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1 Samuel 18
Legacy Standard Bible
1 Samuel 18
Legacy Standard Bible
Jonathan Cuts a Covenant with David
18 Now it happened when he had finished speaking to Saul, that (A)the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and (B)Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day and (C)did not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then (D)Jonathan cut a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul. 4 (E)And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him and [a]prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the eyes of all the people and also in the eyes of Saul’s servants.
Saul Looks at David with Suspicion
6 And it happened as they were coming, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, that (F)the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with gladness, and with [b]musical instruments. 7 And the women (G)sang as they [c]were merry and said,
8 Then Saul became very angry, for this saying was [d]displeasing in his eyes; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now (J)what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.
10 Now it happened on the next day that (K)an evil spirit from God [e]came mightily upon Saul, and (L)he raved in the midst of the house. Now David was playing the harp with his hand, [f](M)as usual; and [g](N)a spear was in Saul’s hand. 11 (O)Then Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will [h]pin David to the wall.” But David [i]escaped from his presence twice.
12 And (P)Saul was afraid of David, (Q)for Yahweh was with him but (R)had turned away from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul turned him away from [j]his presence and appointed him as his commander of one thousand; and (S)he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David was [k]prospering in all his ways, and (T)Yahweh was with him. 15 Then Saul saw that he was [l]prospering greatly, so he dreaded him. 16 But (U)all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
17 Then Saul said to David, “(V)Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife; only be a man of valor for me and fight (W)Yahweh’s battles.” For Saul thought, “My hand shall not be against him, but (X)let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 But David said to Saul, “(Y)Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” 19 So it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to (Z)Adriel (AA)the Meholathite as a wife.
Saul’s Daughter Given to David
20 And (AB)Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. So they told Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes. 21 And Saul said, “I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and (AC)that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “(AD)For a second time you may be my son-in-law today.” 22 Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David secretly, saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; so now, become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23 So Saul’s servants spoke these words in [m]David’s hearing. But David said, “Is it trivial in your eyes to become the king’s son-in-law, (AE)since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?” 24 And the servants of Saul told to him [n]according to these words which David spoke. 25 Saul then said, “Thus you shall say to David, ‘The king does not desire any (AF)dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, (AG)to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” Now (AH)Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 Then his servants told David these words, and it was right in the eyes of David to become the king’s son-in-law. [o](AI)So before the days had expired, 27 David rose up and went, (AJ)he and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then (AK)David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife. 28 Then Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 so Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.
30 Then the commanders of the Philistines (AL)went out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David (AM)behaved himself more insightfully than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 18:5 Or acted wisely
- 1 Samuel 18:6 Possibly three-stringed lutes
- 1 Samuel 18:7 Or danced
- 1 Samuel 18:8 Lit evil
- 1 Samuel 18:10 Lit succeeded, rushed upon
- 1 Samuel 18:10 Lit day by day
- 1 Samuel 18:10 Lit the
- 1 Samuel 18:11 Lit strike David and the wall
- 1 Samuel 18:11 Lit turned about
- 1 Samuel 18:13 Lit with him
- 1 Samuel 18:14 Or acting wisely
- 1 Samuel 18:15 Or acting very wisely
- 1 Samuel 18:23 Lit the ears of David
- 1 Samuel 18:24 Lit by saying according
- 1 Samuel 18:26 Lit And the days had not expired
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,
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