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 Life Version
King Saul Is Jealous of David
18 When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan became one with the soul of David. Jonathan loved him as himself. 2 Saul took David that day, and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan made an agreement with David, because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off his long coat and gave it to David. He gave him his battle-clothes, his sword, his bow and his belt also. 5 David went everywhere that Saul sent him, and did well. Saul had him lead the men of war. And it was pleasing to all the people and to Saul’s servants.
6 When David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, playing songs of joy on timbrels. 7 The women sang as they played, and said, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” 8 Then Saul became very angry. This saying did not please him. He said, “They have given David honor for ten thousands, but for me only thousands. Now what more can he have but to be king?” 9 And Saul was jealous and did not trust David from that day on.
10 The next day a bad spirit sent from God came upon Saul with power. He acted like a crazy man in his house, while David was playing the harp. Saul had a spear in his hand, 11 and he threw the spear, thinking, “I will nail David to the wall.” But David jumped out of his way twice. 12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him but had left Saul. 13 So Saul made David go away from him, and had him lead a thousand men. And David went out to the people. 14 David did well in all that he did, because the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw how well he did, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
David Marries Saul’s Daughter
17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as a wife, if you only work for me with strength of heart and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “I will not go against him. Let the Philistines go against him.” 18 David said to Saul, “Who am I? What is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” 19 But at the time when Saul’s daughter Merab should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. When they told Saul, it pleased him. 21 Saul thought, “I will give her to David. I will use her to trap him, and the Philistines will go against him.” So Saul said to David a second time, “Now you may be my son-in-law.” 22 Then Saul told his servants, “Speak to David in secret. Tell him, ‘See, the king is happy with you, and all his servants love you. So now become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23 So Saul’s servants said this to David. But David said, “Is it not important to you to become the king’s son-in-law? I am only a poor man and am not very respected.” 24 Saul’s servants told Saul what David had said. 25 Then Saul said, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no marriage gift except the pieces of skin from the sex parts of a hundred Philistines, to punish those who hate the king.’” Saul planned to have the Philistines kill David. 26 When his servants told this to David, it pleased him to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the time was finished, 27 David and his men went and killed 200 Philistine men. Then David brought their pieces of flesh and gave all of them to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So he hated David always.
30 Then the Philistine leaders went out to battle. And when they did, David acted with more wisdom than all the servants of Saul. So his name became very important.
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