1 Samuel 18
1 When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
[And it came to pass when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David and David loved him ] [as his own soul. ]
2 Saul took him that day, and wouldn’t let him go home to his father’s house any more.
[And Saul took him in that day, and did not suffer him to return to his father's house. ]
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
[And Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. ]
4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash.
[And Jonathan stripped himself of his ] [upper garment, and gave it to David, and his mantle and all he had upon him, even to his sword and to his bow, and to his girdle. ]
5 David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely; and Saul set him over the men of war. It was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
[And David went out withersoever Saul sent him, and ] [acted wisely, and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was pleasing in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul. ]
6 As they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.
And there came out women in dances to meet David out of all the cities of Israel, with timbrels, and with rejoicing, and with cymbals.
7 The women sang to one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
And the women began [the strain], and said, Saul has struck his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have credited David with ten thousands, and they have only credited me with thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?”
And it seemed evil in the eyes of Saul concerning this matter, and he said, To David they have given ten thousands, and to me they have given thousands. [And what more can he have but the kingdom? ]
9 Saul watched David from that day and forward.
[And Saul eyed David from that day and onward. ]
10 On the next day, an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand;
[And it came to pass on the morrow that an evil spirit from God fell upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And David was playing on the harp with his hand, according to his daily custom. And Saul’s spear was in his hand. ]
11 and Saul threw the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” David escaped from his presence twice.
[And Saul took his spear and said, I will strike David even to the wall. But David escaped twice from his presence. ]
12 Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him, and had departed from Saul.
And Saul was alarmed on account of David.
13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
And he removed him from him, and made him a captain of a thousand for himself; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Yahweh was with him.
And David was prudent in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
15 When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
And Saul saw that he was very wise, and he was afraid of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
And all Israel and Juda loved David, because he came in and went out before the people.
17 Saul said to David, “Behold, my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh’s battles.” For Saul said, “Don’t let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.”
[And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merob, I will give her to you to Wife, only be you to me a mighty man and fight the wars of the Lord. And Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but the hand of the Philistines shall be upon him. ]
18 David said to 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?”
[And David said to Saul, Who am I, and What is the life of my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son—in-law? ]
19 But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
[But it came to pass at the time when Merob Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given to Israel the Mothulathite to wife. ]
20 Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
And Melchol the daughter of Saul loved David; and it was told Saul, and the thing was pleasing in his eyes.
21 Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall today be my son-in-law.”
And Saul said, I will give her to him, and she shall be a stumbling block to him. Now the hand of the Philistines was against Saul.
22 Saul commanded his servants, “Talk with David secretly, and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore be the king’s son-in-law.’”
And Saul charged his servants, saying, Speak you privately to David, saying, Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you, and do you becomes the king's son-in-law.
23 Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and little known?”
And the servants of Saul spoke these words in the ears of David; and David said, [Is it] a light thing in your eyes to become son-in-law to the king? Whereas I [am] an humble man, an not honourable?
24 The servants of Saul told him, saying, “David spoke like this.”
And the servants of Saul reported to him according to these words, which David spoke.
25 Saul said, “Tell David, ‘The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought he would make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
And Saul said, Thus shall you speak to David, The king wants no gift but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to avenge himself on the kings enemies. Now Saul thought to cast him into the hands of the Philistines.
26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the deadline,
And the servants of Saul report these words to David, and David was well pleased to become the son-in-law to the king.
27 David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife.
And David arose, and went, he and his men, and struck amongst the Philistines a hundred men: and he brought their foreskins, and he becomes the king's son-in-law, and [Saul] gives him Melchol his daughter to wife.
28 Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David; and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him.
And Saul saw that the Lord [was] with David, and [that] all Israel loved him.
29 Saul was even more afraid of David; and Saul was David’s enemy continually.
And he was yet more afraid of David.
30 Then the princes of the Philistines went out; and as often as they went out, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.
[And the chief of the Philistines went forth; and it came to pass that from the suficiency of their expedition David acted Wisely above all the servants of Saul; and his name was honoured exceedingly. ]
