1 Samuel 18
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1After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.1When David finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan became a close friend to David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
2From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home.2Saul took David that day and did not let him return to his father's house.
3And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.3Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as he loved himself.
4Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.4Jonathan took off the robe that he had on and gave it to David, along with his coat, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
5Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. So Saul made him a commander over the men of war, an appointment that was welcomed by the people and Saul’s officers alike.5David went out and was successful everywhere Saul sent him, and Saul put him in charge of the troops. This pleased the entire army, as well as Saul's officials.
6When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals.6When David returned from defeating the Philistine, as they were entering the city, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul, singing and dancing as they joyously played tambourines and lyres.
7This was their song: “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”7As the women sang and played, they said, "Saul has struck down his thousands but David his ten thousands."
8This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!”8Saul was very angry and he did not like what the women sang. He told himself, "They have attributed tens of thousands to David, but to me they have attributed thousands. What else can he have but the kingdom?"
9So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.9From then on Saul kept his eye on David.
10The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand,10The next day, while David was playing the lyre as he had before, the evil spirit from the LORD attacked Saul, and he began to rave inside the house with a spear in his hand.
11and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.11Saul hurled it, thinking, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David escaped from him twice.
12Saul was then afraid of David, for the LORD was with David and had turned away from Saul.12Now Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him and had departed from Saul.
13Finally, Saul sent him away and appointed him commander over 1,000 men, and David faithfully led his troops into battle.13Saul removed David from his presence and made him an officer over a division of soldiers. So David led the troops in battle.
14David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him.14David was successful in all that he did, for the LORD was with him.
15When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him.15When Saul saw that David was highly successful, he feared him.
16But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle. David Marries Saul’s Daughter16But all Israel and Judah loved David because he led them in battle.
17One day Saul said to David, “I am ready to give you my older daughter, Merab, as your wife. But first you must prove yourself to be a real warrior by fighting the LORD’s battles.” For Saul thought, “I’ll send him out against the Philistines and let them kill him rather than doing it myself.”17Saul told David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I'll give her to you as a wife. Just be an excellent soldier for me and fight the LORD's battles." Now Saul told himself, "I won't harm him myself. Instead, I'll let the Philistines harm him."
18“Who am I, and what is my family in Israel that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” David exclaimed. “My father’s family is nothing!”18David told Saul, "Who 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 when the time came for Saul to give his daughter Merab in marriage to David, he gave her instead to Adriel, a man from Meholah.19And when the time came to give Saul's daughter Merab to David, she was given as a wife to Adriel of Meholah.
20In the meantime, Saul’s daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and Saul was delighted when he heard about it.20Saul's daughter Michal loved David. Saul was informed of this and he liked the idea.
21“Here’s another chance to see him killed by the Philistines!” Saul said to himself. But to David he said, “Today you have a second chance to become my son-in-law!”21Saul told himself, "I'll give her to him and she can be a snare to him and the Philistines will harm him." So Saul told David, "For a second time you can be my son-in-law today."
22Then Saul told his men to say to David, “The king really likes you, and so do we. Why don’t you accept the king’s offer and become his son-in-law?”22Saul commanded his officials, "Speak with David privately and say, 'Look, the king delights in you, and all his officials love you. Now become the king's son-in-law.'"
23When Saul’s men said these things to David, he replied, “How can a poor man from a humble family afford the bride price for the daughter of a king?”23Saul's officials delivered this message to David, and he asked, "Is becoming the king's son-in-law an unimportant thing to you? I'm a poor and unimportant man."
24When Saul’s men reported this back to the king,24Saul's officials reported to him: "This is what David said."
25he told them, “Tell David that all I want for the bride price is 100 Philistine foreskins! Vengeance on my enemies is all I really want.” But what Saul had in mind was that David would be killed in the fight.25Saul said, "This is what you are to tell David, 'The king desires no bride price except 100 Philistine foreskins to take vengeance on the king's enemies.'" Now Saul thought he would cause David to die at the hand of the Philistines.
26David was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired,26When his officials delivered this message to David, David decided it would be a good thing to become the king's son-in-law. Before the time was up,
27he and his men went out and killed 200 Philistines. Then David fulfilled the king’s requirement by presenting all their foreskins to him. So Saul gave his daughter Michal to David to be his wife.27David got up, went out with his men, and struck down 200 Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and gave them all to the king so he could become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife.
28When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him,28As Saul continued to observe, he realized that the LORD was with David and that Saul's daughter Michal loved him.
29Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life.29Then Saul was even more afraid of David, and Saul was David's enemy from that time on.
30Every time the commanders of the Philistines attacked, David was more successful against them than all the rest of Saul’s officers. So David’s name became very famous.30The Philistine commanders would go out to fight and whenever they did, David was more successful than any of Saul's other leaders. His name was held in high esteem.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.
1 Samuel 17
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