1 Samuel 18

David and Jonathan's Friendship

1 As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan d loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day e and would not let him return to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because d he loved him as his own soul. 4 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. 5 And David went out f 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.

Saul's Jealousy of David

6 As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, g 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. 1

7 And the women h sang to one another as they celebrated,
i "Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands."

8 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 j the kingdom?" 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.

10 The next day k a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and l he raved within his house while David was m playing the lyre, as he did day by day. n Saul had his spear in his hand. 11 And Saul o hurled the spear, for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David evaded him twice.

12 p Saul was afraid of David because q the Lord was with him r but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. s And he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David t had success in all his undertakings, q for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that t he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 u But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

David Marries Michal

17 Then Saul said to David, "Here is v my elder daughter Merab. w I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me x and fight the Lord's battles." For Saul thought, "Let not my hand be against him, y but let the hand of the Philistines be against him." 18 And David said to Saul, z "Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father's clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?" 19 But at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to a Adriel the b Meholathite for a wife.

20 Now v Saul's daughter Michal c loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, "Let me give her to him, that she may d be a snare for him e and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David a second time, 2 f "You shall now be my son-in-law." 22 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.'" 23 And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, g "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?" 24 And the servants of Saul told him, "Thus and so did David speak." 25 Then Saul said, "Thus shall you say to David, 'The king desires no h bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, i that he may be avenged of the king's enemies.'" j Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. k Before the time had expired, 27 David arose and went, l along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. m 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. 28 But when Saul saw and knew that n the Lord was with David, o and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.

30 p Then the princes of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out q David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.

  1. Cross References
    1 Samuel 20:17
    And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
    Deuteronomy 13:6
    If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which neither you nor your fathers have known.
    1 Samuel 19:2
    And Jonathan told David, "Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself.
    2 Samuel 1:26
    I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 17:15
    But David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:1
    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.
  4. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:14 - 15
    And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him.
    1 Samuel 18:30
    Then the princes 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.
  5. Cross References
    Exodus 15:20
    Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.
    Judges 11:34
    Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter.
  6. Cross References
    Exodus 15:21
    And Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
  7. Cross References
    1 Samuel 21:11
    And the servants of Achish said to him, "Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?
    1 Samuel 29:5
    Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?
  8. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:28
    And Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.
  9. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:14
    Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.
    Judges 9:23
    And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech.
  10. Cross References
    1 Samuel 19:23 - 24
    And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
    1 Kings 18:29
    And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
    Acts 16:16
    As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
  11. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:16
    Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.
  12. Cross References
    1 Samuel 19:9
    Then a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre.
  13. Cross References
    1 Samuel 19:10
    And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
    1 Samuel 20:33
    But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.
  14. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:15
    And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him.
    1 Samuel 18:29
    Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.
  15. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:28
    But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.
    1 Samuel 16:18
    One of the young men answered, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.
  16. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:14
    Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.
    1 Samuel 28:15
    Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Saul answered, "I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.
  17. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:16
    But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
    Numbers 27:17
    Who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.
    2 Samuel 5:2
    In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, 'You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.'
  18. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:5
    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.
  19. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:12
    Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.
  20. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:14
    And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him.
  21. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:5
    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.
  22. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:49
    Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.
  23. Cross References
    1 Samuel 17:25
    And the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel.
  24. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:28
    Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.
  25. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:21
    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, "You shall now be my son-in-law.
    1 Samuel 18:25
    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.
  26. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:23
    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?
    2 Samuel 7:18
    Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?
  27. Cross References
    2 Samuel 21:8
    The king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
  28. Cross References
    Judges 7:22
    When they blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every man's sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.
  29. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:17
    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 Lord 's battles." For Saul thought, "Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.
  30. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:28
    But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.
  31. Cross References
    Exodus 10:7
    Then Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?
  32. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:17
    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 Lord 's battles." For Saul thought, "Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.
  33. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:26
    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.
  34. Cross References
    Numbers 16:9
    Is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them.
  35. Cross References
    Genesis 34:12
    Ask me for as great a bride price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.
    Exodus 22:17
    If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.
  36. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:24
    And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, "Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies." So none of the people had tasted food.
  37. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:17
    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 Lord 's battles." For Saul thought, "Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.
    1 Samuel 18:21
    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, "You shall now be my son-in-law.
  38. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:21
    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, "You shall now be my son-in-law.
  39. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:13
    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.
  40. Cross References
    2 Samuel 3:14
    Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, for whom I paid the bridal price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
  41. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:12
    Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.
  42. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:20
    Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
  43. Cross References
    1 Samuel 19:8
    And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him.
    2 Samuel 11:1
    In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
  44. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:5
    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.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
Previous Book Next Book