1Jonathan loveth David. 5David's wise conduct ingratiateth him with the people, and with Saul's servants. 6The women's song in honour of his victory exciteth Saul's envy; 10who in his fury seeketh to kill him. 12Saul feareth David for his wisdom and good success. 17He promiseth him his eldest daughter by way of a snare, but giveth her to another. 20He promiseth him Michal his younger daughter. 22Saul setteth his servants to persuade David to be the king's son in law upon condition of bringing a hundred foreskins of the Philistines; David bringeth two hundred, and hath Michal given him to wife. 28Saul's hatred increaseth, and David's glory.
1AND it came to pass, when 1he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, 2that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him 3as his own soul.
1 Namely, David.
2 See the annotation on Gen. 44:30.
3 That is, as himself.
2And 4Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
4 1 Sam. 16:16 it is said, that Saul took David to him, that he would play before him on the harp, and then he was at liberty to go and come when he would, 1 Sam. 17:15. Now it is said here that Saul took David to him, namely, to use him in the war, as one of his commanders, verse 5, and consequently he was continually to abide at court.
3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe 5that was upon him, and gave it to David, and 6his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
5 Or, which he had on. Hebr. which was upon him.
6 Understand this of his military armor.
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 7accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
7 Hebr. good.
6And it came to pass as 8they came, when David was returned from the slaughter 9of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, 10with joy, and with 11instruments of musick.
8 Namely, Saul with his soldiery.
9 Hebr. of the Philistine, whereby may be understood in the first place the giant Goliath; and secondly the army of the Philistines in general.
10 See similar examples, Exod. 15:20, 21; Judges 11:34.
11 The instrument that here is named in the Hebrew, is not known to us today, but it seems to have been an instrument with three strings.
7And thea women answered one another as they played, and said, Saulb hath slain 12his thousands, and David 13his ten thousands.
a Exod. 15:21.
b 1 Sam. 21:11; 29:5.
12 That is, many.
13 That is, ten times as many as Saul.
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 14eyed David from that day and forward.
14 Or, had his eye on David. Hebr. eyed David, that is, he laid in wait for him, and watched every opportunity to put him to death; or, he looked on him from that very time with an evil eye, and he was his enemy, verse 29.
10¶And it came to pass on the morrow, that the 15evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he 16prophesied in the midst of the house: and David 17played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.
15 See 1 Sam. 16 on verse 15.
16 The meaning is: that Saul, being vexed of the evil spirit, fell as into a trance and manifested strange kind of gestures. Compare 1 Kings 18:29 with the annotation.
17 Namely, to ease Saul of the restlessness and vexation of the evil spirit, and to cheer him in his melancholy; for this purpose was David at first summoned to court, 1 Sam. 16:16.
11And Saul cast the javelin; for he 18said, 19I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoidedc out of his presence twice.
18 That is, he thought within himself: for it is not to be imagined, that he spoke this aloud. See the like verses 17, 21.
19 Hebr. I will smite into David, and into the wall.
c departed, escaped
12¶And Saul 20was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.
20 Saul feared that the people and the soldiers, who loved David, would choose David to be their king, verse 8.
13Therefore Saul removed him from him, and 21made him his captain over a thousand; and he 22went out and came in before the people.
21 Not advancing him to this state out of favor, but that he would hopefully fall into his enemies’ hands and be slain. See verses 17, 25.
22 That is, he led the people to the enemy and from the enemy, as it was appropriate for such a valiant commander to do. See also verse 16.
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 23was afraid of him.
23 See the cause hereof verse 8.
16But 24all Israel and 25Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
24 Understand the eleven tribes.
25 That is, the tribe of Judah.
17¶And Saul said to David, Behold 26my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou 27valiant for me, and fight 28the LORD’S battles. For Saul 29said, 30Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
26 Because Saul did not dare to put David to death openly, and God preserved him in the war, therefore he seeks to ensnare him and to destroy him, under a show and pretense of love and friendship.
27 Hebr. a son of valor.
28 That is, the wars of the people of Israel, which they wage to maintain the honor of God against the idolatrous heathen.
29 Namely, within himself in his heart.
30 That is, I will not slay him with mine own hands, but I will cause him to perish by the hand of the Philistines. This Saul considered, in order that the ill-will of the people, who loved David, would not fall upon him.
18And David said unto Saul, 31Who am I? and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?
31 As if he would say, I am overly insignificant that I should be son in law to a king. Thus speaks David likewise, 2 Sam. 7:18.
19But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto 32Adriel 33the Meholathite to wife.
32 He was the son of Barzillai the Ephraimite, 2 Sam. 21:8, where it is said, that the five children, which he begat of Merab, were hanged by the Gibeonites.
33 That is, who was born at Mehola. This city was called Abel-mehola, Judges 7:22.
20And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21And Saul said, I will give him her, 34that 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 35this day be my son in law in the one of the 36twain.
34 See verse 25.
35 That is, within a short time, or, on that day, meaning a certain prefixed day which Saul had appointed for that purpose, within which time David was to bring in his dowry an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. See verse 26. But Saul’s hope was that, David disposing himself for this, he would at one time or another be destroyed.
36 Hebr. two: that is, the second. See 1 Sam. 13 on verse 1.
22¶And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David 37secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.
37 As if he would say: Let it not appear that you do it by my command, but as if you did it of your own accord, without my knowledge.
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, 38seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
38 As if he would say, while I am but a poor fellow in comparison to the king, I am not able to give such a large dowry as becomes a king’s daughter to receive. For in those times the men did not receive dowries from the woman, but they gave dowries. See Gen. 34:12; Exod. 22:16, 17. This dowry was at least 50 shekels of silver, Deut. 22:29. This is somewhat more than 12 ounces and an half of silver, which is 12 Rix dollars and an half.
24And the servants of Saul told him, saying, 39On this manner spake David.
39 Hebr. According to these words.
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. 40But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
40 That is, Saul imagined that David would sooner die in the war, before he would kill a hundred Philistines.
26And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and 41the days were not expired.
41 Namely, those days which were appointed for the solemnizing of the marriage, or for the delivery of the foreskins.
27Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and Davidd brought their foreskins, and they gave them 42in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
d 2 Sam. 3:14.
42 That is, in full number.
28¶And 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 43continually.
43 That is, as long as Saul lived.
30Then the princes of the Philistines 44went 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.
44 Namely, to make war against the Israelites.