1 Samuelchapter 18

Saul Attempts to Kill David — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

A.Soul knit to soul — and Saul eyes David from that dayvv. 1-9

1 After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself. 2 And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt. 5 So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well. 6 As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments. 7 And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” 8 And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

B.The javelin twice, and all Israel loving himvv. 10-16

10 The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear, 11 and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice. 12 So Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back, 14 and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him. 15 When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was leading them out to battle and back.

C.A bride priced in Philistine foreskinsvv. 17-30

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?” 19 So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah. 20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him. 21 “I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be my son-in-law.” 22 Then Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become his son-in-law.’” 23 But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.” 24 And the servants told Saul what David had said. 25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines. 26 When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, 27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage. 28 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 he grew even more afraid of David. So from then on Saul was David’s enemy. 30 Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers, so that his name was highly esteemed.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Victory costs David everything but one friendship.

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Victory costs David everything but one friendship. Jonathan's soul is knit with David's; he makes a covenant and strips off his own robe, apparel, sword, bow, and girdle, the heir handing over the insignia. The women sing, 'Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands,' and the refrain lodges in Saul like a splinter: what can he have more but the kingdom? Twice he casts the javelin. Made captain over a thousand, David behaves himself wisely and Jehovah is with him, which frightens Saul the more. A bride-price of a hundred Philistine foreskins is set as a trap; David brings two hundred, and Saul becomes his enemy continually.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Samuel, Nathan, Gad — 1 Samuel overview

A. 1–9 Soul knit to soul — and Saul eyes David from that day
B. 10–16 The javelin twice, and all Israel loving him
C. 17–30 A bride priced in Philistine foreskins

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

1 Samuel 1812 verses
- 1 Samuel 18:5So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.
- 1 Samuel 18:13Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,
- 1 Samuel 18:14and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.
- 1 Samuel 18:15When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.
- 1 Samuel 18:17Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
- 1 Samuel 18:21“I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be my son-in-law.”
- Read 1 Samuel 18: 6 more there →
1 Samuel 204 verses
- 1 Samuel 20:8Therefore deal faithfully with your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?”
- 1 Samuel 20:17And Jonathan had David reaffirm his vow out of love for him, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.
- 1 Samuel 20:33Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan to kill him; so Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David.
- 1 Samuel 20:42And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be a witness between you and me, and between your descendants and mine forever.’” Then David got up and departed, and Jonathan went back into the city.
- Read 1 Samuel 20 →
1 Samuel 172 verses
- 1 Samuel 17:15but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.
- 1 Samuel 17:25Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see this man who keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s house from taxation in Israel.”
- Read 1 Samuel 17 →
1 Samuel 162 verses
- 1 Samuel 16:18One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”
- 1 Samuel 16:21When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul admired him greatly, and David became his armor-bearer.
- Read 1 Samuel 16 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

2 Samuel 212 verses
- 2 Samuel 21:7Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
- 2 Samuel 21:8But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
- Read 2 Samuel 21 →
Exodus 152 verses
- Exodus 15:20Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.
- Exodus 15:21And Miriam sang back to them: “Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.”
- Read Exodus 15 →
Judges 142 verses
- Judges 14:19Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. And burning with anger, Samson returned to his father’s house,
- Judges 14:20and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.
- Read Judges 14 →
Colossians 41 verse
- Colossians 4:5Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
- Read Colossians 4 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.