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1 Samuel 18
Complete Jewish Bible
1 Samuel 18
Complete Jewish Bible
18 By the time David had finished speaking to Sha’ul, Y’honatan found himself inwardly drawn by David’s character, so that Y’honatan loved him as he did himself. 2 That day, Sha’ul took David into his service and would not let him go home to his father’s house any more. 3 Y’honatan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as he did himself. 4 Y’honatan removed the cloak he was wearing and gave it to David, his armor too, including his sword, bow and belt. 5 David would go out, and no matter where Sha’ul sent him, he was successful. Sha’ul put him in charge of the fighting men; all the people thought it good, and so did Sha’ul’s servants.
6 As David and the others were returning from the slaughter of the P’lishti, the women came out of all the cities of Isra’el to meet King Sha’ul, singing and dancing joyfully with tambourines and three-stringed instruments. 7 In their merrymaking the women sang,
“Sha’ul has killed his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands.”
8 Sha’ul became very angry, because this song displeased him. He said, “They give David credit for tens of thousands, but me they give credit for only thousands. Now all he lacks is the kingdom!” 9 From that day on, Sha’ul viewed David with suspicion.
10 The following day an evil spirit from God came powerfully over Sha’ul, so that he fell into a frenzy in the house. David was there, playing his lyre as on other occasions. This time Sha’ul had his spear in his hand; 11 and he threw the spear, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David dodged out of the way twice. 12 Sha’ul became afraid of David, because Adonai was with him and had left Sha’ul. 13 Therefore Sha’ul put him at a distance from himself by making him commander over a thousand; his goings and comings became public knowledge. 14 David had great success in all his ways; Adonai was with him. 15 When Sha’ul saw how very successful he was, he became afraid of him. 16 But all Isra’el and Y’hudah loved David, because they knew about all his campaigns.
17 Sha’ul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merav. I will give her to you as your wife; only continue displaying your courage for me, and fight Adonai’s battles.” Sha’ul was thinking, “I don’t dare touch him, so let the P’lishtim do away with him.” 18 David’s response to Sha’ul was, “Who am I, that I should become the king’s son-in-law? I don’t have any kind of a life, and my father’s family has no rank in Isra’el.” 19 However, when it was time for Merav Sha’ul’s daughter to be given to David, she was given to Adri’el the Mecholati as his wife. 20 But Mikhal Sha’ul’s daughter fell in love with David. They told Sha’ul, and it pleased him. 21 Sha’ul said, “I’ll give her to him, so that she can entrap him, and the P’lishtim can do away with him.” So Sha’ul said to David, “Today you will become my son-in-law through the second [daughter].” 22 Sha’ul ordered his servants to speak privately with David and say, “Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you; so become the king’s son-in-law.” 23 Sha’ul’s servants said this to David; but David replied, “Do you think being the king’s son-in-law is something to be treated so casually, given that I’m a poor man without social standing?” 24 Sha’ul’s servants reported back to him how David had responded. 25 Sha’ul said, “Here’s what you are to say to David: ‘The king doesn’t want any dowry; he wants a hundred foreskins of the P’lishtim, so that he can have vengeance on the king’s enemies.” For Sha’ul was hoping to have David killed by the P’lishtim. 26 When his servants said these words to David, it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. Even before the time [for him to be married], 27 David got up and set out, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the P’lishtim. He brought their foreskins and gave all of them to the king in order to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Sha’ul gave him Mikhal his daughter as his wife.
28 Sha’ul saw and understood that Adonai was with David and that Mikhal Sha’ul’s daughter loved him. 29 This only made Sha’ul the more afraid of David, so that Sha’ul became David’s enemy for the rest of his life.
30 The leaders of the P’lishtim would attack; but whenever they attacked, David was more successful than any of Sha’ul’s servants; so that David acquired a great reputation.
1 Samuel 18
New King James Version
1 Samuel 18
New King James Version
Saul Resents David
18 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, (A)the [a]soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, (B)and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, (C)and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a (D)covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and [b]behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. 6 Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the [c]Philistine, that (E)the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 7 So the women (F)sang as they danced, and said:
(G)“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.”
8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying (H)displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but (I)the kingdom?” 9 So Saul [d]eyed David from that day forward.
10 And it happened on the next day that (J)the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, (K)and he prophesied inside the house. So David (L)played music with his hand, as at other times; (M)but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. 11 And Saul (N)cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.
12 Now Saul was (O)afraid of David, because (P)the Lord was with him, but had (Q)departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from [e]his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and (R)he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and (S)the Lord was with him. 15 Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16 But (T)all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
David Marries Michal
17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; (U)I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight (V)the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, (W)“Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
18 So David said to Saul, (X)“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 But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to (Y)Adriel the (Z)Meholathite as a wife.
20 (AA)Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may [f]be a snare to him, and that (AB)the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, (AC)“You shall be my son-in-law today.”
22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Communicate with David secretly, and say, ‘Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”
23 So Saul’s servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, [g]“In this manner David spoke.”
25 Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any (AD)dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take (AE)vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ ” But Saul (AF)thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king’s son-in-law. Now (AG)the days had not expired; 27 therefore David arose and went, he and (AH)his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And (AI)David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.
28 Thus Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him; 29 and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy [h]continually. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines (AJ)went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David (AK)behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 18:1 life of Jonathan was bound up with the life of
- 1 Samuel 18:5 Or prospered
- 1 Samuel 18:6 Philistines
- 1 Samuel 18:9 Viewed with suspicion
- 1 Samuel 18:13 Lit. himself
- 1 Samuel 18:21 be bait for
- 1 Samuel 18:24 Lit. According to these words
- 1 Samuel 18:29 all the days
1 Samuel 18
New International Version
1 Samuel 18
New International Version
Saul’s Growing Fear of David
18 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan(A) became one in spirit with David, and he loved(B) him as himself.(C) 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant(D) with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe(E) he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.(F)
5 Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful(G) that Saul gave him a high rank in the army.(H) This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.
6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing,(I) with joyful songs and with timbrels(J) and lyres. 7 As they danced, they sang:(K)
“Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens(L) of thousands.”
8 Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?(M)” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a close(N) eye on David.
10 The next day an evil[a] spirit(O) from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre,(P) as he usually(Q) did. Saul had a spear(R) in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself,(S) “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded(T) him twice.(U)
12 Saul was afraid(V) of David, because the Lord(W) was with(X) David but had departed from(Y) Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led(Z) the troops in their campaigns.(AA) 14 In everything he did he had great success,(AB) because the Lord was with(AC) him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.(AD)
17 Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter(AE) Merab. I will give her to you in marriage;(AF) only serve me bravely and fight the battles(AG) of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself,(AH) “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”
18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I,(AI) and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?(AJ)” 19 So[b] when the time came for Merab,(AK) Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.(AL)
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal(AM) was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.(AN) 21 “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare(AO) to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
22 Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’”
23 They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law?(AP) I’m only a poor man and little known.”
24 When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, 25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price(AQ) for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge(AR) on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan(AS) was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, 27 David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal(AT) in marriage.
28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal(AU) loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid(AV) of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success(AW) than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 18:10 Or a harmful
- 1 Samuel 18:19 Or However,
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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