1Samuel 18
18After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king's son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.H3615H1696H7586H5315H3083H7194H5315H1732H3083H157H53152From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn't let him return home.H7586H3947H3117H5414H7725H1H10043And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.H3083H1732H3772H1285H160H53154Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.H3083H6584H4598H5414H1732H4055H2719H7198H22895Whatever 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.H1732H3318H7586H7971H7919H7586H7760H582H4421H3190H5869H5971H5869H7586H56506When 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.H935H1732H7725H5221H6430H802H3318H5892H3478H7891H4246H7125H4428H7586H8596H8057H79917This was their song: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!"H802H6030H7832H559H7586H5221H505H1732H72338This 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!"H7586H3966H2734H1697H3415H5869H559H5414H1732H7233H5414H505H44109So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.H7586H5770H1732H3117H197310The 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,H4283H7451H7307H430H6743H7586H5012H8432H1004H1732H5059H3027H3117H2595H7586H302711and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.H7586H2904H2595H559H5221H1732H7023H1732H5437H6440H647112Saul was then afraid of David, for the LORD was with David and had turned away from Saul.H7586H3372H6440H1732H3068H5493H758613Finally, Saul sent him away and appointed him commander over 1,000 men, and David faithfully led his troops into battle.H7586H5493H7760H8269H505H3318H935H6440H597114David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him.H1732H7919H1870H306815When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him.H7586H7200H7919H3966H7919H1481H644016But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle.H3478H3063H157H1732H3318H935H644017One 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."H7586H559H1732H1419H1323H4764H5414H802H1121H2428H3898H3068H4421H7586H559H3027H3027H643018"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!"H1732H559H7586H2416H1H4940H3478H2860H442819So 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.H6256H4764H7586H1323H5414H1732H5414H5741H4259H80220In the meantime, Saul's daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and Saul was delighted when he heard about it.H4324H7586H1323H157H1732H5046H7586H1697H3474H586921"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!"H7586H559H5414H4170H3027H6430H7586H559H1732H3117H2859H814722Then 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?"H7586H6680H5650H1696H1732H3909H559H4428H2654H5650H157H4428H285923When 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?"H7586H5650H1696H1697H241H1732H1732H559H5869H7043H4428H2859H7326H376H703424When Saul's men reported this back to the king,H5650H7586H5046H559H1697H1696H173225he 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.H7586H559H559H1732H4428H2656H4119H3967H6190H6430H5358H4428H341H7586H2803H1732H5307H3027H643026David was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired,H5650H5046H1732H1697H3474H1697H5869H1732H4428H2859H3117H439027he 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.H1732H6965H3212H582H5221H6430H3967H376H1732H935H6190H4390H4428H4428H2859H7586H5414H4324H1323H80228When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him,H7586H7200H3045H3068H1732H4324H7586H1323H15729Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David's enemy for the rest of his life.H7586H3254H3372H6440H1732H7586H1732H341H311730Every 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.H8269H6430H3318H1767H3318H1732H7919H5650H7586H8034H3966H3365
New Living Translation (NLT). Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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