1 Samuel 18
1 It happened, when he had made an end of 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 Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
From that time on Jonathan had David work for him and would not let him go back home.
3 Then 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 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.
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 Then Saul set him over the men of war, and David went out, succeeding wherever Saul sent him. And it was good 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 It happened 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 tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.
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 The women sang one to another as they played, and said, "Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands."
As they danced the women sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
8 Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands. What can he have more 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 Saul viewed David with suspicion from that day and forward.
From that time on Saul viewed David with suspicion.
10 It happened on the next day, that a harmful spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his 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 threw the spear; for he said, "I will pin David even to the wall." David escaped from his presence 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 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 Therefore 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 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Jehovah was with him.
David was very successful in everything he did, because the Lord was with him.
15 When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, 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 Saul said to David, "Look, my elder daughter Merob, I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight Jehovah's battles." For Saul said, "Do not let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on 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 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 But it happened at the time when Merob, 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 Mikal, Saul's daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
Meanwhile Saul's daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and when Saul was told, he was happy about it.
21 And Saul thought, "I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David, "You shall 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 Then Saul commanded his servants, "Talk with David secretly, and say, 'Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. So 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 Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, "Does it seems to you a little thing to be the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man, and insignificant?"
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 The servants of Saul told him, saying, "David spoke like this."
When Saul's servants explained to him what David had said,
25 Saul said, "You shall tell David, 'The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies.'" Now 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 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. 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 and David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines one hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Mikal 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 When Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David, and that all Israel loved him,
Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal was in love with David,
29 then he was even more afraid of David. So 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 Then the leaders of the Philistines went forth: and it happened, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was highly esteemed.
Whenever the Philistine commanders attacked, David was more successful in battle than all of Saul's officers, so that his reputation grew rapidly.
