NASB — 1 Samuel 18 — KJV

Jonathan and David

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] Iprospered°; 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°.

[1] aGn 44:30 bDt 13:6; 1S 20:17; 2S 1:26
[2] a1S 17:15
[3] a1S 20:8-17
[4] aGn 41:42; 1S 17:38; Es 6:8
[5] IOr acted wisely

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 Imusical° instruments°. 7 The women° asang° as they Iplayed°, and said°,
  “bSaul° has slain° his thousands°,
  cAnd David° his ten° thousands°.”
8 Then Saul° became° very° angry°, for this° saying° Idispleased°° 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.

[6] II.e. triangles; or three-stringed instruments aEx 15:20, 21; Jg 11:34; Ps 68:25; 149:3
[7] IOr danced aEx 15:21; 1S 21:11; 29:5 b1S 21:11 c2S 18:3
[8] ILit was evil in his eyes a1S 15:28

Saul Turns against David

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°, Icas usual°; and IIda spear° [was] in Saul’s° hand°. 11 aSaul° hurled° the spear° for he thought°, “I will Ipin° David° to the wall°.” But David° IIescaped° from his presence° twice°.

[10] ILit day by day IILit the a1S 16:14 b1S 19:23, 24 c1S 16:23 d1S 19:9
[11] ILit strike David and the wall IILit turned about a1S 19:10; 20:33

12 ¶ Now aSaul° was afraid° of David°, bfor the LORD° was with him but chad departed° from Saul°. 13 Therefore Saul° removed° him from Ihis presence° and appointed° him as his commander° of a thousand°; and ahe went° out and came° in before° the people°. 14 David° was Iprospering° in all° his ways° for athe LORD° [was] with him. 15 When Saul° saw° that he was Iprospering° greatly°, he dreaded° him. 16 But aall° Israel° and Judah° loved° David°, and he went° out and came° in before° them.

[12] a1S 18:15, 29 b1S 16:13, 18 c1S 16:14; 28:15
[13] ILit with him aNu 27:17; 1S 18:16; 2S 5:2
[14] IOr acting wisely aGn 39:2, 3, 23; Jsh 6:27; 1S 16:18
[15] IOr acting very wisely
[16] a1S 18:5

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 LORDS° 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°.

[17] a1S 17:25 bNu 21:14; 1S 17:36, 47; 25:28 c1S 18:21, 25
[18] a1S 9:21; 18:23; 2S 7:18
[19] a2S 21:8 bJg 7:22; 1K 19:16

David Marries Saul’s Daughter

20 ¶ Now aMichal°, Saul’s° daughter°, loved° David°. When they told° Saul°, the thing° was agreeable° Ito 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° Ito 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°?” 24 The servants° of Saul° reported° to him Iaccording to these° words° [which] David° spoke°. 25 Saul° 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°. 26 When his servants° told° David° these° words°, Iit pleased°° David° to become° the king’s° son-in-law°. IIaBefore the days° had expired° 27 David° 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°. 28 When Saul° saw° and knew° that the LORD° was with David°, and [that] Michal°, Saul’s° daughter°, loved° him, 29 then Saul° was even° more°° afraid° of David°. Thus Saul° was David’s° enemy° continually°°.

[20] ILit in his sight a1S 18:28
[21] a1S 18:17 b1S 18:26
[23] ILit in the ears of aGn 29:20; 34:12
[24] ILit by saying according
[25] aGn 34:12; Ex 22:17 b1S 14:24 c1S 18:17
[26] ILit it was agreeable in the sight of IILit And the days had not expired a1S 18:21
[27] a1S 18:17 b2S 3:14

30 ¶ Then 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°.

[30] a2S 11:1 b1S 18:5


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Jonathan loveth David.

1 ¶ And it came to pass,² when he had made an endºª of speakingºª unto² Saul,º that the soulº of Jonathanº was knitºª with the soulº of David,º and Jonathanº lovedºª him as his own soul.º 2 And Saulº tookºª him that² day,º and would letºª him go no more homeºª² to his father'sº house.º 3 Then Jonathanº and Davidº madeºª a covenant,º because he loved¹² him as his own soul.º 4 And Jonathanº stripped¹ª himself² of² the robeº that² [was] upon² him, and gaveºª it to David,º and his garments,º even to² his sword,º and to² his bow,º and to² his girdle.¹²

[1] Gn 44:30; Dt 13:6; Jg 20:11; 1S 14:1, 45; 18:3; 19:2; 20:17; 2S 1:26; 1Ch 12:17; Ps 86:11; Pv 18:24; Col 2:2.
[2] 1S 16:21; 17:15.
[3] 1S 20:8, 42; 23:18; 2S 9:1; 21:7.
[4] Gn 41:42; Es 6:8; Is 61:10; Lk 15:22; 2Co 5:21; Php 2:7.

