Year of the Bible
1 Samuel 18
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Commentary on the First Book of Samuel, Chapter 18:
After the victory over Goliath, David’s life becomes united with King Saul’s household. David lives with the King’s family, forms a deep friendship with Prince Jonathan, and becomes a leader in the army. This causes problems, however, when people give more praise to David than to the King. Saul becomes jealous and devises a series of plans to kill David or have him killed. One puts David in the thick of fighting, anticipating David will die in battle. Instead, David is victorious and achieves the prize that gives him the hand of Princess Michal. David keeps growing in esteem to all but King Saul, whose fear of him increases.
The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 18:
Jonathan’s Covenant with David
1 When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, 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 armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him; so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
6 As they were coming home, when David returned from slaying the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with timbrels, with songs of joy, and with instruments of music. 7 And the women sang to one another as they made merry,
“Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” 8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him; he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; and what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.
Saul Tries to Kill David
10 And the next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand; 11 and Saul cast the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence, and made him a commander of a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David had success in all his undertakings; for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
David Marries Michal
17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab; I will give her to you for a wife; only be valiant for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.” 18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my kinsfolk, 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 for a wife.
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” 22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you; now then become the king’s son-in-law.’ ” 23 And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son- in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and of no repute?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” 25 Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no marriage present except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now 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. Before the time had expired, 27 David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines; and David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that all Israel loved him, 29 Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.
30 Then the princes of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was highly esteemed.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
Comparing ourselves to others can create a lot of negative attitudes and beliefs. Lord, remind me who I am to you. How can I be rooted in your love for me? Help me to celebrate the achievements of others, and avoid unhealthy comparisons.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc, or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further.
1 Cuando David terminó de hablar
con Saúl, Jonatán se sintió unido a
David y le tomó tanto afecto como a sí mismo.
2 Aquel día lo retuvo Saúl y no le permitió
volver a casa de su padre.
3 Establecieron, entonces, un pacto
Jonatán y David, pues Jonatán le tenía
tanto afecto como a sí mismo. 4 Jonatán
se quitó el manto que llevaba y se lo dio
a David, así como las demás vestiduras,
incluso la espada, el arco y el cinturón.
5 David salía con éxito de todas las expediciones
que Saúl le encomendaba. Le
puso al frente de los hombres de guerra
y alcanzó el favor a los ojos de todo
el pueblo y también a los ojos de los servidores
de Saúl.
6 Sucedió que a su regreso, cuando
volvía David de vencer al filisteo, las mujeres
salían de todas las ciudades de Israel
cantando y danzando ante el rey Saúl,
al son de alegres panderos y tímpanos.
7 Las mujeres cantaban gozosas a coro:
«Saúl ha matado a mil
y David a diez mil».
8 Se irritó mucho Saúl y le desagradó
esta copla, pues decía:
–Le atribuyen a David diez mil y a
mí sólo mil; no les falta más que hacerlo
rey.
9 Desde aquel día Saúl no miraba a
David con buenos ojos. 10 Al día siguiente
le invadió de nuevo a Saúl aquel mal espíritu
que provenía de Dios y comenzó a
delirar por la casa. David estaba tocando
como otras veces, cuando Saúl, que
tenía la lanza en la mano, 11 la arrojó con
intención de clavar a David contra la pared,
pero David la esquivó por dos veces.
12 Saúl temía a David porque el Señor estaba
con David, y se apartaba de él. 13 Así
que Saúl lo alejó de su presencia nombrándole
jefe de mil. David iba y venía
al frente de las tropas 14 y tenía éxito en
todo lo que emprendía porque el Señor
estaba con él. 15 Al ver Saúl que David te
nía mucho éxito en todo, comenzó a temerle.
16 Todo Israel y Judá querían a David
porque iba y venía al frente de ellos.
17 Saúl dijo a David:
–Te daré por esposa a mi hija mayor,
Merab, pero tienes que ser valiente y pelear
en las batallas del Señor.
Saúl se decía para sí: «Que no tenga
que caer mi mano sobre él, sino que sea
la mano de los filisteos».
18 Le respondió David:
–¿Quién soy yo, y quién es mi familia
en Israel, para llegar a ser yerno del
rey?
19 Pero cuando llegó el momento
en que Saúl debía entregar su hija Merab
a David, se la entregó como esposa
a Adriel de Mejolá. 20 En cambio, Mical,
la segunda hija de Saúl, se enamoró
de David; se lo comunicaron a Saúl y le
agradó. 21 Pues pensó para sí: «Se la daré
como cebo, a ver si cae sobre él la mano
de los filisteos». Entonces Saúl dijo a
David por segunda vez:
–Ahora podrás ser mi yerno.
22 Y ordenó Saúl a sus servidores:
–Hablad en secreto a David y decidle:
«El rey te aprecia y también te aprecian
sus servidores; acepta ser yerno del
rey».
23 Los servidores de Saúl le comunicaron
a David en privado todas estas
cosas y David respondió:
–¿Os parece sencillo llegar a ser yerno
del rey? Yo sólo soy un hombre pobre
y humilde.
24 Los servidores le comunicaron a
Saúl:
–David ha dicho estas palabras.
25 Y dijo Saúl:
–Decidle de nuevo a David que el
rey no quiere dote, sino cien prepucios
de filisteos para vengarse de los enemigos
del rey.
Saúl pensó así entregar a David en
manos de los filisteos.
26 Cuando los servidores del rey comunicaron
estas palabras, le parecieron
razonables a David para llegar a ser yerno
del rey. 27 Todavía no se había cumplido
el plazo cuando David se levantó,
salió con los suyos y mató a doscientos
filisteos. Llevó consigo los prepucios y
se lo comunicaron al rey para que lo hiciera
su yerno. Entonces Saúl le dio por
esposa a su hija Mical.
28 Saúl comprendió que el Señor estaba
con David y que Mical, la hija de
Saúl, le amaba. 29 Saúl tuvo todavía más
temor a David y fue su gran enemigo
día tras día. 30 Los príncipes de los filisteos
salían en son de guerra y siempre
que salía David obtenía más éxito que
los servidores de Saúl. Así su nombre se
hizo célebre.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).