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.
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.
2 And Saul taketh him on that day, and hath not permitted him to turn back to the house of his father.
Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
3 And Jonathan maketh — also David — a covenant, because he loveth him as his own soul,
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he 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.
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.
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.
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.
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;
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.
7 and the women answer — those playing, and say, 'Saul hath smitten among his thousands, And David among his myriads.'
The women sang one to another as they played, and said, "Saul has slain his thousands, 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;'
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?"
9 and Saul is eyeing David from that day and thenceforth.
Saul viewed David with suspicion 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,
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;
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 Saul threw the spear; for he said, "I will pin David even to the wall." David escaped from 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;
Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovah was with him, and had departed from Saul.
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 his captain over a thousand; 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,
David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Jehovah was with him.
15 and Saul seeth that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him,
When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
16 and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them.
But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in 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.'
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."
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?'
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?"
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.
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.
20 And Michal daughter of Saul loveth David, and they declare to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes,
Mikal, Saul's daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing 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 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."
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.'
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.'"
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?'
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?"
24 And the servants of Saul declare to him, saying, 'According to these words hath David spoken.'
The servants of Saul told him, saying, "David spoke like this."
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.
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.
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,
When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. The days were not expired;
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 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.
28 And Saul seeth and knoweth that Jehovah [is] with David, and Michal daughter of Saul hath loved him,
When Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David, and that all Israel 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.
then he was even more afraid of David. So Saul was 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.
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.