Saul envieth his praise,

5 ¶ And Davidº went outºª whithersoever²² Saulº sentºª him, [and] behaved himself wisely:ºª and Saulº setºª him over² the men¹² of war,º and he was acceptedºª in the sightº of all² the people,º and also² in the sightº of Saul'sº servants.º 6 And it came to pass² as they came,ºª when Davidº was returnedºª from the slaughterºª² of² the Philistine,º that the womenº came outºª of all²² citiesº of Israel,º singingºª and dancing,º to meetºª kingº Saul,º with tabrets,º with joy,º and with instruments¹ of musick.² 7 And the womenº answeredºª [one another] as they played,ºª and said,ºª Saulº hath slainºª his thousands,º and Davidº his ten thousands.º 8 And Saulº was veryº wroth,ºª and the² sayingº displeasedººª him; and he said,ºª They have ascribedºª unto Davidº ten thousands,º and to me they have ascribedºª [but] thousands:º and [what] can he have more² but² the kingdom?º 9 And Saulº eyedºª² Davidº from that dayº²² and forward.º

[5] Gn 39:2, 23; 1S 13:2; 14:52; 18:14, 30; Ps 1:3; Mt 10:16; Ac 7:10; Ep 5:17; Col 4:5.
[6] Ex 15:20; Jg 11:34; Ps 68:25; Jr 31:11.
[7] Ex 15:21; 1S 21:11; 29:5; Ps 24:7.
[8] Nu 11:1; 22:34; 1S 13:14; 15:28; 16:13; 20:31; 1K 2:22; Es 3:5; Pv 13:10; 27:4; Ec 4:4; Jm 4:5.
[9] Gn 4:5; 31:2; Mt 20:15; Mk 7:22; Ep 4:27; Jm 5:9.

seeketh to kill him in his fury,

10 ¶ And it came to pass² on the morrow,º² that the evilº spiritº from Godº cameºª upon² Saul,º and he prophesiedºª in the midstº of the house:º and Davidº playedºª with his hand,º as at other times:º and [there was] a javelinº in Saul'sº hand.º 11 And Saulº castºª² the javelin;º for he said,ºª I will smiteºª Davidº even to the wallº [with it]. And Davidº avoided² out¹ª of his presenceº² twice.º

[10] 1S 16:14, 16, 23; 19:9, 24; 26:19; 1K 18:29; 22:12, 20; Jr 28:2, 11; 29:26; Zc 13:2; Ac 16:16; 2Th 2:11.
[11] 1S 19:9; 20:33; Ps 37:32; Pv 27:4; Is 54:17; Lk 4:30; Jn 8:59; 10:39.

feareth him for his good success,

12 ¶ And Saulº was afraidºª ofº² David,º because² the LORDº was² with² him, and was departedºª from²² Saul.º 13 Therefore Saulº removedºª him from²² him, and madeºª him his captainº over a thousand;º and he went outºª and came inºª beforeº the people.º 14 And Davidº behaved himself wiselyºª in all² his ways;º and the LORDº [was] with² him. 15 Wherefore when Saulº sawºª that² he² behaved¹ª himself very¹ wisely,ºª² he was afraidºª ofº² him. 16 But all² Israelº and Judahº lovedºª² David,º because² he² went outºª and came inºª beforeº them.

[12] 1S 16:4, 13, 14, 18; 18:15, 20, 29; 22:13; 28:15; Ps 48:3; 51:11; 53:5; Ho 9:12; Mt 25:41; Mk 6:20; Lk 8:37; Ac 7:9; 24:25.
[13] Nu 27:16; 1S 8:12; 18:16, 17, 25; 22:7; 2S 5:2; Ps 121:8.
[14] Gn 39:2, 23; Jsh 6:27; 1S 10:7; 16:18; 18:5; Mt 1:23; 28:20; Ac 18:10.
[15] Ps 112:5; Dn 6:4; Col 4:5; Jm 1:5; 3:17.
[16] Nu 27:17; 1S 18:5; 2S 5:2; 1K 3:7; Lk 19:48; 20:19.

offereth him his daughters for a snare.

