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.1After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.
2From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home.2From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family.
3And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.3And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as 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 he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even 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.5Whatever 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.
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 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.
7This was their song: “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”7As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and 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 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?"
9So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.9And from that time on Saul kept a close 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 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
11and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.11and he hurled it, saying to himself, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David eluded 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 departed from Saul.
13Finally, Saul sent him away and appointed him commander over 1,000 men, and David faithfully led his troops into battle.13So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns.
14David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him.14In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him.
15When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him.15When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of 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 their campaigns.
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 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, 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!”18But 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?"
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.19So when the time came for Merab, Saul's daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage 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.20Now Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.
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 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."
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?”22Then 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.'"
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?”23They 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."
24When Saul’s men reported this back to the king,24When Saul's servants told him what David had 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 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.
26David was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired,26When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed,
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 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.
28When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him,28When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,
29Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life.29Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
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 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.
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.New International Version (NIV)

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1 Samuel 17
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