1 Samuel 18

Jonathan and David

1Now it cameH1961 aboutH1961, when he had finishedH3615 speakingH1696 to SaulH7586, that 12JonathanH3083 committedH7194 himselfH5315 to DavidH1732, and 3JonathanH3083 lovedH157 him as himselfH5315. 2And SaulH7586 tookH3947 him that dayH3117 and 4did not letH5414 him returnH7725 to his father’sH1 houseH1004. 3Then 5JonathanH3083 madeH3772 a covenantH1285 with DavidH1732 because he lovedH157 him as himselfH5315. 46JonathanH3083 strippedH6584 himself of the robeH4598 that was on him and gaveH5414 it to DavidH1732, with his militaryH4055 gearH4055, includingH5704 his swordH2719, his bowH7198, and his beltH2290. 5And DavidH1732 wentH3318 into battle whereverH3605H834 SaulH7586 sentH7971 him, and always 7achievedH7919 successH7919; so SaulH7586 putH7760 him inH5921 chargeH5921 ofH5921 the menH376 of warH4421. And it was pleasingH3190 in the sightH5869 of allH3605 the peopleH5971, and alsoH1571 in the sightH5869 of Saul’sH7586 servantsH5650.

6Now it happenedH1961 as they were comingH935, when DavidH1732 returnedH7725 from killingH5221 the PhilistineH6430, that 8the womenH802 cameH3318 outH3318 of allH3605 the citiesH5892 of IsraelH3478, singingH7891 and dancingH4246, to meetH7122 KingH4428 SaulH7586, with tambourinesH8596, with joyH8057 and with other 9musicalH7991 instrumentsH7991. 7The womenH802 10sangH6031 as they 11playedH7832, and saidH559, “12SaulH7586 has slainH5221 his thousandsH505, 13And DavidH1732 his tenH7233 thousandsH7233.” 8Then SaulH7586 becameH2734 veryH3966 angryH2734, for thisH2088 lyricH1697 14displeasedH7489H5869 him; and he saidH559, “They have givenH5414 DavidH1732 credit for tenH7233 thousandsH7233, but to me they have givenH5414 credit for only thousandsH505! Now what moreH5750 can he have but the 15kingdomH4410?” 9And SaulH7586 eyedH5870 DavidH1732 withH5870 suspicionH5870 from that dayH3117 on.

Saul Turns against David

10Now it cameH1961 aboutH1961 on the nextH4283 dayH4283 that 16an evilH7451 spiritH7307 from GodH430 rushedH6743 uponH5921 SaulH7586, and 17he ravedH5012 in the midstH8432 of the houseH1004 while DavidH1732 was playingH5059 the harp with his handH3027, 1819as usualH3117; and 2021a spearH2595 was in Saul’sH7586 handH3027. 11Then 22SaulH7586 hurledH2904 the spearH2595, for he thoughtH559, “I will 23pinH5221 DavidH1732 to the wallH7023.” But DavidH1732 24escapedH5437 from his presenceH6440, twiceH6471.

12Now 25SaulH7586 wasH3372 afraidH3372 of DavidH1732, 26becauseH3588 the LordH3068 was with him but 27had leftH5493 SaulH7586. 13So SaulH7586 removedH5493 him from 28his presenceH5973 and appointedH7760 him as his commanderH8269 of a thousandH505; and 29he wentH3318 outH3318 and cameH935 inH935 beforeH6440 the peopleH5971. 14DavidH1732 was 30successfulH7919 in allH3605 his waysH1870, for 31the LordH3068 was with him. 15When SaulH7586 sawH7200 that he was 32veryH3966 successfulH7919, he was afraidH1481 of him. 16But 33allH3605 IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063 lovedH157 DavidH1732, for he would goH3318 outH3318 to battle and 34returnH935 35beforeH6440 them.