17 ¶ And Saulº saidºª to² David,º Behold² my elderº daughterº Merab,º her will I giveºª thee to wife:º only² be² thou valiantºº for me, and fightºª the LORD'Sº battles.º For Saulº said,ºª Let not² mine handº be² upon him, but let the handº of the Philistinesº be² upon him. 18 And Davidº saidºª unto² Saul,º Who² [am] I?² and what² [is] my life,º [or] my father'sº familyº in Israel,º that² I should be² son in lawº to the king?º 19 But it came to pass² at the timeº when² Merabº Saul'sº daughterº should have been givenºª to David,º that she² was givenºª unto Adrielº the Meholathiteº to wife.º 20 And Michalº Saul'sº daughterº lovedºª² David:º and they toldºª Saul,º and the thingº pleasedººª him. 21 And Saulº said,ºª I will giveºª him her, that she may be² a snareº to him, and that the handº of the Philistinesº may be² against him. Wherefore Saulº saidºª to² David,º Thou shalt this dayº be my son in law¹ª² in [the one of] the twain.º

[17] Nu 32:20, 27, 29; Dt 17:7; 1S 17:25, 47; 18:21, 25; 25:28; 2S 11:15; 12:9; Ps 12:2; 55:21.
[18] Ex 3:11; Ru 2:10; 1S 9:21; 18:23; 2S 7:18; Pv 15:33; 18:12; Jr 1:6.
[19] Jg 7:22; 14:20; 2S 21:8.
[20] Gn 29:18, 20; 34:3; Jg 4:1; 15:1; 16:1; 1S 18:28; 2S 1:1; 13:1; 1K 1:1; 2:1; 11:1; Ho 2:1; 3:1.
[21] Ex 10:7; 1S 18:17, 26; 19:11; Ps 7:14; 38:12; Pv 26:24; 29:5; Jr 5:26; 9:8.

David persuadeth to be the king's son in law, giveth two hundred foreskins of the Philistines for Michal's dowry.

22 ¶ And Saulº commandedºª² his servants,º [saying], Communeºª with² Davidº secretly,º and say,ºª Behold,² the kingº hath delightºª in thee, and all² his servantsº loveºª thee: now² therefore be the king'sº son in law.¹ª² 23 And Saul'sº servantsº spakeºª² those² wordsº in the earsº of David.º And Davidº said,ºª Seemethº it to you [a] lightºª [thing] to be a king'sº son in law,¹ª² seeing that I² [am] a poorºª man,º and lightly esteemed?ºª 24 And the servantsº of Saulº toldºª him, saying,ºª On this² mannerº spakeºª David.º 25 And Saulº said,ºª Thus² shall ye sayºª to David,º The kingº desirethº not² any dowry,º but² an hundredº foreskinsº of the Philistines,º to be avengedºª of the king'sº enemies.ºª But Saulº thoughtºª to make² Davidº fallºª by the handº of the Philistines.º 26 And when his servantsº toldºª Davidº² these² words,º it pleasedºººª Davidº well to be the king'sº son in law:¹ª² and the daysº were not² expired.ºª 27 Wherefore Davidº aroseºª and went,¹ª² he² and his men,¹² and slewºª of the Philistinesº two hundredº men;º and Davidº broughtºª² their foreskins,º and they gave them in full taleºª to the king,º that he might be the king'sº son in law.¹ª² And Saulº gaveºª him² Michalº his daughterº to wife.º

[22] 2S 13:28; Ps 36:1; 55:21; Pv 29:12.
[23] 1S 9:21; Ps 119:141; Pv 14:20; 19:6; Ec 9:15; 1Jn 3:1.
[24] 1S 18:24.
[25] Gn 17:11; 29:18; 34:12; Ex 22:16; Jsh 5:3; 1S 14:24; 17:26, 36; 18:17; 2S 17:8.
[26] 1S 18:21.
[27] Jg 14:19; 1S 18:13; 2S 3:14.

Saul's hatred, and David's glory increaseth.

28 ¶ And Saulº sawºª and knewºª that² the LORDº [was] with² David,º and [that] Michalº Saul'sº daughterº lovedºª him. 29 And Saulº was yet² the moreºª afraidºª ofº² David;º and Saulº became²² David'sº enemyºª continually.º² 30 Then the princesº of the Philistinesº went forth:ºª and it came to pass,² after¹²² they went forth,ºª [that] Davidº behaved himself more wiselyºª than all²² the servantsº of Saul;º so that his nameº was muchº set by.ºª

[28] Gn 30:27; 37:8; 39:3; 1S 24:20; 26:25; Rv 3:9.
[29] Gn 4:4; 1S 18:12, 15; Ps 37:12; Ec 4:4; Jn 11:53; Jm 2:19; 1Jn 3:12.
[30] 1S 2:30; 18:5; 26:21; 2S 11:1; 2K 1:13; Ps 116:15; 119:99; Dn 1:20; Lk 21:15; Ep 5:15; 1P 2:4, 7.


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