1 Samuel 18
1 And it cometh to pass, when he finisheth to speak unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan hath been bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loveth him as his own soul.
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2 And Saul taketh him on that day, and hath not permitted him to turn back to the house of his father.
And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father’s house.
3 And Jonathan maketh — also David — a covenant, because he loveth him as his own soul,
And David and Jonathan made a covenant, for be loved him as his own soul.
4 and Jonathan strippeth himself of the upper robe which [is] upon him, and giveth it to David, and his long robe, even unto his sword, and unto his bow, and unto his girdle.
And Jonathan stripped himself of the coat with which he was clothed, and gave it to David, and the rest of his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
5 And David goeth out whithersoever Saul doth send him; he acted wisely, and Saul setteth 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.
And David went out to whatsoever business Saul sent him, and he behaved himself prudently: and Saul set him over the soldiers, and he was acceptable in the eyes of all the people, and especially in the eyes of Saul’s servants.
6 And it cometh to pass, in their coming in, in David's returning from smiting the Philistine, that the women come out from all the cities of Israel to sing — also the dancers — to meet Saul the king, with tabrets, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments;
Now when David returned, after be slew the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels of joy, and cornets.
7 and the women answer — those playing, and say, 'Saul hath smitten among his thousands, And David among his myriads.'
And the women sung as they played, and they said: I Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 And it is displeasing to Saul exceedingly, and this thing is evil in his eyes, and he saith, 'They have given to David myriads, and to me they have given the thousands, and more to him [is] only the kingdom;'
And Saul was exceeding angry, and this word was displeasing in his eyes, and he said: They have given David ten thousands, and to me they have given but a thousand; what can he have more but the kingdom?
9 and Saul is eyeing David from that day and thenceforth.
And Saul did not look on David with a good eye from that day and forward.
10 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the spirit of sadness [from] God prospereth over Saul, and he prophesieth in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as day by day, and the javelin [is] in the hand of Saul,
And the day after the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And David played with his hand as at other times. And Saul held a spear in his hand,
11 and Saul casteth the javelin, and saith, 'I smite through David, even through the wall;' and David turneth round out of his presence twice.
And threw it, thinking to nail David to the wall: and David stept aside out of his presence twice.
12 And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for Jehovah hath been with him, and from Saul He hath turned aside;
And Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from himself.
13 and Saul turneth him aside from him, and appointeth him to himself head of a thousand, and he goeth out an cometh in, before the people.
Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him a captain over a thousand men, and he went out and came in before the people.
14 And David is in all his ways acting wisely, and Jehovah [is] with him,
And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
15 and Saul seeth that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him,
And Saul saw that he was exceeding prudent, and began to beware of him.
16 and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them.
But all Israel and Juda loved David, for he came in and went out before them.
17 And Saul saith unto David, 'Lo, my elder daughter Merab — her I give to thee for a wife; only, be to me for a son of valour, and fight the battles of Jehovah;' and Saul said, 'Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.'
And Saul said to David: Behold my elder daughter Merob, her will I give thee to wife: only be a valiant man, and fight the battles of the Lord. Now Saul said within himself: Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines be upon him.
18 And David saith unto Saul, 'Who [am] I? and what my life — the family of my father in Israel — that I am son-in-law to the king?'
And David said to Saul: Who am I, or what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law of the king?
19 And it cometh to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she hath been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
And it came to pass at the time when Merob the daughter of Saul should have been given to David, that she was given to Hadriel the Molathite to wife.
20 And Michal daughter of Saul loveth David, and they declare to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes,
But Michol the other daughter of Saul loved David. And it was told Saul, and it pleased him.
21 and Saul saith, 'I give her to him, and she is to him for a snare, and the hand of the Philistines is on him;' and Saul saith unto David, 'By the second — thou dost become my son-in-law to-day.'
And Saul said: I will give her to him, that she may be a stumblingblock to him, and that the band of the Philistines may be upon him. And Saul said to David: In two things thou shalt be my son in law this day.
22 And Saul commandeth his servants, 'Speak unto David gently, saying, Lo, the king hath delighted in thee, and all his servants have loved thee, and now, be son-in-law to the king.'
And Saul commanded his servants to speak to David privately, saying: Behold thou pleasest the king, and all his servants love thee. Now therefore be the king’s son in law.
23 And the servants of Saul speak in the ears of David these words, and David saith, 'Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king — and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?'
And the servants of Saul spoke all these words in the ears of David. And David said: Doth it seem to you a small matter to be the king’s son in law? But I am a poor man, and of small ability.
24 And the servants of Saul declare to him, saying, 'According to these words hath David spoken.'
And the servants of Saul told him, saying: Such words as these hath David spoken.
25 And Saul saith, 'Thus do ye say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a 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.
And Saul said: Speak thus to David: The king desireth not any dowry, but only a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. Now Saul thought to deliver David into the hands of the Philistines.
26 And his servants declare to David these words, and the thing is right in the eyes of David, to be son-in-law to the king; and the days have not been full,
And when his servants had told David the words that Saul had said, the word was pleasing in the eyes of David to be the king’s son in law.
27 and David riseth and goeth, he and his men, and smiteth among the Philistines two hundred men, and David bringeth in their foreskins, and they set them before the king, to be son-in-law to the king; and Saul giveth to him Michal his daughter for a wife.
And after a few days David rose up, and went with the men that were under him, and he slew of the Philistines two hundred men, and brought their foreskins and numbered them out to the king, that he might be his son in law. Saul therefore gave him Michol his daughter to wife.
28 And Saul seeth and knoweth that Jehovah [is] with David, and Michal daughter of Saul hath loved him,
And Saul saw, and understood that the Lord was with David. And Michol the daughter of Saul loved him.
29 and Saul addeth to be afraid of the presence of David yet; and Saul is an enemy with David all the days.
And Saul began to fear David more: and Saul became David’s enemy continually.
30 And the princes of the Philistines come out, and it cometh to pass from the time of their coming out, David hath acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious.
And the princes of the Philistines went forth: and from the beginning of their going forth, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, and his name became very famous.
