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1 Samuel Chapter 18

Other Translations

lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM

6 And there came out women in dances to meet David out of all the cities of Israel, with timbrels, and with rejoicing, and with cymbals.
7 And the women began [the strain], and said, Saul has smitten his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 And it seemed evil in the eyes of Saul concerning this matter, and he said, To David they have given ten thousands, and to me they have given thousands.
12 And Saul was alarmed on account of David.
13 And he removed him from him, and made him a captain of a thousand for himself; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 And David was prudent in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
15 And Saul saw that he was very wise, and he was afraid of him.
16 And all Israel and Juda loved David, because he came in and went out before the people.
20 And Melchol the daughter of Saul loved David; and it was told Saul, and the thing was pleasing in his eyes.
21 And Saul said, I will give her to him, and she shall be a stumbling-block to him. Now the hand of the Philistines was against Saul.
22 And Saul charged his servants, saying, Speak ye privately to David, saying, Behold, the king delights in thee, and all his servants love thee, and do thou become the king's son-in-law.
23 And the servants of Saul spoke these words in the ears of David; and David said, [Is it] a light thing in your eyes to become son-in-law to the king? whereas I [am] an humble man, and not honourable?
24 And the servants of Saul reported to him according to these words, which David spoke.
25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye speak to David, The king wants no gift but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to avenge himself on the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to cast him into the hands of the Philistines.
26 And the servants of Saul report these words to David, and David was well pleased to become the son-in-law to the king.
27 And David arose, and went, he and his men, and smote among the Philistines a hundred men: and he brought their foreskins, and he becomes the king's son-in-law, and [Saul] gives him Melchol his daughter to wife.
28 And Saul saw that the Lord [was] with David, and [that] all Israel loved him.
29 And he was yet more afraid of David.

web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

1 When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2 Saul took him that day, and wouldn’t let him go home to his father’s house any more.
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash.
5 David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely; and Saul set him over the men of war. It was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
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.
7 The women sang to one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
8 Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have credited David with ten thousands, and they have only credited me with thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?”
9 Saul watched David from that day and forward.
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;
11 and Saul threw the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” David escaped from his presence twice.
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and had departed from Saul.
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.
14 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
15 When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
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 the LORD’s battles.” For Saul said, “Don’t let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.”
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?”
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.
20 Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
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 a second time, “You shall today be my son-in-law.”
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.’”
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?”
24 The servants of Saul told him, saying, “David spoke like this.”
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.
26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the deadline,
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.
28 Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David; and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him.
29 Saul was even more afraid of David; and Saul was David’s enemy continually.
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.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).