַֽיְדַבְּר֞וּ עַבְדֵ֤י שָׁאוּל֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י דָוִ֔ד אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֗ד הַֽנְקַלָּ֤ה בְעֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ הִתְחַתֵּ֣ן בַּמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאָנֹכִ֖י אִֽישׁ־רָ֥שׁ וְנִקְלֶֽה׃
24 And the servants of Saul declare [it] to him, saying, “David has spoken according to these words.”
וַיַּגִּ֜דוּ עַבְדֵ֥י שָׁא֛וּל לֹ֖ו לֵאמֹ֑ר כַּדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה דִּבֶּ֥ר דָּוִֽד׃ פ
25 And Saul says, “Thus you say to David, There is no delight for the king in dowry, but in one 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.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל כֹּֽה־תֹאמְר֣וּ לְדָוִ֗ד אֵֽין־חֵ֤פֶץ לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ בְּמֹ֔הַר כִּ֗י בְּמֵאָה֙ עָרְלֹ֣ות פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים לְהִנָּקֵ֖ם בְּאֹיְבֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְשָׁא֣וּל חָשַׁ֔ב לְהַפִּ֥יל אֶת־דָּוִ֖ד בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
26 And his servants declare these words to David, and the thing is right in the eyes of David, to be son-in-law of the king; and the days have not been full,
וַיַּגִּ֨דוּ עֲבָדָ֤יו לְדָוִד֙ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַיִּשַׁ֤ר הַדָּבָר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י דָוִ֔ד לְהִתְחַתֵּ֖ן בַּמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְלֹ֥א מָלְא֖וּ הַיָּמִֽים׃
27 and David rises and goes, he and his men, and strikes two hundred men among the Philistines, and David brings in their foreskins, and they set them before the king, to be son-in-law of the king; and Saul gives his daughter Michal to him for a wife.
וַיָּ֨קָם דָּוִ֜ד וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ ׀ ה֣וּא וַאֲנָשָׁ֗יו וַיַּ֣ךְ בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים֮ מָאתַ֣יִם אִישׁ֒ וַיָּבֵ֤א דָוִד֙ אֶת־עָרְלֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם וַיְמַלְא֣וּם לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לְהִתְחַתֵּ֖ן בַּמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיִּתֶּן־לֹ֥ו שָׁא֛וּל אֶת־מִיכַ֥ל בִּתֹּ֖ו לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ ס
28 And Saul sees and knows that YHWH [is] with David, and Michal daughter of Saul has loved him,
וַיַּ֤רְא שָׁאוּל֙ וַיֵּ֔דַע כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה עִם־דָּוִ֑ד וּמִיכַ֥ל בַּת־שָׁא֖וּל אֲהֵבַֽתְהוּ׃
29 and Saul adds to be afraid of the presence of David still; and Saul is an enemy of David [for] all the days.
וַיֹּ֣אסֶף שָׁא֗וּל לֵרֹ֛א מִפְּנֵ֥י דָוִ֖ד עֹ֑וד וַיְהִ֥י שָׁא֛וּל אֹיֵ֥ב אֶת־דָּוִ֖ד כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ ס
30 And the princes of the Philistines come out, and it comes to pass from the time of their coming out, David has acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious.
וַיֵּצְא֖וּ שָׂרֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיְהִ֣י ׀ מִדֵּ֣י צֵאתָ֗ם שָׂכַ֤ל דָּוִד֙ מִכֹּל֙ עַבְדֵ֣י שָׁא֔וּל וַיִּיקַ֥ר שְׁמֹ֖ו מְאֹֽד׃ ס

< 1 Samuel 18 >