1 Samuel 18 (NET)

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1 Samuel 18:1¹When David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan and David became bound together in close friendship. Jonathan loved David as much as he did his own life.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:Prov 18:24 1 Sam 20:17 1 Sam 18:3 2 Sam 1:26 Col 2:2 Gen 44:30 1 Sam 19:2 Deut 13:6 1 Chr 12:17 Judg 20:11

1 Samuel 18:2²Saul retained David on that day and did not allow him to return to his father’s house.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 17:15 1 Sam 16:21-23

1 Samuel 18:3³Jonathan made a covenant with David, for he loved him as much as he did his own life.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 20:42 1 Sam 20:8-17 2 Sam 21:7 2 Sam 9:1-3 1 Sam 23:18

1 Samuel 18:4⁴Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with the rest of his gear including his sword, his bow, and even his belt.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:Gen 41:42 Esth 6:8-9 Isa 61:10 Luke 15:22 2 Cor 5:21 Phil 2:7-8

1 Samuel 18:5⁵On every mission on which Saul sent him, David achieved success. So Saul appointed him over the men of war. This pleased not only all the army, but also Saul’s servants.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 18:30 1 Sam 18:14-15 Col 4:5 Acts 7:10 Eph 5:17 1 Sam 13:2 Matt 10:16 Ps 1:3 Gen 39:2-3 Gen 39:23

1 Samuel 18:6⁶When the men arrived after David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women from all the cities of Israel came out singing and dancing to meet King Saul. They were happy as they played their tambourines and three-stringed instruments.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:Exod 15:20 Judg 11:34 Ps 68:25 Jer 31:11-13

1 Samuel 18:7⁷The women who were playing the music sang, “Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his tens of thousands!”Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 21:11 1 Sam 29:5 Exod 15:21 Ps 24:7-8

1 Samuel 18:8⁸This made Saul very angry. The statement displeased him and he thought, “They have attributed to David tens of thousands, but to me they have attributed only thousands. What does he lack, except the kingdom?”Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 15:28 Prov 13:10 1 Sam 20:31 Esth 3:5 Jas 4:5 Prov 27:4 1 Kgs 2:22 1 Sam 13:14 1 Sam 16:13 Eccl 4:4

1 Samuel 18:9⁹So Saul was keeping an eye on David from that day onward.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:Eph 4:27 Gen 31:2 Gen 4:5-6 Jas 5:9 Mark 7:22 Matt 20:15

1 Samuel 18:10¹⁰The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul and he prophesied within his house. Now David was playing the lyre as usual. There was a spear in Saul’s hand,Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Kgs 18:29 1 Sam 19:9 2 Thess 2:11 1 Kgs 22:20-23 1 Sam 16:14-16 1 Sam 16:23 Acts 16:16 1 Kgs 22:12 1 Sam 19:23-24 1 Sam 26:19

1 Samuel 18:11¹¹and Saul threw the spear, thinking, “I’ll nail David to the wall!” But David escaped from him on two different occasions.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 20:33 Isa 54:17 John 10:39 John 8:59 Luke 4:30 Ps 37:32-33 Prov 27:4 1 Sam 19:9-10

1 Samuel 18:12¹²So Saul feared David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 18:15 1 Sam 18:29 1 Sam 16:13-14 1 Sam 28:15 1 Sam 16:18 Acts 24:25 Acts 7:9 1 Sam 16:4 1 Sam 18:20 1 Sam 22:13

1 Samuel 18:13¹³Saul removed David from his presence and made him a commanding officer. David led the army out to battle and back.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:2 Sam 5:2 Ps 121:8 1 Sam 18:16-17 1 Sam 18:25 1 Sam 22:7 1 Sam 8:12 Num 27:16-17

1 Samuel 18:14¹⁴Now David achieved success in all he did, for the Lord was with him.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:Gen 39:23 1 Sam 16:18 Josh 6:27 Matt 28:20 Gen 39:2-3 1 Sam 10:7 Acts 18:10 Matt 1:23

1 Samuel 18:15¹⁵When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:Col 4:5 Dan 6:4-5 Jas 1:5 Jas 3:17 Ps 112:5

1 Samuel 18:16¹⁶But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he was the one leading them out to battle and back.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 18:5 1 Kgs 3:7 2 Sam 5:2 Luke 19:48 Luke 20:19 Num 27:17

1 Samuel 18:17¹⁷Then Saul said to David, “Here’s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior for me and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul thought, “There’s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!”Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 17:25 1 Sam 18:25 1 Sam 25:28 1 Sam 18:21 1 Sam 17:47 2 Sam 11:15 2 Sam 12:9 Deut 17:7 Num 21:14 Num 32:20

1 Samuel 18:18¹⁸David said to Saul, “Who am I? Who are my relatives or the clan of my father in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:2 Sam 7:18 1 Sam 18:23 1 Sam 9:21 Exod 3:11 Ruth 2:10 Jer 1:6 Prov 15:33 Prov 18:12

1 Samuel 18:19¹⁹When the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she instead was given in marriage to Adriel, who was from Meholah.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:2 Sam 21:8 Judg 7:22 Judg 14:20

1 Samuel 18:20²⁰Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul about this, it pleased him.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 18:28

1 Samuel 18:21²¹Saul said, “I will give her to him so that she may become a snare to him and so the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Today is the second time for you to become my son-in-law.”Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 18:17 1 Sam 18:26 1 Sam 19:11-12 Exod 10:7 Jer 9:8 Jer 5:26 Prov 26:24-26 Prov 29:5 Ps 38:12 Ps 7:14-16

1 Samuel 18:22²²Then Saul instructed his servants, “Tell David secretly, ‘The king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you. So now become the king’s son-in-law.’”Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:2 Sam 13:28-29 Ps 36:1-3 Ps 55:21 Prov 29:12

1 Samuel 18:23²³So Saul’s servants spoke these words privately to David. David replied, “Is becoming the king’s son-in-law something insignificant to you? I’m just a poor and lightly esteemed man!”Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 John 3:1 1 Sam 9:21 Eccl 9:15-16 Prov 14:20 Prov 19:6-7 Ps 119:141

1 Samuel 18:24²⁴When Saul’s servants reported what David had said,Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AI

1 Samuel 18:25²⁵Saul replied, “Here is what you should say to David: ‘There is nothing that the king wants as a price for the bride except 100 Philistine foreskins, so that he can be avenged of his enemies.’” (Now Saul was thinking that he could kill David by the hand of the Philistines.)Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 14:24 1 Sam 18:17 Gen 34:12 1 Sam 17:26 1 Sam 17:36 2 Sam 17:8-11 Exod 22:16-17 Gen 17:11-14 Gen 29:18 Josh 5:3

1 Samuel 18:26²⁶So his servants told David these things and David agreed to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the specified time had not yet expiredCopy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 18:21

1 Samuel 18:27²⁷when David, along with his men, went out and struck down 200 Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and presented all of them to the king so that he could become the king’s son-in-law. Saul then gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:2 Sam 3:14 1 Sam 18:13 Judg 14:19

1 Samuel 18:28²⁸When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:1 Sam 24:20 1 Sam 26:25 Gen 30:27 Gen 37:8-11 Gen 39:3 Rev 3:9

1 Samuel 18:29²⁹Saul became even more afraid of him. Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on.Copy Link KJV+Strong’s Many Bible Versions Ask AICross Refs:Eccl 4:4 1 John 3:12-15 1 Sam 18:12 1 Sam 18:15 Gen 4:4-8 Jas 2:19 John 11:53 Ps 37:12-14