1 SamuelChapitre 18

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When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan's soul was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

From that day on Saul kept David with him and would not let him return to his father's house.

Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.

Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his armor, his sword, his bow, and his belt.

David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he succeeded. So Saul put him in command of the fighting men, and this pleased all the people, and Saul's officers as well.

As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with tambourines and rejoicing and three-stringed instruments.

And the women sang to one another as they celebrated: "Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."

Saul was furious; this saying displeased him deeply. "They have credited David with tens of thousands," he said, "but me with only thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?"

And from that day on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

The next day an evil spirit from God came powerfully upon Saul, and he raved inside the house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day after day. Saul had a spear in his hand,

and he hurled it, saying to himself, "I will pin David to the wall." But David eluded him twice.

Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul.

So Saul sent him away from his presence and made him a commander over a thousand, and David led the troops out and brought them back.

In everything he did David had great success, for the LORD was with him.

When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him.

But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them out and brought them back.

Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife; only serve me bravely and fight the LORD's battles." For Saul thought, "I will not lay a hand on him; let the hand of the Philistines be on him."

But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my family, my father's clan in Israel, that I should become the king's son-in-law?"

So when the time came for Merab, Saul's daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah instead.

Now Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David, and when Saul was told of it, he was pleased.

"I will give her to him," Saul thought, "so that she may be a snare to him and the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David, "Now you have a second chance to become my son-in-law."

Then Saul ordered his servants, "Speak to David privately and say, 'Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now become his son-in-law.'"

They repeated these words to David, but David said, "Do you think it is a small thing to become the king's son-in-law? I am a poor man, and little known."

When Saul's servants reported to him what David had said,

Saul replied, "Say this to David: 'The king wants no other bride-price than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on the king's enemies.'" Saul's plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.

When the servants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. Before the time had expired,

David went out with his men and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and counted them out in full before the king, so that he might become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal as his wife.

When Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that his daughter Michal loved him,

Saul feared David all the more, and he remained David's enemy the rest of his days.

Whenever the Philistine commanders came out to fight, David was more successful than all the rest of Saul's officers, and his name became highly honored.

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Résumé2

Chapitre 18

Main Theme: David's growing popularity creates a friendship with Jonathan but arouses Saul's deadly jealousy.

Content: After the victory over Goliath, Jonathan's soul was bound to David's, and they made a covenant in which Jonathan gave him his robe, armor, sword, bow, and belt. The women's song saying, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands," stirred Saul's envy, and an evil spirit came upon him so that he threw his spear at David twice. Saul tried to use his daughters as a trap: first he promised Merab, but gave her to another man; then he offered Michal in exchange for a bride price of 100 Philistine foreskins—hoping that David would fall. David delivered 200 foreskins and received Michal as his wife, while Saul realized that the Lord was with David and became his enemy forever.

Key Words/Images:

The Covenant between Jonathan and David: Jonathan's soul was "bound" to David's, and the gifts symbolize the transfer of status and loyalty.
"Thousands and Ten Thousands": The women's song expresses David's superiority and becomes the catalyst for Saul's jealousy.
Trap (mokesh): Saul deliberately uses his daughters as a "snare" to get the Philistines to kill David.
The Lord was with David: A repeated motif that explains David's success and Saul's fear.

Contexte historique

Historical and Cultural Context for 1 Samuel 18

People

Jonathan appears in this chapter as Saul’s firstborn son and heir to the throne. His making of a covenant with David is remarkable because, as the crown prince, he voluntarily binds himself to David in a binding alliance. The handing over of his robe, weapons, and belt (v. 4) was not merely gifts of friendship but symbolic acts with political significance—he transferred insignia that marked royal status.

Merab and Michal, Saul’s daughters, play central roles in the marriage negotiations. Merab had been promised to David, but instead was given to Adriel from Meholah. Michal is the only woman in the Old Testament explicitly described as loving a man (v. 20), an unusual narrative detail that underscores David’s popularity.

Events and Customs

The Women’s Victory Song (vv. 6–7) represents a well-known custom in the ancient Near East where women greeted returning warriors with song, dance, and music. The instruments mentioned—hand drums (tuppim) and shalishim (possibly a stringed or percussion instrument)—were typical for such celebrations. The antiphonal form of singing with alternating responses ("Saul has struck down his thousands, David his tens of thousands") follows an established poetic pattern, but the numerical comparison became politically explosive.

Bride-price (mohar) was a fixed custom in Israelite society. Saul’s demand for one hundred Philistine foreskins as bride-price was unheard of—normally the mohar consisted of silver, livestock, or service (cf. Jacob’s seven years for Rachel). David exceeded the requirement by delivering two hundred foreskins (v. 27), demonstrating his superior skill. The request for foreskins was specifically directed at the Philistines, who, unlike the Israelites, did not practice circumcision. Collecting body parts from enemies as proof of victory is documented in Egyptian sources and other ancient texts.

Key Terms

The Hebrew expression "nefesh niqsherah" (נֶפֶשׁ... נִקְשְׁרָה, "the soul was bound") in verse 1 describes a deep spiritual bond. The word is used elsewhere concerning Jacob and Benjamin (Gen 44:30) and denotes an inseparable connection.

Berit (בְּרִית, "covenant") in verse 3 is a heavily loaded term. The covenant between Jonathan and David was a formal, binding agreement, likely with witnesses and perhaps involving a sacrifice—not merely an informal promise of friendship.

The verb "maskil" (מַשְׂכִּיל) in verses 5, 14, 15, and 30 describes David as one who "acts wisely" or "prosper[s]." The word encompasses both practical wisdom and divine blessing—his success is not merely human ability but a sign that the Lord was with him.

Personnages8

David28 Jonathan3 Michal3 Judah1 Merab (Saul's daughter)2 Saul25 Jacob2 Adriel1

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Mots-clés8

David — A young Israelite who later becomes king of Israel, known for his bravery and musical abilities.
Jonathan — King Saul's son and David's close friend, known for his loyalty and courage.
Saul — Israel's first king, who gradually becomes jealous of David and attempts to kill him.
Goliath — A Philistine warrior, a giant who is defeated by David in a duel.
Friendship — A strong bond between two people, here between David and Jonathan, who stand together despite Saul's hostility.
Jealousy — A negative feeling that arises when someone feels threatened by another person's success or relationship, here Saul's jealousy toward David.
Covenant — An agreement or promise between two parties, here between David and Jonathan, who swear loyalty and friendship to each other.
Michal — Saul's daughter and David's first wife, who helps David escape from her father.