1 Samuel 18
1 Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that athe soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and bJonathan loved him as himself.
2 Saul took him that day and adid not let him return to his father’s house.
3 Then aJonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
4 aJonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt.
5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and 1prospered; and Saul set him over 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 It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that athe women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with 1musical instruments.
7 The women asang as they 1played, and said,
“bSaul has slain his thousands,
cAnd David his ten thousands.”
8 Then Saul became very angry, for this saying 1displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now awhat more can he have but the kingdom?”
9 Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.
10 Now it came about on the next day that aan evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and bhe raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, 1cas usual; and 2da spear was in Saul’s hand.
11 aSaul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will 1pin David to the wall.” But David 2escaped from his presence twice.
12 Now aSaul was afraid of David, bfor the Lord was with him but chad departed from Saul.
13 Therefore Saul removed him from 1his presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and ahe went out and came in before the people.
14 David was 1prospering in all his ways for athe Lord was with him.
15 When Saul saw that he was 1prospering greatly, he dreaded him.
16 But aall Israel and Judah loved David, and he went out and came in before them.
17 Then Saul said to David, “aHere is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me and fight bthe Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “My hand shall not be against him, but clet the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
18 But David said to Saul, “aWho 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 came about at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to aAdriel bthe Meholathite for a wife.
20 Now aMichal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable 1to him.
21 Saul thought, “I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and athat the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “bFor 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; now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”
23 So Saul’s servants spoke these words 1to David. But David said, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law, asince I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?”
1 Samuel 1–9
1 Now there was a certain man from aRamathaim-zophim from the bhill country of Ephraim, and his name was cElkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
2 He had atwo wives: the name of one was bHannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Now this man would go up from his city ayearly bto worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in cShiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the Lord there.
4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he awould give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters;
5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, abut the Lord had closed her womb.
6 Her rival, however, awould provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.
7 It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.
8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? aAm I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of athe temple of the Lord.
10 She, 1greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.
11 She amade a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed blook on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a 1son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and ca razor shall never come on his head.”
12 Now it came about, as she 1continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth.
13 As for Hannah, ashe was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.
14 Then Eli said to her, “aHow long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.”
15 But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman 1oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I ahave poured out my soul before the Lord.
16 “Do not 1consider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and 2provocation.”
17 Then Eli answered and said, “aGo in peace; and may the God of Israel bgrant your petition that you have asked of Him.”
18 She said, “aLet your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and bher face was no longer sad.
19 Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in aRamah. And Elkanah 1had relations with Hannah his wife, and bthe Lord remembered her.
20 It came about 1in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “aBecause I have asked him of the Lord.”
21 Then the man Elkanah awent up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow.
22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will abring him, that he may appear before the Lord and bstay there forever.”
23 aElkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best 1to you. Remain until you have …
1 Samuel 24
1 Now awhen Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, bhe was told, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.”
2 Then aSaul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
3 He came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul awent in to 1relieve himself. Now bDavid and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.
4 The men of David said to him, “Behold, athis is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold; bI am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good 1to you.’ ” Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly.
5 It came about afterward that aDavid’s 1conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe.
6 So he said to his men, “aFar be it from me because of the Lord that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”
7 David 1persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, 2left the cave, and went on his way.
8 Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, aDavid bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.
9 David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks 1to harm you’?
10 “aBehold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord had given you today into my hand in the cave, and bsome said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’
11 “Now, amy father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or 1rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you bare lying in wait for my life to take it.
12 “aMay the Lord judge between 1you and me, and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.
13 “As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘aOut of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you.
14 “After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? aA dead dog, ba single flea?
15 “aThe Lord therefore be judge and decide between 1you and me; and may He see and bplead my cause and 2deliver me from your hand.”
16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “aIs this your voice, my son David?” Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
17 aHe said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for byou have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you.
18 “You have declared today that you have done good to me, that athe Lord delivered me into your hand and yet you did not kill me.
19 “For if a man afinds his enemy, will he let him go away 1safely? May the Lord therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day.
20 “Now, behold, aI know that you will surely be king, and that bthe kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.
21 “So now aswear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my 1descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s household.”