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 had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
2 Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house.
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as 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.
And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along 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.
So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.
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.
As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.
7 The women sang one to another as they played, and said, "Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands."
And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain 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?"
And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”
9 Saul viewed David with suspicion from that day and forward.
And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
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 next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was 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 hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and had departed from Saul.
So Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from 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.
Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,
14 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
and he continued to prosper in all his ways, 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 that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was leading them out to battle and back.
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 the LORD's battles." For Saul said, "Do not let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him."
Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
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?"
And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?”
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.
So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
20 Mikal, Saul's daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
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 will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be 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.'"
Then Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become his 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?"
But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”
24 The servants of Saul told him, saying, "David spoke like this."
And the servants told Saul 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 replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of 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 these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,
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 and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.
28 When Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that all Israel loved him,
When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,
29 then he was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.
he grew even more afraid of David. So from then on Saul was David’s enemy.
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.
Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers, so that his name was highly esteemed.