17Then SaulH7586 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “36HereH2009 is my olderH1419 daughterH1323 MerabH4764; I will giveH5414 her to you as a wifeH802, onlyH389 be a valiantH2428 manH1121 for me and fightH3898 37the Lord’sH3068 battlesH4421.” For SaulH7586 thoughtH559, “My handH3027 shall not be against him, but 38let the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430 be against him.” 18But DavidH1732 saidH559 to SaulH7586, “39WhoH4310 am I, and whoH4310 is my familyH2416, or my father’sH1 familyH4940 in IsraelH3478, that I should be the king’sH4428 son-in-lawH2860?” 19So it cameH1961 aboutH1961 at the timeH6256 that MerabH4764, Saul’sH7586 daughterH1323, was to be givenH5414 to DavidH1732, that she was givenH5414 instead to 40AdrielH5741 41the MeholathiteH4259 as a wifeH802.

David Marries Saul’s Daughter

20Now 42MichalH4324, Saul’sH7586 daughterH1323, lovedH157 DavidH1732. When they informedH5046 SaulH7586, the thingH1697 wasH3474 pleasingH3474 43to him. 21For SaulH7586 thoughtH559, “I will giveH5414 her to him so that she may becomeH1961 a trapH4170 for him, and 44that the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430 may be against him.” Therefore SaulH7586 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “45For a secondH8147 timeH8147 you may becomeH2859 my son-in-lawH2859, todayH3117.” 22Then SaulH7586 commandedH6680 his servantsH5650, “SpeakH1696 to DavidH1732 in secretH3909, sayingH559, ‘BeholdH2009, the kingH4428 delightsH2654 in you, and allH3605 his servantsH5650 loveH157 you; nowH6258 then, becomeH2859 the king’sH4428 son-in-lawH2859.’” 23So Saul’sH7586 servantsH5650 spokeH1696 theseH428 wordsH1697 46to DavidH1732. But DavidH1732 saidH559, “IsH7043 it trivialH7043 in your sightH5869 to becomeH2859 the king’sH4428 son-in-lawH2859, 47since I amH7326 only a poorH7326 manH376 and insignificantH7034?” 24Then Saul’sH7586 servantsH5650 reportedH5046 to him, saying, “48TheseH428 are the wordsH1697 DavidH1732 spokeH1696.” 25SaulH7586 then saidH559, “ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 you shall sayH559 to DavidH1732: ‘The kingH4428 does not desireH2656 any 49dowryH4119 exceptH3588 a hundredH3967 foreskinsH6190 of the PhilistinesH6430, 50to takeH5358 vengeanceH5358 on the king’sH4428 enemiesH340.’” But 51SaulH7586 plottedH2803 to have DavidH1732 fallH5307 by the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430. 26When his servantsH5650 toldH5046 DavidH1732 theseH428 wordsH1697, 52it pleasedH3474H5869 DavidH1732 to becomeH2859 the king’sH4428 son-in-lawH2859. So 5354before the timeH3117 had expiredH4390, 27DavidH1732 setH6965 outH6965 and wentH1980, 55he and his menH376, and fatallyH5221 struckH5221 two hundredH3967 menH376 among the PhilistinesH6430. Then 56DavidH1732 broughtH935 their foreskinsH6190, and they presentedH4390 allH4390 two hundred of them to the kingH4428, so that he might becomeH2859 the king’sH4428 son-in-lawH2859. And SaulH7586 gaveH5414 him his daughterH1323 MichalH4324 as a wifeH802. 28When SaulH7586 sawH7200 and realizedH3045 that the LordH3068 was with DavidH1732, and that MichalH4324, Saul’sH7586 daughterH1323, lovedH157 him, 29then SaulH7586 wasH3372 evenH5750 moreH3254 afraidH3372 of DavidH1732. So SaulH7586 was David’sH1732 enemyH340 continuallyH3605H3117.

30Then the commandersH8269 of the PhilistinesH6430 57wentH3318 to battle, and it happenedH1961 as oftenH1767 as they wentH3318 outH3318, that DavidH1732 58wasH7919 moreH4480 59successfulH7919 thanH4480 allH3605 the servantsH5650 of SaulH7586. So his nameH8034 was heldH3365 in highH3966 esteemH3365.