1 Samuel · Young's Literal Translation
1 Samuel 18 Young's Literal Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 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.
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 Saul taketh him on that day, and hath not permitted him to turn back to the house of his father.
2 Saul took him that day, and wouldn’t let him go home to his father’s house any more.
3 And Jonathan maketh — also David — a covenant, because he loveth him as his own soul,
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 and Jonathan strippeth himself of the upper robe which [is] upon him, and giveth it to David, and his long robe, even unto his sword, and unto his bow, and unto his girdle.
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 And David goeth out whithersoever Saul doth send him; he acted wisely, and Saul setteth 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.
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 And it cometh to pass, in their coming in, in David's returning from smiting the Philistine, that the women come out from all the cities of Israel to sing — also the dancers — to meet Saul the king, with tabrets, with joy, and with three-stringed 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 the women answer — those playing, and say, 'Saul hath smitten among his thousands, And David among his myriads.'
7 The women sang to one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
8 And it is displeasing to Saul exceedingly, and this thing is evil in his eyes, and he saith, 'They have given to David myriads, and to me they have given the thousands, and more to him [is] only 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 Saul is eyeing David from that day and thenceforth.
9 Saul watched David from that day and forward.
10 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the spirit of sadness [from] God prospereth over Saul, and he prophesieth in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as day by day, and the javelin [is] in the hand of Saul,
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 Saul casteth the javelin, and saith, 'I smite through David, even through the wall;' and David turneth round out of his presence twice.
11 and Saul threw the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” David escaped from his presence twice.
12 And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for Jehovah hath been with him, and from Saul He hath turned aside;
12 Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him, and had departed from Saul.
13 and Saul turneth him aside from him, and appointeth him to himself head of a thousand, and he goeth out an cometh in, before the people.
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 David is in all his ways acting wisely, and Jehovah [is] with him,
14 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Yahweh was with him.
15 and Saul seeth that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him,
15 When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
16 and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
17 And Saul saith unto David, 'Lo, my elder daughter Merab — her I give to thee for a wife; only, be to me for a son of valour, and fight the battles of Jehovah;' and Saul said, 'Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon 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 saith unto Saul, 'Who [am] I? and what my life — the family of my father in Israel — that I am son-in-law to 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 And it cometh to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she hath been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
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 And Michal daughter of Saul loveth David, and they declare to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes,
20 Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 and Saul saith, 'I give her to him, and she is to him for a snare, and the hand of the Philistines is on him;' and Saul saith unto David, 'By the second — thou dost become my son-in-law to-day.'
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 And Saul commandeth his servants, 'Speak unto David gently, saying, Lo, the king hath delighted in thee, and all his servants have loved thee, and now, be son-in-law to the king.'
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 And the servants of Saul speak in the ears of David these words, and David saith, 'Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king — and I 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 of Saul declare to him, saying, 'According to these words hath David spoken.'
24 The servants of Saul told him, saying, “David spoke like this.”
25 And Saul saith, 'Thus do ye say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a 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.
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 And his servants declare to David these words, and the thing is right in the eyes of David, to be son-in-law to the king; and the days have not been full,
26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the deadline,
27 and David riseth and goeth, he and his men, and smiteth among the Philistines two hundred men, and David bringeth in their foreskins, and they set them before the king, to be son-in-law to the king; and Saul giveth to him Michal his daughter for a wife.
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 And Saul seeth and knoweth that Jehovah [is] with David, and Michal daughter of Saul hath loved him,
28 Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David; and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him.
29 and Saul addeth to be afraid of the presence of David yet; and Saul is an enemy with David all the days.
29 Saul was even more afraid of David; and Saul was David’s enemy continually.
30 And the princes of the Philistines come out, and it cometh to pass from the time of their coming out, David hath acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious.
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)