1 Samuel 18 - New International Version (NIV)

Saul’s Growing Fear of David

18 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan(A) became one in spirit with David, and he loved(B) him as himself.(C) 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant(D) with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe(E) he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.(F)

5 Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful(G) that Saul gave him a high rank in the army.(H) This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.

6 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,(I) with joyful songs and with timbrels(J) and lyres. 7 As they danced, they sang:(K)

“Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens(L) of thousands.”

8 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?(M)” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a close(N) eye on David.

10 The next day an evil[a] spirit(O) from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre,(P) as he usually(Q) did. Saul had a spear(R) in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself,(S) “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded(T) him twice.(U)

12 Saul was afraid(V) of David, because the Lord(W) was with(X) David but had departed from(Y) Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led(Z) the troops in their campaigns.(AA) 14 In everything he did he had great success,(AB) because the Lord was with(AC) him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.(AD)

17 Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter(AE) Merab. I will give her to you in marriage;(AF) only serve me bravely and fight the battles(AG) of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself,(AH) “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”

18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I,(AI) and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?(AJ)” 19 So[b] when the time came for Merab,(AK) Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.(AL)

20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal(AM) was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.(AN) 21 “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare(AO) 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 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 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?(AP) I’m only a poor man and little known.”

24 When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, 25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price(AQ) for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge(AR) on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan(AS) was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.

26 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 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(AT) in marriage.

28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal(AU) loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid(AV) of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.

30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success(AW) than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:10 Or a harmful
  2. 1 Samuel 18:19 Or However,

Cross references

  1. 1 Samuel 18:1 : 1Sa 19:1; 20:16; 31:2; 2Sa 4:4
  2. 1 Samuel 18:1 : 2Sa 1:26
  3. 1 Samuel 18:1 : S Ge 44:30
  4. 1 Samuel 18:3 : 1Sa 20:8, 16, 17, 42; 22:8; 23:18; 24:21; 2Sa 21:7
  5. 1 Samuel 18:4 : S Ge 41:42
  6. 1 Samuel 18:4 : 2Sa 18:11
  7. 1 Samuel 18:5 : ver 30
  8. 1 Samuel 18:5 : 2Sa 5:2
  9. 1 Samuel 18:6 : S Ex 15:20; 2Sa 1:20
  10. 1 Samuel 18:6 : Ps 68:25
  11. 1 Samuel 18:7 : Ex 15:21
  12. 1 Samuel 18:7 : 1Sa 21:11; 29:5; 2Sa 18:3
  13. 1 Samuel 18:8 : S 1Sa 13:14; 1Sa 15:8
  14. 1 Samuel 18:9 : 1Sa 19:1
  15. 1 Samuel 18:10 : S Jdg 9:23; S 1Sa 16:14
  16. 1 Samuel 18:10 : S 1Sa 10:5
  17. 1 Samuel 18:10 : 1Sa 16:21; 19:7
  18. 1 Samuel 18:10 : S 1Sa 17:6
  19. 1 Samuel 18:11 : ver 25; 1Sa 20:7, 33
  20. 1 Samuel 18:11 : 1Sa 19:10
  21. 1 Samuel 18:11 : Ps 132:1
  22. 1 Samuel 18:12 : ver 29
  23. 1 Samuel 18:12 : 1Sa 16:13
  24. 1 Samuel 18:12 : Jos 1:5; 1Sa 17:37; 20:13; 1Ch 22:11
  25. 1 Samuel 18:12 : S Jdg 16:20
  26. 1 Samuel 18:13 : Nu 27:17
  27. 1 Samuel 18:13 : 2Sa 5:2
  28. 1 Samuel 18:14 : S Ge 39:3
  29. 1 Samuel 18:14 : S Ge 39:2; S Nu 14:43; 2Sa 7:9
  30. 1 Samuel 18:16 : 2Sa 5:2
  31. 1 Samuel 18:17 : 1Sa 17:25
  32. 1 Samuel 18:17 : S Ge 29:26
  33. 1 Samuel 18:17 : S Nu 21:14
  34. 1 Samuel 18:17 : ver 25; 1Sa 20:33
  35. 1 Samuel 18:18 : S Ex 3:11; S 1Sa 9:21
  36. 1 Samuel 18:18 : ver 23
  37. 1 Samuel 18:19 : 2Sa 21:8
  38. 1 Samuel 18:19 : S Jdg 7:22
  39. 1 Samuel 18:20 : ver 28; S Ge 29:26
  40. 1 Samuel 18:20 : ver 29
  41. 1 Samuel 18:21 : S Ex 10:7; S Dt 7:16
  42. 1 Samuel 18:23 : ver 18
  43. 1 Samuel 18:25 : S Ge 34:12
  44. 1 Samuel 18:25 : Ps 8:2; 44:16; Jer 20:10
  45. 1 Samuel 18:25 : S ver 11,S 17; ver 17
  46. 1 Samuel 18:27 : 2Sa 3:14; 6:16
  47. 1 Samuel 18:28 : S ver 20
  48. 1 Samuel 18:29 : ver 12
  49. 1 Samuel 18:30 : ver 5

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18 And it cometh to pass, when he finisheth to speak unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan hath been bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loveth him as his own soul. 2 And Saul taketh him on that day, and hath not permitted him to turn back to the house of his father. 3 And Jonathan maketh -- als...
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1 Samuel 18 - World English Bible (WEB)

18 When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, and wouldn’t let him go home to his father’s house any more. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own ...
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18 By the time David had finished speaking to Saul, Saul’s son Jonathan was bound to David in friendship, and Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. 2 Saul took David into his service on that day and would not let him return to his father’s home. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David becaus...
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1 Samuel 18 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

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1 Samuel 18 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Jonathan’s Covenant with David18 When 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. 2 And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because ...
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1 Samuel 18 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Jonathan’s Covenant with David18 When 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. 2 And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because ...
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1 Samuel 18 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Jonathan’s Covenant with David18 When David[a] had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, becaus...
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1 Samuel 18 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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1 Samuel 18 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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King Saul Is Jealous of David18 When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan became one with the soul of David. Jonathan loved him as himself. 2 Saul took David that day, and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan made an agreement with David, because he ...
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1 Samuel 18 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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1 Samuel 18 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Saul’s growing fear of David18 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him a...
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