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The Blue Letter Bible

1 Samuel 18 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

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David and Jonathan’s Friendship

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:1

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 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.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:2

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:2 - And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:3

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:3 - Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:4

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:4 - 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.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:5

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 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.

Saul’s Jealousy of David

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:6

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:6 - 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.[fn]

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:7

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:7 - And the women sang to one another as they celebrated,
“Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:8

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:8 - 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 the kingdom?”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:9

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:9 - And Saul eyed David from that day on.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:10

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:10 - 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.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:11

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:11 - And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:12

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:12 - Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:13

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 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.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:14

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:14 - And David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:15

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:15 - And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:16

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:16 - But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

David Marries Michal

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:17

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 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.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:18

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:18 - 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?”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:19

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:19 - 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.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:20

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:20 - Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:21

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 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,[fn] “You shall now be my son-in-law.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:22

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:22 - 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.’”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:23

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 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?”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:24

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:24 - And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:25

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 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.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:26

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 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,

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:27

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:27 - 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.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:28

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:28 - But when Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him,

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:29

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:29 - Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 18:30

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:30 - 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.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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For more information on this translation, see the ESV Preface.

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1 Samuel Chapter 18 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New King James Version New Living Translation New International Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Westminster Leningrad Codex Septuagint Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Brenton's English Septuagint Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras