History · Chapter 18 of 31

1 Samuel 18

Jonathan's soul is knit to David's, and he seals a covenant, giving David his robe and weapons. David succeeds in everything Saul assigns, and the women's song, Saul his thousands and David his ten thousands, ignites Saul's jealousy. Saul hurls a spear at David, then schemes to have the Philistines kill him through a marriage bargain. But the LORD is with David, and all Israel loves him.

What happens in 1 Samuel 18

After David's victory, Jonathan's soul is knit to his, loving him as himself, and the two make a covenant; Jonathan strips off his robe, armor, and weapons and gives them to David. David behaves wisely in every task, and Saul sets him over the men of war. But when the celebrating women sing that Saul struck his thousands and David his ten thousands, Saul burns with jealousy, eyeing David from that day. A tormenting spirit comes on Saul, and twice he hurls his spear to pin David to the wall, but David escapes.

Afraid because the LORD is with David and has left him, Saul removes David to command troops, where he prospers and wins the people's love. Saul then offers his daughters in marriage as traps, demanding a hundred Philistine foreskins as bride-price, hoping David will fall in battle. David doubles the toll and marries Michal. Seeing the LORD with David, Saul becomes his lifelong enemy.

1 Samuel 18 in context

This chapter charts the collision between rising David and declining Saul. David's fame after killing Goliath triggers Saul's descent into paranoid jealousy, while introducing the deep friendship with Jonathan that will shape the coming chapters.

The marriage schemes bind David to the royal house even as Saul plots his death. The refrain that the LORD was with David recurs, framing every event as the outworking of God's choice made in chapter sixteen.

Main themes of 1 Samuel 18

1 Samuel 18 (KJV)

1And 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. 2And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. 3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4And 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. 5And 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. 6And 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. 7And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. 8And 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? 9And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. 10And 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. 11And 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. 12And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul. 13Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. 15Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them. 17And 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. 18And 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? 19But 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. 20And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21And 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. 22And 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. 23And 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? 24And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. 25And 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. 26And 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. 27Wherefore 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. 28And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him. 29And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually. 30Then 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.

Verses to carry from 1 Samuel 18

“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.”1 Samuel 18:1

“And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”1 Samuel 18:7

“And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.”1 Samuel 18:12

Reflection

Jonathan gave away his robe for love, while Saul threw spears out of envy; two hearts responded oppositely to the same rising David. When someone else is honored, which do you feel? Christ was hated out of envy yet loved to the end; ask Him to free you from comparison.

A prayer from 1 Samuel 18