1 Samuel

The first book of Samuel otherwise called, the first book of the Kings, chapter 18, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 18 New English Translation

Saul Comes to Fear David

   1 When David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan and David became bound together in close friendship. Jonathan loved David as much as he did his own life. 2 Saul retained David on that day and did not allow him to return to his father's house. 3 Jonathan made a covenant with David, for he loved him as much as he did his own life. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with the rest of his gear, including his sword, his bow, and even his belt.
   5 On every mission on which Saul sent him, David achieved success. So Saul appointed him over the men of war. This pleased not only all the army, but also Saul's servants.
   6 When the men arrived after David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women from all the cities of Israel came out singing and dancing to meet King Saul. They were happy as they played their tambourines and three-stringed instruments. 7 The women who were playing the music sang, "Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his tens of thousands!"
   8 This made Saul very angry. The statement displeased him and he thought, "They have attributed to David tens of thousands, but to me they have attributed only thousands. What does he lack, except the kingdom?" 9 So Saul was keeping an eye on David from that day onward.
   10 The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul and he prophesied within his house. Now David was playing the lyre that day. There was a spear in Saul's hand, 11 and Saul threw the spear, thinking, "I'll nail David to the wall!" But David escaped from him on two different occasions.
   12 So Saul feared David, because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. 13 Saul removed David from his presence and made him a commanding officer. David led the army out to battle and back. 14 Now David achieved success in all he did, for the LORD was with him. 15 When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he was the one leading them out to battle and back.
   17 Then Saul said to David, "Here's my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior for me and fight the battles of the LORD." For Saul thought, "There's no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!"
   18 David said to Saul, "Who am I? Who are my relatives or the clan of my father in Israel that I should become the king's son-in-law?" 19 When the time came for Merab, Saul's daughter, to be given to David, she instead was given in marriage to Adriel, who was from Meholah.
   20 Now Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. When they told Saul about this, it pleased him. 21 Saul said, "I will give her to him so that she may become a snare to him and the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David, "Today is the second time for you to become my son-in-law."
   22 Then Saul instructed his servants, "Tell David secretly, 'The king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you. So now become the king's son-in-law." 23 So Saul's servants spoke these words privately to David. David replied, "Is becoming the king's son-in-law something insignificant to you? I'm just a poor and lightly-esteemed man!"
   24 When Saul's servants reported what David had said, 25 Saul replied, "Here is what you should say to David: 'There is nothing that the king wants as a price for the bride except a hundred Philistine foreskins, so that he can be avenged of his enemies.'" (Now Saul was thinking that he could kill David by the hand of the Philistines.)
   26 So his servants told David these things and David agreed to become the king's son-in-law. Now the specified time had not yet expired 27 when David, along with his men, went out and struck down two hundred Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and presented all of them to the king so he could become the king's son-in-law. Saul then gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
   28 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 Saul became even more afraid of him. Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on. 30 Then the leaders of the Philistines would march out, and as often as they did so, David achieved more success than all of Saul's servants. His name was held in high esteem.

King James Version

   1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
   2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
   3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
   4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
   5 ¶ And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
   6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.
   7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
   8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
   9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
   10 ¶ And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.
   11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
   12 ¶ And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.
   13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
   14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
   15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
   16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
   17 ¶ And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD'S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
   18 And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?
   19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
   20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
   21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.
   22 ¶ And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.
   23 And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
   24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.
   25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
   26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired.
   27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
   28 ¶ And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.
   29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.
   30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.