1 Samuel 18

David's Rising Fame 1 Samuel 18:6–10

⁶Verse 6. As they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music. ⁷Verse 7. The women sang to one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” ⁸Verse 8. Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?” ⁹Verse 9. Saul watched David from that day and forward.

¹⁰Verse 10. On the next day, an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand;

Saul's Increasing Hostility 1 Samuel 18:11–15

¹¹Verse 11. and Saul threw the spear, for he said, “I will pin David even to the wall!” David escaped from his presence twice. ¹²Verse 12. Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him, and had departed from Saul. ¹³Verse 13. Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. ¹⁴Verse 14. David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Yahweh was with him. ¹⁵Verse 15. When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.

Marriage Proposals and Manipulation 1 Samuel 18:16–20

¹⁶Verse 16. But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them. ¹⁷Verse 17. Saul said to David, “Behold, my elder daughter Merab, I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh’s battles.” For Saul said, “Don’t let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.” ¹⁸Verse 18. David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” ¹⁹Verse 19. But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.

²⁰Verse 20. Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

David's Triumph Amidst Threat 1 Samuel 18:21–30

²¹Verse 21. Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, “You shall today be my son-in-law a second time.” ²²Verse 22. Saul commanded his servants, “Talk with David secretly, and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore be the king’s son-in-law.’” ²³Verse 23. Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man, and little known?”

²⁴Verse 24. The servants of Saul told him, saying, “David spoke like this.” ²⁵Verse 25. Saul said, “Tell David, ‘The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought he would make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. ²⁶Verse 26. When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the deadline, ²⁷Verse 27. David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife.

²⁸Verse 28. Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David; and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him. ²⁹Verse 29. Saul was even more afraid of David; and Saul was David’s enemy continually. ³⁰Verse 30. Then the princes of the Philistines went out; and as often as they went out, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.