1 Samuel 18 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

1 Samuel 18 (WEBP)

[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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh’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 Yahweh 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.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

1 Samuel 18 (KJVS)

[1] And it came to pass, when he had made an end () of speaking () unto Saul , that the soul of Jonathan was knit () with the soul of David , and Jonathan loved () him as his own soul .
[2] And Saul took () him that day , and would let () him go no more home () to his father’s house .
[3] Then Jonathan and David made () a covenant , because he loved him as his own soul .
[4] And Jonathan stripped () himself of the robe that [was] upon him, and gave () it to David , and his garments , even to his sword , and to his bow , and to his girdle .
[5] And David went out () whithersoever Saul sent () him, [and] behaved himself wisely (): and Saul set () him over the men of war , and he was accepted () in the sight of all the people , and also in the sight of Saul’s servants .
[6] And it came to pass as they came (), when David was returned () from the slaughter () of the Philistine , that the women came out () of all cities of Israel , singing () and dancing , to meet () king Saul , with tabrets , with joy , and with instruments of musick .
[7] And the women answered () [one another] as they played (), and said (), Saul hath slain () his thousands , and David his ten thousands .
[8] And Saul was very wroth (), and the saying displeased () him; and he said (), They have ascribed () unto David ten thousands , and to me they have ascribed () [but] thousands : and [what] can he have more but the kingdom ?
[9] And Saul eyed () David from that day and forward .
[10] And it came to pass on the morrow , that the evil spirit from God came () upon Saul , and he prophesied () in the midst of the house : and David played () with his hand , as at other times : and [there was] a javelin in Saul’s hand .
[11] And Saul cast () the javelin ; for he said (), I will smite () David even to the wall [with it]. And David avoided out () of his presence twice .
[12] And Saul was afraid () of David , because the LORD was with him, and was departed () from Saul .
[13] Therefore Saul removed () him from him, and made () him his captain over a thousand ; and he went out () and came in () before the people .
[14] And David behaved himself wisely () in all his ways ; and the LORD [was] with him.
[15] Wherefore when Saul saw () that he behaved himself very wisely (), he was afraid () of him.
[16] But all Israel and Judah loved () David , because he went out () and came in () before them.
[17] And Saul said () to David , Behold my elder daughter Merab , her will I give () thee to wife : only be thou valiant for me, and fight () the LORD’S battles . For Saul said (), Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
[18] And David said () unto 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 it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul’s daughter should have been given () to David , that she was given () unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife .
[20] And Michal Saul’s daughter loved () David : and they told () Saul , and the thing pleased () him.
[21] And Saul said (), I will give () him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said () to David , Thou shalt this day be my son in law () in [the one of] the twain .
[22] And Saul commanded () his servants , [saying], Commune () with David secretly , and say (), Behold, the king hath delight () in thee, and all his servants love () thee: now therefore be the king’s son in law ().
[23] And Saul’s servants spake () those words in the ears of David . And David said (), Seemeth it to you [a] light () [thing] to be a king’s son in law (), seeing that I [am] a poor () man , and lightly esteemed ()?
[24] And the servants of Saul told () him, saying (), On this manner spake () David .
[25] And Saul said (), Thus shall ye say () to David , The king desireth not any dowry , but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines , to be avenged () of the king’s enemies (). But Saul thought () to make David fall () by the hand of the Philistines .
[26] And when his servants told () David these words , it pleased () David well to be the king’s son in law (): and the days were not expired ().
[27] Wherefore David arose () and went (), he and his men , and slew () of the Philistines two hundred men ; and David brought () their foreskins , and they gave them in full tale () to the king , that he might be the king’s son in law (). And Saul gave () him Michal his daughter to wife .
[28] And Saul saw () and knew () that the LORD [was] with David , and [that] Michal Saul’s daughter loved () him.
[29] And Saul was yet the more () afraid () of David ; and Saul became David’s enemy () continually .
[30] Then the princes of the Philistines went forth (): and it came to pass, after they went forth (), [that] David behaved himself more wisely () than all the servants of Saul ; so that his name was much set by ().

Young’s Literal Translation

1 Samuel 18 (YLT)

[1] And it cometh to pass, when he finisheth to speak unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan hath been bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loveth him as his own soul.
[2] And Saul taketh him on that day, and hath not permitted him to turn back to the house of his father.
[3] And Jonathan maketh-also David-a covenant, because he loveth him as his own soul,
[4] and Jonathan strippeth himself of the upper robe which is upon him, and giveth it to David, and his long robe, even unto his sword, and unto his bow, and unto his girdle.
[5] And David goeth out whithersoever Saul doth send him; he acted wisely, and Saul setteth him over the men of war, and it is good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.
[6] And it cometh to pass, in their coming in, in David’s returning from smiting the Philistine, that the women come out from all the cities of Israel to sing-also the dancers-to meet Saul the king, with tabrets, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments;
[7] and the women answer-those playing, and say, ‘Saul hath smitten among his thousands, And David among his myriads.’
[8] And it is displeasing to Saul exceedingly, and this thing is evil in his eyes, and he saith, ‘They have given to David myriads, and to me they have given the thousands, and more to him is only the kingdom;’
[9] and Saul is eyeing David from that day and thenceforth.
[10] And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the spirit of sadness from God prospereth over Saul, and he prophesieth in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as day by day, and the javelin is in the hand of Saul,
[11] and Saul casteth the javelin, and saith, ‘I smite through David, even through the wall;’ and David turneth round out of his presence twice.
[12] And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for Jehovah hath been with him, and from Saul He hath turned aside;
[13] and Saul turneth him aside from him, and appointeth him to himself head of a thousand, and he goeth out an cometh in, before the people.
[14] And David is in all his ways acting wisely, and Jehovah is with him,
[15] and Saul seeth that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him,
[16] and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them.
[17] And Saul saith unto David, ‘Lo, my elder daughter Merab-her I give to thee for a wife; only, be to me for a son of valour, and fight the battles of Jehovah;’ and Saul said, ‘Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.’
[18] And David saith unto Saul, ‘Who am I? and what my life-the family of my father in Israel-that I am son-in-law to the king?’
[19] And it cometh to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she hath been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
[20] And Michal daughter of Saul loveth David, and they declare to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes,
[21] and Saul saith, ‘I give her to him, and she is to him for a snare, and the hand of the Philistines is on him;’ and Saul saith unto David, ‘By the second-thou dost become my son-in-law to-day.’
[22] And Saul commandeth his servants, ‘Speak unto David gently, saying, Lo, the king hath delighted in thee, and all his servants have loved thee, and now, be son-in-law to the king.’
[23] And the servants of Saul speak in the ears of David these words, and David saith, ‘Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king-and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?’
[24] And the servants of Saul declare to him, saying, ‘According to these words hath David spoken.’
[25] And Saul saith, ‘Thus do ye say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a hundred foreskins of the Philistines-to be avenged on the enemies of the king;’ and Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.
[26] And his servants declare to David these words, and the thing is right in the eyes of David, to be son-in-law to the king; and the days have not been full,
[27] and David riseth and goeth, he and his men, and smiteth among the Philistines two hundred men, and David bringeth in their foreskins, and they set them before the king, to be son-in-law to the king; and Saul giveth to him Michal his daughter for a wife.
[28] And Saul seeth and knoweth that Jehovah is with David, and Michal daughter of Saul hath loved him,
[29] and Saul addeth to be afraid of the presence of David yet; and Saul is an enemy with David all the days.
[30] And the princes of the Philistines come out, and it cometh to pass from the time of their coming out, David hath acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious.