1 Samuel 18

Jonathan and David

1Now it cameH1961 about when he had finishedH3615 speakingH1696 to SaulH7586, that 1the soulH5315 of JonathanH3083 was knitH7194 to the soulH5315 of DavidH1732, and 2JonathanH3083 lovedH157 him as himselfH5315. 2SaulH7586 tookH3947 him that dayH3117 and 3did not letH5414 him returnH7725 to his father’sH1 houseH1004. 3Then 4JonathanH3083 madeH3772 a covenantH1285 with DavidH1732 because he lovedH157 him as himselfH5315. 45JonathanH3083 strippedH6584 himself of the robeH4598 that was on him and gaveH5414 it to DavidH1732, with his armorH4055, includingH5704 his swordH2719 and his bowH7198 and his beltH2290. 5So DavidH1732 wentH3318 out whereverH3605H834 SaulH7586 sentH7971 him, and 6prosperedH7919; and SaulH7586 setH7760 him overH5921 the menH376 of warH4421. And it was pleasingH3190 in the sightH5869 of allH3605 the peopleH5971 and alsoH1571 in the sightH5869 of Saul’sH7586 servantsH5650.

6It happenedH1961 as they were comingH935, when DavidH1732 returnedH7725 from killingH5221 the PhilistineH6430, that 7the womenH802 cameH3318 out of allH3605 the citiesH5892 of IsraelH3478, singingH7891 and dancingH4246, to meetH7122 KingH4428 SaulH7586, with tambourinesH8596, with joyH8057 and with 8musicalH7991 instrumentsH7991. 7The womenH802 9sangH6031 as they 10playedH7832, and saidH559, “11SaulH7586 has slainH5221 his thousandsH505, 12And DavidH1732 his tenH7233 thousandsH7233.” 8Then SaulH7586 becameH2734 veryH3966 angryH2734, for thisH2088 sayingH1697 13displeasedH7489H5869 him; and he saidH559, “They have ascribedH5414 to DavidH1732 tenH7233 thousandsH7233, but to me they have ascribedH5414 thousandsH505. Now 14what moreH5750 can he have but the kingdomH4410?” 9SaulH7586 lookedH5870 at DavidH1732 with suspicionH5870 from that dayH3117 on.

Saul Turns against David

10Now it cameH1961 about on the nextH4283 dayH4283 that 15an evilH7451 spiritH7307 from GodH430 cameH6743 mightilyH6743 upon SaulH7586, and 16he ravedH5012 in the midstH8432 of the houseH1004, while DavidH1732 was playingH5059 the harp with his handH3027, 1718as usualH3117; and 1920a spearH2595 was in Saul’sH7586 handH3027. 1121SaulH7586 hurledH2904 the spearH2595 for he thoughtH559, “I will 22pinH5221 DavidH1732 to the wallH7023.” But DavidH1732 23escapedH5437 from his presenceH6440 twiceH6471.

12Now 24SaulH7586 was afraidH3372 of DavidH1732, 25for the LordH3068 was with him but 26had departedH5493 from SaulH7586. 13Therefore SaulH7586 removedH5493 him from 27his presenceH5973 and appointedH7760 him as his commanderH8269 of a thousandH505; and 28he wentH3318 out and cameH935 in beforeH6440 the peopleH5971. 14DavidH1732 was 29prosperingH7919 in allH3605 his waysH1870 for 30the LordH3068 was with him. 15When SaulH7586 sawH7200 that he was 31prosperingH7919 greatlyH3966, he dreadedH1481 him. 16But 32allH3605 IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063 lovedH157 DavidH1732, and he wentH3318 out and cameH935 in beforeH6440 them.

17Then SaulH7586 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “33HereH2009 is my olderH1419 daughterH1323 MerabH4764; I will giveH5414 her to you as a wifeH802, onlyH389 be a valiantH2428 manH1121 for me and fightH3898 34the Lord’sH3068 battlesH4421.” For SaulH7586 thoughtH559, “My handH3027 shall not be against him, but 35let the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430 be against him.” 18But DavidH1732 saidH559 to SaulH7586, “36WhoH4310 am I, and whatH4310 is my lifeH2416 or my father’sH1 familyH4940 in IsraelH3478, that I should be the king’sH4428 son-in-lawH2860?” 19So it cameH1961 about at the timeH6256 when MerabH4764, Saul’sH7586 daughterH1323, should have been givenH5414 to DavidH1732, that she was givenH5414 to 37AdrielH5741 38the MeholathiteH4259 for a wifeH802.

David Marries Saul’s Daughter

20Now 39MichalH4324, Saul’sH7586 daughterH1323, lovedH157 DavidH1732. When they toldH5046 SaulH7586, the thingH1697 was agreeableH3474 40to him. 21SaulH7586 thoughtH559, “I will giveH5414 her to him that she may becomeH1961 a snareH4170 to him, and 41that the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430 may be against him.” Therefore SaulH7586 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “42For a secondH8147 timeH8147 you may be my son-in-lawH2859 todayH3117.” 22Then SaulH7586 commandedH6680 his servantsH5650, “SpeakH1696 to DavidH1732 secretlyH3909, sayingH559, ‘BeholdH2009, the kingH4428 delightsH2654 in you, and allH3605 his servantsH5650 loveH157 you; nowH6258 therefore, becomeH2859 the king’sH4428 son-in-lawH2859.’” 23So Saul’sH7586 servantsH5650 spokeH1696 theseH428 wordsH1697 43to DavidH1732. But DavidH1732 saidH559, “Is it trivialH7043 in your sightH5869 to becomeH2859 the king’sH4428 son-in-lawH2859, 44since I amH7326 a poorH7326 manH376 and lightlyH7034 esteemedH7034?” 24The servantsH5650 of SaulH7586 reportedH5046 to him 45according to theseH428 wordsH1697 which DavidH1732 spokeH1696. 25SaulH7586 then saidH559, “ThusH3541 you shall sayH559 to DavidH1732, ‘The kingH4428 does not desireH2656 any 46dowryH4119 exceptH3588 a hundredH3967 foreskinsH6190 of the PhilistinesH6430, 47to takeH5358 vengeanceH5358 on the king’sH4428 enemiesH340.’” Now 48SaulH7586 plannedH2803 to make DavidH1732 fallH5307 by the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430. 26When his servantsH5650 toldH5046 DavidH1732 theseH428 wordsH1697, 49it pleasedH3474H5869 DavidH1732 to becomeH2859 the king’sH4428 son-in-lawH2859. 5051Before the daysH3117 had expiredH4390 27DavidH1732 roseH6965 up and wentH1980, 52he and his menH376, and struckH5221 downH5221 two hundredH3967 menH376 among the PhilistinesH6430. Then 53DavidH1732 broughtH935 their foreskinsH6190, and they gaveH4390 them in fullH4390 number to the kingH4428, that he might becomeH2859 the king’sH4428 son-in-lawH2859. So SaulH7586 gaveH5414 him MichalH4324 his daughterH1323 for a wifeH802. 28When SaulH7586 sawH7200 and knewH3045 that the LordH3068 was with DavidH1732, and that MichalH4324, Saul’sH7586 daughterH1323, lovedH157 him, 29then SaulH7586 was evenH3254 moreH3254H5750 afraidH3372 of DavidH1732. Thus SaulH7586 was David’sH1732 enemyH340 continuallyH3605H3117.

30Then the commandersH8269 of the PhilistinesH6430 54wentH3318 out to battle, and it happenedH1961 as oftenH1767 as they wentH3318 out, that DavidH1732 55behavedH7919 himself moreH4480 wiselyH7919 thanH4480 allH3605 the servantsH5650 of SaulH7586. So his nameH8034 was highlyH3966 esteemedH3365.