1 Samuel 18
Lutheran reading notes
In 1 Samuel chapter 18, the account continues the story of the transition of Israel from judges to monarchy. Lutheran interpretation frequently highlights how these events reveal both human sinfulness and God’s faithful promises. The chapter demonstrates the tension between human failure and God’s ongoing grace working through history.
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.
1 Samuel 18:1 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
1 Samuel 18:2 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
1 Samuel 18:3 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Samuel 18:4 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {behaved...: or, prospered}
1 Samuel 18:5 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {Philistine: or, Philistines} {instruments...: Heb. three stringed instruments}
1 Samuel 18:6 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
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 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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? {displeased him: Heb. was evil in his eyes}
1 Samuel 18:8 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
1 Samuel 18:9 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Samuel 18:10 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Samuel 18:11 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.
1 Samuel 18:12 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Samuel 18:13 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD {was} with him. {behaved...: or, prospered}
1 Samuel 18:14 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
1 Samuel 18:15 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
1 Samuel 18:16 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {valiant: Heb. a son of valour}
1 Samuel 18:17 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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?
1 Samuel 18:18 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Samuel 18:19 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. {pleased him: Heb. was right in his eyes}
1 Samuel 18:20 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Samuel 18:21 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Samuel 18:22 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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?
1 Samuel 18:23 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
24
And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. {On...: Heb. According to these words}
1 Samuel 18:24 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Samuel 18:25 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {expired: Heb. fulfilled}
1 Samuel 18:26 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Samuel 18:28 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
29
And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.
1 Samuel 18:29 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {set by: Heb. precious}
1 Samuel 18:30 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.