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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>1 Samuel 18 ESV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/1_samuel/18.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/1_samuel/18-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ESV</a> > 1 Samuel 18</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../1_samuel/17.htm" title="1 Samuel 17">◄</a> 1 Samuel 18 <a href="../1_samuel/19.htm" title="1 Samuel 19">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">English Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/esv/nas/1_samuel/18.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div></a><div class="chap"><p class="heading">David and Jonathan’s Friendship</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>As soon as 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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.</p> <p class="heading">Saul’s Jealousy of David</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments.<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or triangles, or three-stringed instruments">a</a></sup></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>And the women sang to one another as they celebrated,</p><span class="block-indent"><p class="line-group"><span class="ln-group">“Saul has struck down his thousands,</span><br /><span class="indent">and David his ten thousands.”</span></p> <p class="same-paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>And Saul eyed David from that day on.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Saul was afraid of David because the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> was with him but had departed from Saul. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>And David had success in all his undertakings, for the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> was with him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.</p> <p class="heading">David Marries Michal</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time,<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew by two">b</a></sup></span> “You shall now be my son-in-law.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king’s son-in-law.’” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the time had expired, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>But when Saul saw and knew that the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/18-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="footnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">6</span> Or <i>triangles</i>, or <i>three-stringed instruments</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">b</span> <span class="fnverse">21</span> Hebrew <i>by two</i><br /></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">ESV Text Edition® (2016).<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by <a href="http://www.crossway.org/home/esv/">Crossway Bibles</a>, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. 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