< 1 Samuel 18 >

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, so that Jonathan loved him, as his own soul.
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to 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 suffered him not to return unto the house of his father.
And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house.
3 And Jonathan and David solemnised a covenant, —because he loved him as his own soul.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe which was upon him, and gave it to David, —and his equipments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on 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 forth—whithersoever Saul sent him, he behaved himself prudently, so Saul set him over the men of war, —and he became a favourite in the eyes of all the people, yea even in the eyes of the servants of Saul.
And David went out wherever 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 But so it was, when they came in on the return of David from the smiting of the Philistine, that the women went forth out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet Saul the king, —with timbrels, with rejoicing, and with instruments of three strings.
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 music.
7 And the women that made merry responded to each other in song, and said, —Saul, hath smitten, his thousands, but, David, his, tens of thousands.
And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 Then was Saul exceeding angry, and this saying was offensive in his eyes, and he said, —They have ascribed, to David, ten thousands, but, to me, have they ascribed thousands, —What, more, then, can he have but, the kingdom?
And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
9 And Saul was eyeing David from that day forward.
And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
10 And, when it came to pass, on the morrow, that a superhuman spirit of sadness came suddenly upon Saul, and he was moved to raving in the midst of the house, —and, David, began playing with his hand, as he had done day by day, that a spear being in Saul’s hand,
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came on Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.
11 Saul hurled the spear, and said to himself—I will smite David, even to the wall! But David moved round from before him, twice.
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 feared because of David, —for Yahweh was with him, whereas, from Saul, he had departed.
And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.
13 So Saul removed him from him, and appointed him to be for him the captain of a thousand, —and he went out and came in before the people.
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 it came to pass that David, in all his ways, acted prudently, —and, Yahweh, was with him.
And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
15 And, when Saul saw that, he, was acting very prudently, he was afraid of him.
Why when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
16 But, all Israel and Judah, were in love with David, —for he was going out and coming in before them.
But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
17 So then Saul said unto David—Lo! my elder daughter Merab, her, will I give thee to wife, only, approve thyself unto me as a son of valour and fight the battles of Yahweh. Saul, however, had said to himself—Let not, my own hand, be upon him, but let, the hand of the Philistines, be upon him.
And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give you to wife: only be you valiant for me, and fight the LORD’s battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.
18 And David said unto Saul—Who am, I, or who are my kinsfolk, the family of my father, in Israel, —that I should become son-in-law, to the king?
And 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?
19 But it came to pass, within the time for giving Merab daughter of Saul to David, that, she, was given to Adriel the Meholathite, to wife.
But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
20 Then did Michal, Saul’s daughter, love David, —and it was told Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes.
And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 And Saul said to himself—I will give her unto him, that she may prove to him a snare, and that, the hand of the Philistines, may be upon him. So then Saul said unto David, A second time, mayest thou become my son-in-law to-day.
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. Why Saul said to David, You shall this day be my son in law in the one of the two.
22 And Saul commanded his servants—Speak ye unto David quietly saying, Lo! the king delighteth in thee, and, all his servants, love thee, —now, therefore, become thou son-in-law to the king.
And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune 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.
23 And the servants of Saul spake, in the ears of David, these words. And David said—Seemeth it a light thing, in your eyes, to become son-in-law to the king, seeing that, I, am a poor man and lightly esteemed?
And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seems 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 So the servants of Saul told him, saying, —According to these words, spake David,
And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spoke David.
25 Then said Saul—Thus, shall ye say unto David—The king hath no delight in purchase-price, but rather in a hundred foreskins of Philistines, by avenging himself on the enemies of the king. But, Saul, thought to let David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
And Saul said, Thus shall you say to David, The king desires 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 So, when his servants told David these words, the thing was right in the eyes of David, to become son-in-law unto the king, —and the days had not expired.
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 smote among the Philistines two hundred men, and David brought in their foreskins, and gave them in full tale unto the king, that he might become son-in-law unto the king, and Saul gave him Michal his daughter, to wife.
Why 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, Yahweh, was with David, and that, all Israel, loved him.
And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him.
29 So then Saul went on to fear because of David, yet more, —and it came to pass that Saul was hostile to David, all the days.
And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually.
30 And, when the princes of the Philistines came forth, so it was, that, as often as they came forth, David was more circumspect than any of the servants of Saul, so that his name was, precious exceedingly.
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.

< 1 Samuel 18 >