1 Samuel 18 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Samuel 18
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1 And it comes to pass, when he finishes to speak to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan has been bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loves him as his own soul. 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 And Saul takes him on that day, and has not permitted him to return to the house of his father. 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 And Jonathan makes—David also—a covenant, because he loves him as his own soul, 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 and Jonathan strips himself of the upper robe which [is] on him, and gives it to David, and his long robe, 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 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 And David goes out wherever Saul sends him; he acted wisely, and Saul sets him over the men of war, and it is good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul. 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 And it comes to pass, in their coming in, in David’s returning from striking the Philistine, that the women come out from all the cities of Israel to sing—also the dancers—to meet Saul the king, with tambourines, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments; 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 and the women answer—those playing, and say, “Saul has struck among his thousands, || And David among his myriads.” 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 And it is exceedingly displeasing to Saul, and this thing is evil in his eyes, and he says, “They have given myriads to David, and they have given the thousands to me, and what more [is there] for him but the 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 And Saul is eyeing David from that day and from then on. And Saul eyed David from that day on. And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David.
10 And it comes to pass, on the next day, that the spirit of sadness [from] God prospers over Saul, and he prophesies in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as [he did] day by day, and the javelin [is] in the hand of Saul, 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 and Saul casts the javelin and says, “I strike through David, even through the wall”; and David turns around out of his presence 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 And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for YHWH has been with him, and He has turned aside from 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 and Saul turns him aside from him, and appoints him to himself [for] head of one thousand, and he goes out and comes in, before the people. 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 And David is acting wisely in all his ways, and YHWH [is] 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 and Saul sees that he is acting very wisely, and is 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 and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them. 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 And Saul says to David, “Behold, my elder daughter Merab—I give her to you for a wife; only, be for a son of valor to me, and fight the battles of YHWH”; and Saul said, “Do not let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.” 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 And David says to Saul, “Who [am] I? And what [is] my life—the family of my father in Israel—that I am son-in-law of the king?” 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 And it comes to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she has been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife. 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 And Michal daughter of Saul loves David, and they declare [it] to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes, 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 and Saul says, “I give her to him, and she is for a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines is on him”; and Saul says to David, “By the second—you become my son-in-law today.” 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 And Saul commands his servants, “Speak to David gently, saying, Behold, the king has delighted in you, and all his servants have loved you, and now, be son-in-law of the king.” 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 And the servants of Saul speak these words in the ears of David, and David says, “Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law of the king—and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?” 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 And the servants of Saul declare [it] to him, saying, “David has spoken according to these words.” And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” When Saul’s servants told him what David had said,
25 And Saul says, “Thus you say to David, There is no delight for the king in dowry, but in one hundred foreskins of the Philistines—to be avenged on the enemies of the king”; and Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand 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 And his servants declare these words to David, and the thing is right in the eyes of David, to be son-in-law of the king; and the days have not been full, 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 and David rises and goes, he and his men, and strikes two hundred men among the Philistines, and David brings in their foreskins, and they set them before the king, to be son-in-law of the king; and Saul gives his daughter Michal to him for a 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 And Saul sees and knows that YHWH [is] with David, and Michal daughter of Saul has loved him, 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 and Saul adds to be afraid of the presence of David still; and Saul is an enemy of David [for] all the days. 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 And the princes of the Philistines come out, and it comes to pass from the time of their coming out, David has acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious. 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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