1 Samuel 18

Chapter 18

Jonathan and David

¹Now 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.

²Saul took him that day and ^adid not let him return to his father’s house.

³Then ^aJonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

^4aJonathan 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.

⁵So 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.

⁶It 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.

⁷The women ^asang as they ¹played, and said,

“^bSaul has slain his thousands,

^cAnd David his ten thousands.”

⁸Then 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?”

⁹Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.

Saul Turns against David

¹⁰Now 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.

^11aSaul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will ¹pin David to the wall.” But David ²escaped from his presence twice.

¹²Now ^aSaul was afraid of David, ^bfor the Lord was with him but ^chad departed from Saul.

¹³Therefore 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.

¹⁴David was ¹prospering in all his ways for ^athe Lord was with him.

¹⁵When Saul saw that he was ¹prospering greatly, he dreaded him.

¹⁶But ^aall Israel and Judah loved David, and he went out and came in before them.

¹⁷Then 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.”

¹⁸But 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?”

¹⁹So 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.

David Marries Saul’s Daughter

²⁰Now ^aMichal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable ¹to him.

²¹Saul 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.”

²²Then 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.’ ”

²³So 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?”

²⁴The servants of Saul reported to him ¹according to these words which David spoke.

²⁵Saul then said, “Thus you shall say to David, ‘The king does not desire any ^adowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, ^bto take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ ” Now ^cSaul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

²⁶When his servants told David these words, ¹it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. ^2aBefore the days had expired

²⁷David rose up and went, ^ahe and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then ^bDavid brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife.

²⁸When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him,

²⁹then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David’s enemy continually.

³⁰Then the commanders of the Philistines ^awent out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David ^bbehaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.