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 had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan was bound to David in close friendship, and loved him as much as he loved himself.
2From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home.2Saul kept David with him from that day on 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 much as himself.
4Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.4Then Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his military tunic, 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 marched out with the army and was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul put him in command of the fighting men, which pleased all the people and Saul's servants as well.
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.6As the troops were coming back, when David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments.
7This was their song: “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”7As they danced, the women sang: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of 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 furious and resented this song. "They credited tens of thousands to David," he complained, "but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?"
9So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.9So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.
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 an evil spirit sent from God came powerfully on Saul, and he began to rave inside the palace. David was playing the lyre as usual, but Saul was holding a spear,
11and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.11and he threw it, thinking, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David got away from him twice.
12Saul was then afraid of David, for the LORD was with David and had turned away from Saul.12Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul.
13Finally, Saul sent him away and appointed him commander over 1,000 men, and David faithfully led his troops into battle.13Therefore, Saul sent David away from him and made him commander over a thousand men. David led the troops
14David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him.14and continued to be successful in all his activities because the LORD was with him.
15When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him.15When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded 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 was leading their troops.
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 oldest daughter Merab. I'll give her to you as a wife, if you will be a warrior for me and fight the LORD's battles." But Saul was thinking, "I don't need to raise a hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against 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!”18Then David responded, "Who am I, and what is my family or my father's clan in Israel that I should become 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.19When it was time to give Saul's daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.
20In the meantime, Saul’s daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and Saul was delighted when he heard about it.20Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David, and when it was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
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!”21"I'll give her to him," Saul thought. "She'll be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him." So Saul said to David a second time, "You can now be my son-in-law."
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 then ordered his servants, "Speak to David in private and tell him, 'Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Therefore, you should 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 servants reported these words directly to David, but he replied, "Is it trivial in your sight to become the king's son-in-law? I am a poor commoner."
24When Saul’s men reported this back to the king,24The servants reported back to Saul, "These are the words David spoke."
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.25Then Saul replied, "Say this to David: 'The king desires no other bride-price except a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.'" Actually, Saul intended to cause David's death at the hands of the Philistines.
26David was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired,26When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,
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 and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as full payment to the king to become his son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David as his wife.
28When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him,28Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him,
29Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life.29and he became even more afraid of David. As a result, Saul was David's enemy from then 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.30Every time the Philistine commanders came out to fight, David was more successful than all of Saul's officers. So his name became well known.
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 Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
1 Samuel 17
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