1 Samuel 18
New American Standard Bible
Jonathan and David
18 Now it came about, when he had finished speaking to Saul, that [a](A)Jonathan committed himself to David, and (B)Jonathan loved him as himself. 2 And Saul took him that day and (C)did not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then (D)Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 (E)Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his military gear, including his sword, his bow, and his belt. 5 And David went into battle wherever Saul sent him, and always [b]achieved success; so Saul put him in charge of the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
6 Now it happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that (F)the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with other [c]musical instruments. 7 The women (G)sang as they [d]played, and said,
8 Then Saul became very angry, for this lyric [e]displeased him; and he said, “They have given David credit for ten thousands, but to me they have given credit for only thousands! Now what more can he have but the (J)kingdom?” 9 And Saul eyed David with suspicion from that day on.
Saul Turns against David
10 Now it came about on the next day that (K)an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and (L)he raved in the midst of the house while David was playing the harp with his hand, [f](M)as usual; and [g](N)a spear was in Saul’s hand. 11 Then (O)Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will [h]pin David to the wall.” But David [i]escaped from his presence, twice.
12 Now (P)Saul was afraid of David, (Q)because the Lord was with him but (R)had left Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from [j]his presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and (S)he went out and came in before the people. 14 David was [k]successful in all his ways, for (T)the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw that he was [l]very successful, he was afraid of him. 16 But (U)all Israel and Judah loved David, for he would go out to battle and [m]return [n]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 valiant man for me and fight (W)the Lord’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 who is my family, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” 19 So it came about at the time that Merab, Saul’s daughter, was to be given to David, that she was given instead to (Z)Adriel (AA)the Meholathite as a wife.
David Marries Saul’s Daughter
20 Now (AB)Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they informed Saul, the thing was pleasing [o]to him. 21 For Saul thought, “I will give her to him so that she may become a trap for 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 become my son-in-law, today.” 22 Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in secret, saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now then, become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23 So Saul’s servants spoke these words [p]to David. But David said, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law, (AE)since I am only a poor man and insignificant?” 24 Then Saul’s servants reported to him, saying, “[q]These are the words David spoke.” 25 Saul then said, “This is what you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any (AF)dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, (AG)to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” But (AH)Saul plotted to have David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 When his servants told David these words, [r]it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. So [s](AI)before the time had expired, 27 David set out and went, (AJ)he and his men, and fatally struck two hundred men among the Philistines. Then (AK)David brought their foreskins, and they presented all two hundred of them to the king, so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife. 28 When Saul saw and realized that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 then Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.
30 Then the commanders of the Philistines (AL)went to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David (AM)was more [t]successful than all the servants of Saul. So his name was held in high esteem.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 18:1 Lit the soul of Jonathan was joined to the soul of
- 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 was evil in his eyes
- 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 18:16 Lit come in
- 1 Samuel 18:16 Or leading them
- 1 Samuel 18:20 Lit in his sight
- 1 Samuel 18:23 Lit in the ears of
- 1 Samuel 18:24 Lit According to these words David
- 1 Samuel 18:26 Lit the thing was pleasing in the sight of
- 1 Samuel 18:26 Lit the days were not fulfilled, and
- 1 Samuel 18:30 Or wise
1 Samuel 18
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Jonathan’s Covenant with David
18 When David[a] had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.(A) 2 Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house.(B) 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul. 4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that he was wearing and gave it to David and his armor and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him; as a result, Saul set him over the army. And all the people, even the servants of Saul, approved.
6 As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments.[b](C) 7 And the women sang to one another as they made merry,
“Saul has killed his thousands
and David his ten thousands.”(D)
8 Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom?”(E) 9 So Saul eyed David from that day on.
Saul Tries to Kill David
10 The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand,(F) 11 and Saul threw the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.(G)
12 Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.(H) 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand, and David marched out and came in, leading the army.(I) 14 David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him.(J) 15 When Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for it was he who marched out and came in leading them.(K)
David Marries Michal
17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife; only be valiant for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “I will not raise a hand against him; let the Philistines deal with him.”(L) 18 David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my kinsfolk, my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?”(M) 19 But at the time when Saul’s daughter Merab should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.(N)
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. Saul was told, and the thing pleased him.(O) 21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time,[c] “You shall now be my son-in-law.”(P) 22 Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘See, the king is delighted with you, and all his servants love you; now then, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ” 23 So Saul’s servants reported these words to David in private. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and of no repute?” 24 The servants of Saul told him, “This is what David said.” 25 Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no marriage present except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged on the king’s enemies.’ ” Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.(Q) 26 When his servants told David these words, David was well pleased to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the time had expired,(R) 27 David rose and went, along with his men, and killed one hundred[d] of the Philistines, and David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife.(S) 28 But when Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that Saul’s daughter Michal loved him, 29 Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy from that time forward.
30 Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out, David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his fame became very great.(T)
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.