1 Samuel 18

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 When David had finished talking to Saul, Jonathan felt an instant affection for David; Jonathan lovedhim like his very self;	1 And it happened that, when he had completed speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan adhered to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him like his own soul.
2 Saul engaged him that very day and would not let him go home to his father.	2 And Saul took him that day, and would not permit him to return to his father’s house.
3 Jonathan made a pact with David, since he loved him like his very self;	3 Then David and Jonathan formed a pact. For he loved him like his own soul.
4 Jonathan took off the cloak which he was wearing and gave it to David, and his armour too, evenincluding his sword, his bow and his belt.	4 And Jonathan took off the coat that he was wearing, and he gave it to David, with the rest of his garments, even to his sword and bow, and even his belt.
5 Wherever David was sent on a mission by Saul, he was successful, and Saul put him in command ofthe fighting men; al the people respected him and so did Saul's staff.	5 Also, David went out to do everything whatsoever that Saul sent him to do, and he conducted himself prudently. And Saul set him over men of war. And he was acceptable in the eyes of the entire people, and most of all in the sight of the servants of Saul.
6 On their return, when David was coming back from kil ing the Philistine, the women came out of al thetowns of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul, with tambourines, sistrums and cries of joy;	6 Now when David returned, after he had struck down the Philistine, the women went out, from all the cities of Israel, leading the singing and dancing, rejoicing with timbrels and bells, so as to meet king Saul.
7 and as they danced the women sang: Saul has kil ed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.	7 And the women sang, as they played, saying, “Saul has struck down a thousand, and David ten thousand.”
8 Saul was very angry; the incident displeased him. 'They have given David the tens of thousands,' hesaid, 'but me only the thousands; what more can he have, except the throne?'	8 Then Saul became exceedingly angry, and this word was displeasing in his eyes. And he said: “They have given David ten thousand, and to me they gave only one thousand. What is left for him, except the kingdom itself?”
9 And Saul watched David jealously from that day onwards.	9 Therefore, Saul did not regard David with a good eye, from that day and thereafter.
10 The fol owing day, an evil spirit from God seized on Saul and he fell into a frenzy while he wasindoors. David played the harp as on other occasions; Saul had a spear in his hand.	10 Then, on the next day, the evil spirit from God assailed Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And David played with his hand, just as at every other time. And Saul held a lance in his hand.
11 Saul brandished the spear; he said, 'I wil pin David to the wall!' David evaded him twice.	11 And he threw it, thinking that he would be able to fix David to the wall. And David stepped aside twice, from before his face.
12 Saul feared David, since Yahweh was with him and had withdrawn from Saul.	12 And Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, but he had withdrawn from Saul.
13 So Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him commander of a thousand; he led thepeople on campaign.	13 Therefore, Saul sent him away from himself, and he made him tribune over one thousand men. And he entered and departed in the sight of the people.
14 In al his expeditions, David was successful and Yahweh was with him.	14 Also, David acted prudently in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
15 And Saul, seeing how very successful he was, was afraid of him.	15 And so, Saul saw that he was exceedingly prudent, and he began to be wary of him.
16 Al Israel and Judah loved David, however, since he was their leader on campaign.	16 But all of Israel and Judah loved David. For he entered and departed before them.
17 Saul said to David, 'This is my elder daughter Merab; I shal give her to you in marriage; but you mustserve me bravely and fight Yahweh's wars.' Saul thought, 'Better than strike the blow myself, let the Philistinesdo it!'	17 And Saul said to David: “Behold, my elder daughter, Merab. I will give her to you as wife. Only be a valiant man, and fight the wars of the Lord.” Now Saul was considering within himself, saying, “Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines be upon him.”
18 David replied to Saul, 'Who am I and what is my lineage -- and my father's family -- in Israel, for meto become the king's son-in-law?'	18 Then David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life, and what is my father’s kinship within Israel, that I should be the son-in-law of the king?”
19 When the time came for Merab daughter of Saul to be given to David, she was given to Adriel ofMeholah instead.	19 Then it happened that, at the time when Merab, the daughter of Saul, was to be given to David, she was given to Adriel, the Meholathite, as wife.
20 Now Michal daughter of Saul fel in love with David. When Saul heard this he was pleased.	20 Now Michal, the other daughter of Saul, loved David. And this was reported to Saul, and it pleased him.
21 He thought, 'Yes, I shall give her to him; she can be the snare for him, so that the Philistines wil gethim.' (On two occasions, Saul told David, 'Today, you shall be my son-in-law.')	21 And Saul said, “I will give her to him, so that she may be a stumbling block to him, and so that the hand of the Philistines may be upon him.” And Saul said to David, “In two things, you shall be my son-in-law today.”
22 Saul gave instructions to his servants, 'Have a private word with David and say, "Look, the king isfond of you and al his servants love you -- why not be the king's son-in-law?" '	22 And Saul commanded his servants to speak to David privately, saying: “Behold, you are pleasing to the king, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, be the son-in-law of the king.”
23 Saul's servants repeated these words in David's ear, to which David replied, 'Do you think thatbecoming the king's son-in-law is a trivial matter; I have neither wealth nor position.'	23 And the servants of Saul spoke all these words to the ears of David. And David said: “Does it seem a small matter to you, to be the son-in-law of the king? I am but a poor and unimportant man.”
24 Saul's servants then reported back, 'This is what David said.'	24 And the servants reported to Saul, saying, “David has spoken words in this manner.”
25 Saul replied, 'Tel David this, "The king desires no bride-price except one hundred Philistineforeskins, in vengeance on the king's enemies." ' Saul was counting on getting David killed by the Philistines.	25 Then Saul said, “Speak in this way to David: The king does not have need of any dowry, but only one hundred foreskins from the Philistine men, so that he may be vindicated from the enemies of the king.” So did Saul think to deliver David into the hands of the Philistines.
26 When his servants repeated this to David, David thought it would be a fine thing to be the king's son-in-law. And no time was lost	26 And when his servants had repeated to David the words that Saul had spoken, the word was pleasing in the eyes of David, so that he would become son-in-law of the king.
27 before David got up to go, he and his men, and kil ed two hundred of the Philistines. David broughttheir foreskins back and counted them out before the king, so that he could be the king's son-in-law. Saul thengave him his daughter Michal in marriage.	27 And after a few days, David, rising up, went with the men who were under him, and he struck down two hundred men of the Philistines. And he brought their foreskins, and he counted them out for the king, so that he might be his son-in-law. And so, Saul gave to him his daughter Michal as wife.
28 Saul could not but see that Yahweh was with David, and that the whole House of Israel loved him;	28 And Saul saw and understood that the Lord was with David. And Michal, the daughter of Saul, loved him.
29 Saul became more afraid of David than ever, and became his inveterate enemy.	29 And Saul began to fear David all the more. And Saul became the enemy of David, every day.
30 The Philistine chiefs kept mounting their campaigns but, whenever they did so, David proved moresuccessful than any of Saul's staff; consequently he gained great renown.	30 And the leaders of the Philistines departed. And from the beginning of their departure, David conducted himself more prudently than all the servants of Saul, and his name became exceedingly celebrated.