1st Shamu'AL (1 Samuel) — 18

Shaul Becomes Jealous of Daud

1 After Daud had finished talking with Shaul, he met Yunathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Yunathan loved Daud. 

2 From that day on king Shaul kept Daud with him and would not let him return home. 

3 And Yunathan made a solemn pact with Daud, because he loved him as he loved himself. 

4 Yunathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to Daud, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.

5 Whatever king Shaul asked Daud to do, Daud did it successfully. So Shaul made him a commander over the men of war, an appointment that was welcomed by the people and king Shaul’s officers alike.

6 When the victorious Yasharalym army was returning home after Daud had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Yashar'AL came out to meet King Shaul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals. 

7 This was their song: Shaul has killed his thousands, and Daud killed his ten thousands!”

8 This made king Shaul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit Daud with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they will be making him their king!” 

9 So from that time on king Shaul kept a jealous eye on Daud.

10 The very next day a tormenting spirit from 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH overwhelmed Shaul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. Daud was playing the harp, as he did each day. But king Shaul had a spear in his hand, 

11 and he suddenly hurled it at Daud, intending to pin him to the wall. But Daud escaped him twice.

12 King Shaul was then afraid of Daud, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH was with Daud and had turned away from Shaul. 

13 Finally, Shaul sent him away and appointed him commander over one thousand men, and Daud faithfully led his troops into battle.

14 Daud continued to succeed in everything he did, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH was with him. 

15 When Shaul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him. 

16 But all Yashar'AL and Yahudah loved Daud because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle.

Daud Marries Shaul’s Daughter

17 One day king Shaul said to Daud, “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 battles of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.” For Shaul thought, “I will send him out against the Philistines and let them kill him rather than doing it myself.”

18 “Who am I, and what is my family in Yashar'AL that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” Daud exclaimed. “My father’s family is nothing!” 

19 So when the time came for Shaul to give his daughter Merab in marriage to Daud, he gave her instead to Adrial, a man from Mahulah.

20 In the meantime, Shaul’s daughter Michal had fallen in love with Daud, and Shaul was delighted when he heard about it. 

21 “Here’s another chance to see him killed by the Philistines!” Shaul said to himself. But to Daud he said, “Today you have a second chance to become my son-in-law!”

22 Then Shaul told his men to say to Daud, “The king really likes you, and so do we. Why don’t you accept the king’s offer and become his son-in-law?”

23 When Shaul’s men said these things to Daud, he replied, “How can a poor man from a humble family afford the bride price for the daughter of a king?”

24 When Shaul’s men reported this back to the king, 

25 he told them, “Tell Daud that all I want for the bride price is one hundred Philistine foreskins! Vengeance on my enemies is all I really want.” But what Shaul had in mind was that Daud would be killed in the fight.

26 Daud was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired, 

27 he and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. Then Daud fulfilled the king’s requirement by presenting all their foreskins to him. So Shaul gave his daughter Michal to Daud to be his wife.

28 When Shaul realized that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH was with Daud and how much his daughter Michal loved him, 

29 Shaul became even more afraid of him, and he remained Daud’s enemy for the rest of his life.

30 Every time the commanders of the Philistines attacked, Daud was more successful against them than all the rest of Shaul’s officers. So Daud’s name became very famous.