1 Samuel 18
1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that, the soul of Jonathan, was knit with, the soul of David, so that 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 suffered him not to return unto the house of his father.
From that time on Jonathan had David work for him and would not let him go back home.
3 And Jonathan and David solemnised 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 which was upon him, and gave it to David, —and his equipments, 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 behaved himself prudently, so Saul set him over the men of war, —and he became a favourite in the eyes of all the people, yea even in the eyes of the servants of Saul.
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 But so it was, when they came in on the return of David from the smiting of the Philistine, that the women went forth out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet Saul the king, —with timbrels, with rejoicing, and with instruments of three strings.
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 that made merry responded to each other in song, and said, —Saul, hath smitten, his thousands, but, David, his, tens of thousands.
As they danced the women sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
8 Then was Saul exceeding angry, and this saying was offensive in his eyes, and he said, —They have ascribed, to David, ten thousands, but, to me, have they ascribed thousands, —What, more, then, can he have 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 was eyeing David from that day forward.
From that time on Saul viewed David with suspicion.
10 And, when it came to pass, on the morrow, that a superhuman spirit of sadness came suddenly upon Saul, and he was moved to raving in the midst of the house, —and, David, began playing with his hand, as he had done day by day, that a spear being 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 Saul hurled the spear, and said to himself—I will smite David, even to the wall! But David moved round from before 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 feared because of David, —for Yahweh was with him, whereas, from Saul, he had departed.
Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David, but he had given up on Saul.
13 So Saul removed him from him, and appointed him to be for him the captain of 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 it came to pass that David, in all his ways, acted prudently, —and, Yahweh, was with him.
David was very successful in everything he did, because the Lord was with him.
15 And, when Saul saw that, he, was acting very prudently, he was afraid of him.
When Saul saw how successful David was, he was even more afraid of him.
16 But, all Israel and Judah, were in love with David, —for he was going out and coming in before them.
But everyone in Israel and Judah loved David, because of his leadership in the army.
17 So then Saul said unto David—Lo! my elder daughter Merab, her, will I give thee to wife, only, approve thyself unto me as a son of valour and fight the battles of Yahweh. Saul, however, had said to himself—Let not, my own hand, be upon him, but let, the hand of the Philistines, 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 unto Saul—Who am, I, or who are my kinsfolk, the family of my father, in Israel, —that I should become 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 came to pass, within the time for giving Merab daughter of Saul to David, that, she, was given to Adriel the Meholathite, to 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 Then did Michal, Saul’s daughter, love David, —and it was told Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes.
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 to himself—I will give her unto him, that she may prove to him a snare, and that, the hand of the Philistines, may be upon him. So then Saul said unto David, A second time, mayest thou become my son-in-law to-day.
“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 ye unto David quietly saying, Lo! the king delighteth in thee, and, all his servants, love thee, —now, therefore, become thou son-in-law to the king.
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 the servants of Saul spake, in the ears of David, these words. And David said—Seemeth it a light thing, in your eyes, to become son-in-law to the king, 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 So the servants of Saul told him, saying, —According to these words, spake David,
When Saul's servants explained to him what David had said,
25 Then said Saul—Thus, shall ye say unto David—The king hath no delight in purchase-price, but rather in a hundred foreskins of Philistines, by avenging himself on the enemies of the king. But, Saul, thought to let 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 So, when his servants told David these words, the thing was right in the eyes of David, to become son-in-law unto the king, —and the days had 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 Wherefore David arose, and went—he and his men, and smote among the Philistines two hundred men, and David brought in their foreskins, and gave them in full tale unto the king, that he might become son-in-law unto the king, and Saul gave him Michal his daughter, to 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, Yahweh, 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 So then Saul went on to fear because of David, yet more, —and it came to pass that Saul was hostile to David, all the days.
and so he became even more afraid of David, and was David's enemy for the rest of his life.
30 And, when the princes of the Philistines came forth, so it was, that, as often as they came forth, David was more circumspect than any of the servants of Saul, so that his name was, precious exceedingly.
Whenever the Philistine commanders attacked, David was more successful in battle than all of Saul's officers, so that his reputation grew rapidly.
