Parallel Bible results for "1 samuel 18"

1 Samuel 18

The Message Bible MSG

1 By the time David had finished reporting to Saul, Jonathan was deeply impressed with David - an immediate bond was forged between them. He became totally committed to David. From that point on he would be David's number-one advocate and friend.

2 Saul received David into his own household that day, no more to return to the home of his father.

3 Jonathan, out of his deep love for David, made a covenant with him.

4 He formalized it with solemn gifts: his own royal robe and weapons - armor, sword, bow, and belt.

5 Whatever Saul gave David to do, he did it - and did it well. So well that Saul put him in charge of his military operations. Everybody, both the people in general and Saul's servants, approved of and admired David's leadership.

6 As they returned home, after David had killed the Philistine, the women poured out of all the villages of Israel singing and dancing, welcoming King Saul with tambourines, festive songs, and lutes.

7 In playful frolic the women sang, Saul kills by the thousand, David by the ten thousand!

8 This made Saul angry - very angry. He took it as a personal insult. He said, "They credit David with 'ten thousands' and me with only 'thousands.' Before you know it they'll be giving him the kingdom!"

9 From that moment on, Saul kept his eye on David.

10 The next day an ugly mood was sent by God to afflict Saul, who became quite beside himself, raving. David played his harp, as he usually did at such times. Saul had a spear in his hand.

11 Suddenly Saul threw the spear, thinking, "I'll nail David to the wall." David ducked, and the spear missed. This happened twice.

12 Now Saul feared David. It was clear that God was with David and had left Saul.

13 So, Saul got David out of his sight by making him an officer in the army. David was in combat frequently.

14 Everything David did turned out well. Yes, God was with him.

15 As Saul saw David becoming more successful, he himself grew more fearful. He could see the handwriting on the wall.

16 But everyone else in Israel and Judah loved David. They loved watching him in action.

17 One day Saul said to David, "Here is Merab, my eldest daughter. I want to give her to you as your wife. Be brave and bold for my sake. Fight God's battles!" But all the time Saul was thinking, "The Philistines will kill him for me. I won't have to lift a hand against him."

18 David, embarrassed, answered, "Do you really mean that? I'm from a family of nobodies! I can't be son-in-law to the king."

19 The wedding day was set, but as the time neared for Merab and David to be married, Saul reneged and married his daughter off to Adriel the Meholathite.

20 Meanwhile, Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David. When Saul was told of this, he rubbed his hands in anticipation. "Ah, a second chance. I'll use Michal as bait to get David out where the Philistines will make short work of him." So again he said to David, "You're going to be my son-in-law."

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22 Saul ordered his servants, "Get David off by himself and tell him, 'The king is very taken with you, and everyone at court loves you. Go ahead, become the king's son-in-law!'"

23 The king's servants told all this to David, but David held back. "What are you thinking of? I can't do that. I'm a nobody; I have nothing to offer."

24 When the servants reported David's response to Saul, he told them to tell David this: "The king isn't expecting any money from you; only this: Go kill a hundred Philistines and bring evidence of your vengeance on the king's behalf. Avenge the king on his enemies." (Saul expected David to be killed in action.)

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26 On receiving this message, David was pleased. There was something he could do for the king that would qualify him to be his son-in-law! He lost no time but went right out, he and his men, killed the hundred Philistines, brought their evidence back in a sack, and counted it out before the king - mission completed! Saul gave Michal his daughter to David in marriage.

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28 As Saul more and more realized that God was with David, and how much his own daughter, Michal, loved him, his fear of David increased and settled into hate. Saul hated David.

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30 Whenever the Philistine warlords came out to battle, David was there to meet them - and beat them, upstaging Saul's men. David's name was on everyone's lips.

New Century Version NCV

1 When David finished talking with Saul, Jonathan felt very close to David. He loved David as much as he loved himself.

2 Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him go home to his father's house.

3 Jonathan made an agreement with David, because he loved David as much as himself.

4 He took off his coat and gave it to David, along with his armor, including his sword, bow, and belt.

5 Saul sent David to fight in different battles, and David was very successful. Then Saul put David over the soldiers, which pleased Saul's officers and all the other people.

6 After David had killed the Philistine, he and the men returned home. Women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul. They sang songs of joy, danced, and played tambourines and stringed instruments.

7 As they played, they sang, "Saul has killed thousands of his enemies, but David has killed tens of thousands."

8 The women's song upset Saul, and he became very angry. He thought, "The women say David has killed tens of thousands, but they say I have killed only thousands. The only thing left for him to have is the kingdom!"

9 So Saul watched David closely from then on, because he was jealous.

10 The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied in his house. David was playing the harp as he usually did, but Saul had a spear in his hand.

11 He threw the spear, thinking, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David escaped from him twice.

12 The Lord was with David but had left Saul. So Saul was afraid of David.

13 He sent David away and made him commander of a thousand soldiers. So David led them in battle.

14 He had great success in everything he did because the Lord was with him.

15 When Saul saw that David was very successful, he feared David even more.

16 But all the people of Israel and Judah loved David because he led them well in battle.

17 Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I will let you marry her. All I ask is that you remain brave and fight the Lord's battles." Saul thought, "I won't have to kill David. The Philistines will do that."

18 But David answered Saul, saying, "Who am I? My family is not important enough for me to become the king's son-in-law."

19 So, when the time came for Saul's daughter Merab to marry David, Saul gave her instead to Adriel of Meholah.

20 Now Saul's other daughter, Michal, loved David. When they told Saul, he was pleased.

21 He thought, "I will let her marry David. Then she will be a trap for him, and the Philistines will defeat him." So Saul said to David a second time, "You may become my son-in-law."

22 And Saul ordered his servants to talk with David in private and say, "Look, the king likes you. His servants love you. You should be his son-in-law."

23 Saul's servants said these words to David, but David answered, "Do you think it is easy to become the king's son-in-law? I am poor and unimportant."

24 When Saul's servants told him what David had said,

25 Saul said, "Tell David, 'The king doesn't want money for the bride. All he wants is a hundred Philistine foreskins to get even with his enemies.'" Saul planned to let the Philistines kill David.

26 When Saul's servants told this to David, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law.

27 So he and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought all their foreskins to Saul so he could be the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal for his wife.

28 Saul saw that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David.

29 So he grew even more afraid of David, and he was David's enemy all his life.

30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to fight the Israelites, but every time, David was more skillful than Saul's officers. So he became famous.