1 Samuel 18 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Samuel 18 ▼
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1 David finished talking to Saul. After that, Jonathan became David's closest friend. He loved David as much as [he loved] himself. As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.
2 (From that day on Saul kept David [as his servant] and didn't let him go back to his family.) And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family.
3 So Jonathan made a pledge of mutual loyalty with David because he loved him as much as [he loved] himself. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
4 Jonathan took off the coat he had on and gave it to David along with his battle tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
5 David was successful wherever Saul sent him. Saul put him in charge of the fighting men. This pleased all the people, including Saul's officials. And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.
6 As they arrived, David was returning from a campaign against the Philistines. Women from all of Israel's cities came to meet King Saul. They sang and danced, accompanied by tambourines, joyful music, and triangles. As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres.
7 The women who were celebrating sang, |Saul has defeated thousands but David tens of thousands!| And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
8 Saul became very angry because he considered this saying to be insulting. |To David they credit tens of thousands,| he said, |but to me they credit [only] a few thousand. The only thing left for David is my kingdom.| And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?”
9 From that day on Saul kept an eye on David. And Saul eyed David from that day on. And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David.
10 The next day an evil spirit from God seized Saul. He began to prophesy in his house while David strummed a tune on the lyre as he did every day. Now, Saul had a spear in his hand. The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand
11 He raised the spear and thought, |I'll nail David to the wall.| But David got away from him twice. And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice. and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul. Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.
13 So he kept David away. He made David captain of a regiment. David led the troops out [to battle] and back again. So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns.
14 He was successful in everything he undertook because the LORD was with him. And David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him. In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him.
15 Saul noticed how very successful he was and became [even more] afraid of him. And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him.
16 Everyone in Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in and out [of battle]. But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.
17 Finally, Saul said to David, |Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife if you prove yourself to be a warrior for me and fight the LORD's battles.| (Saul thought, |I must not lay a hand on him. Let the Philistines do that.|) Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the LORD.” For Saul said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”
18 |Who am I?| David asked Saul. |And how important are my relatives or my father's family in Israel that I should be the king's son-in-law?| And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”
19 But when the time came to give Saul's daughter Merab to David, she was married to Adriel from Meholah. But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife. So when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
20 However, Saul's daughter Michal fell in love with David. When Saul was told about it, the news pleased him. Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.
21 Saul thought, |I'll give her to David. She will trap him, and the Philistines will get him.| So he said to David a second time, |You will now be my son-in-law.| Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
22 Saul ordered his officers, |Talk to David in private. Tell him, 'The king likes you, and all his officers are fond of you. Become the king's son-in-law.'| And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king’s son-in-law.’” Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’”
23 When Saul's officers made it a point to say this, David asked, |Do you think it's easy to become the king's son-in-law? I am a poor and unimportant person.| And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
24 When the officers told Saul what David had said, And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” When Saul’s servants told him what David had said,
25 Saul replied, |Tell David, 'The king doesn't want any payment for the bride except 100 Philistine foreskins so that he can get revenge on his enemies.' | In this way Saul planned to have David fall into the hands of the Philistines. Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
26 When his officers told David this, David concluded that it was acceptable to become the king's son-in-law. Before the time was up, And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the time had expired, When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed,
27 David and his men went out and struck down 200 Philistines. David brought the foreskins, and they counted them out for the king so that David could become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal as his wife. David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
28 Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David. But when Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,
29 Then Saul was even more afraid of David, and so Saul became David's constant enemy. Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually. Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
30 The Philistine generals still went out [to fight Israel]. But whenever they went out [to fight], David was more successful than the rest of Saul's officers. So David gained a good reputation. Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed. The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.
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