1 Samuel · Majority Standard Bible
1 Samuel 18 Majority Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
1 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 And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house.
2 Saul took him that day, and wouldn’t let him go home to his father’s house any more.
3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash.
5 So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.
5 David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely; and Saul set him over the men of war. It was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
6 As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.
6 As they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.
7 And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
7 The women sang to one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
8 And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”
8 Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have credited David with ten thousands, and they have only credited me with thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?”
9 And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
9 Saul watched David from that day and forward.
10 The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear,
10 On the next day, an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand;
11 and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
11 and Saul threw the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” David escaped from his presence twice.
12 So Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.
12 Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him, and had departed from Saul.
13 Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,
13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.
14 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Yahweh was with him.
15 When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.
15 When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was leading them out to battle and back.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
17 Saul said to David, “Behold, my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh’s battles.” For Saul said, “Don’t let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.”
18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?”
18 David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?”
19 So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
19 But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
20 Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 “I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be my son-in-law.”
21 Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall today be my son-in-law.”
22 Then Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become his son-in-law.’”
22 Saul commanded his servants, “Talk with David secretly, and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore be the king’s son-in-law.’”
23 But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”
23 Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and little known?”
24 And the servants told Saul what David had said.
24 The servants of Saul told him, saying, “David spoke like this.”
25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.
25 Saul said, “Tell David, ‘The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought he would make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26 When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,
26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the deadline,
27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.
27 David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife.
28 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,
28 Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David; and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him.
29 he grew even more afraid of David. So from then on Saul was David’s enemy.
29 Saul was even more afraid of David; and Saul was David’s enemy continually.
30 Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers, so that his name was highly esteemed.
30 Then the princes of the Philistines went out; and as often as they went out, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Adriel
Adriel of Meholah, son of Barzillai the Meholathite, who received Saul's daughter Merab in marriage and fathered five sons who were handed over to the Gibeonites.
Cited in the guide: 1 Samuel 18:19; 2 Samuel 21:8
David
The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6
Jonathan
Saul's noble son and David's devoted friend, who died beside his father at Gilboa.
Cited in the guide: 1 Samuel 14; 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 2 Samuel 1
Merab
Saul's firstborn daughter, offered to David in marriage but given to Adriel of Meholah; five sons she bore to Adriel were later handed over to the Gibeonites (some manuscripts…
Cited in the guide: 1 Samuel 14:49; 1 Samuel 18:17; 1 Samuel 18:19
Michal
Saul's daughter who loved David and became his first wife amid her father's schemes.
Cited in the guide: 1 Samuel 18:20-27; 2 Samuel 6:16-23
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 18:24; 1 Samuel 20:17; 2 Samuel 1:26; 1 Samuel 18:3; Colossians 2:2
- 2 1 Samuel 17:15; 1 Samuel 16:21–23
- 3 1 Samuel 20:42; 1 Samuel 20:8–17; 2 Samuel 21:7; 2 Samuel 9:1–3; 1 Samuel 23:18
- 4 Genesis 41:42; Esther 6:8–9; Isaiah 61:10; Luke 15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21
- 5 1 Samuel 18:30; 1 Samuel 18:14–15; Colossians 4:5; Acts 7:10; Ephesians 5:17
- 6 Judges 11:34; Exodus 15:20; Psalm 68:25; Jeremiah 31:11–13
- 7 1 Samuel 21:11; Exodus 15:21; 1 Samuel 29:5; Psalm 24:7–8
- 8 1 Samuel 15:28; Proverbs 13:10; Esther 3:5; James 4:5; 1 Samuel 20:31
- 9 Ephesians 4:27; James 5:9; Genesis 4:5–6; Genesis 31:2; Matthew 20:15
- 10 2 Thessalonians 2:11; 1 Kings 18:29; 1 Samuel 19:9; Acts 16:16; 1 Samuel 16:14–16
- 11 1 Samuel 20:33; Isaiah 54:17; John 8:59; Psalm 37:32–33; Luke 4:30
- 12 1 Samuel 18:15; 1 Samuel 18:29; 1 Samuel 16:13–14; 1 Samuel 28:15; 1 Samuel 16:18
- 13 2 Samuel 5:2; Psalm 121:8; 1 Samuel 18:16–17; 1 Samuel 22:7; 1 Samuel 8:12
- 14 Genesis 39:23; Joshua 6:27; 1 Samuel 16:18; Matthew 28:20; Genesis 39:2–3
- 15 Colossians 4:5; Daniel 6:4–5; Psalm 112:5; James 1:5; James 3:17
- 16 1 Samuel 18:5; 2 Samuel 5:2; 1 Kings 3:7; Numbers 27:17; Luke 20:19
- 17 1 Samuel 17:25; 1 Samuel 18:25; 1 Samuel 25:28; 1 Samuel 18:21; 1 Samuel 17:47
- 18 2 Samuel 7:18; 1 Samuel 9:21; 1 Samuel 18:23; Exodus 3:11; Ruth 2:10
- 19 Judges 7:22; 2 Samuel 21:8; Judges 14:20
- 20 1 Samuel 18:28
- 21 1 Samuel 18:17; Jeremiah 9:8; 1 Samuel 18:26; Exodus 10:7; 1 Samuel 19:11–12
- 22 Psalm 55:21; Psalm 36:1–3; 2 Samuel 13:28–29; Proverbs 29:12
- 23 Proverbs 14:20; Ecclesiastes 9:15–16; 1 John 3:1; Proverbs 19:6–7; Psalm 119:141
- 25 1 Samuel 14:24; 1 Samuel 18:17; Genesis 34:12; Exodus 22:16–17; Genesis 17:11–14
- 26 1 Samuel 18:21
- 27 2 Samuel 3:14; 1 Samuel 18:13; Judges 14:19
- 28 Genesis 39:3; 1 Samuel 26:25; Revelation 3:9; 1 Samuel 24:20; Genesis 37:8–11
- 29 Ecclesiastes 4:4; 1 John 3:12–15; James 2:19; 1 Samuel 18:12; Psalm 37:12–14
- 30 2 Samuel 11:1; 1 Samuel 18:5; Ephesians 5:15; Daniel 1:20; Psalm 119:99
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For when he was Saul, his name was derived from Saul: now Saul was a proud king; and in his reign he persecuted the humble David. So when he who was afterwards Paul, was Saul, he was proud, at that time a persecutor of the innocent, at that time a waster of the Church.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)