1I stalo se, že když přestal mluviti k Saulovi, duše Jonatova spojila se s duší Davidovou, tak že ho zamiloval Jonata jako sebe samého. 2A tak Saul vzal jej k sobě toho dne, a nedopustil mu navrátiti se do domu otce jeho. 3I učinil Jonata s Davidem smlouvu, proto že ho miloval jako duši svou. 4A složiv Jonata s sebe plášť, kterýmž byl odín, dal jej Davidovi, i roucho své, až do meče svého, a až do lučiště svého, i do pasu svého. 5Vycházel pak David, k čemuž ho koli posílal Saul, opatrně sobě počínaje. I ustanovil ho Saul nad vojáky, a líbil se všemu lidu, též i služebníkům Saulovým. 6Stalo se pak, když se oni domů brali, a David též se navracoval od zabití Filistinského, že vyšly ženy z každého města Izraelského, zpívajíce a plésajíce, vstříc Saulovi králi s bubny, s veselím a s husličkami. 7A prozpěvovaly jedny po druhých ženy ty, hrajíce, a řekly: Porazilť jest Saul svůj tisíc, ale David svých deset tisíců. 8I rozhněval se Saul náramně, nebo nelíbila se mu ta řeč. Pročež řekl: Dali Davidovi deset tisíc, a mně dali toliko tisíc. Co mu ještě přes to přivlastní, leč království? 9Protož Saul zlobivě hleděl na Davida od toho dne i vždycky. 10Stalo se pak druhého dne, že duch Boží zlý napadl Saule, a prorokoval u prostřed domu svého, a David hral rukou svou jako i jindy vždycky. Saul pak měl kopí v ruce své. 11I vyhodil Saul kopí, řka: Prohodím Davida až do stěny. Ale David uhnul se jemu po dvakrát. 12A bál se Saul Davida, proto že Hospodin byl s ním, a od Saule odstoupil. 13Protož vybyl ho Saul od sebe, a učinil jej sobě hejtmanem nad tisíci; kterýžto vycházel i vcházel před lidem. 14David pak ve všech cestách svých opatrně sobě počínal, nebo Hospodin byl s ním. 15A když to viděl Saul, že sobě velmi opatrně počíná, bál se ho. 16Ale všecken Izrael i Juda miloval Davida, nebo vycházel i vcházel před nimi. 17Tedy řekl Saul Davidovi: Aj, dceru svou starší Merob dámť za manželku, toliko mi buď muž silný, a veď boje Hospodinovy. (Saul pak myslil: Nechť neschází od mé ruky, ale od ruky Filistinských.) 18I řekl David Saulovi: Kdo jsem já, a jakýž jest rod můj a čeled otce mého v Izraeli, abych byl zetěm královým? 19I stalo se, že když již Merob dcera Saulova měla dána býti Davidovi, dána jest Adrielovi Molatitskému za manželku. 20Milovala pak Míkol dcera Saulova Davida; což když oznámili Saulovi, líbilo se to jemu. 21(Nebo řekl Saul: Dámť mu ji, aby mu byla osídlem, a aby proti němu byla ruka Filistinských.) A tak řekl Saul Davidovi: Po této druhé budeš mi již zetěm. 22I rozkázal Saul služebníkům svým: Mluvte k Davidovi tajně, řkouce: Aj, libuje tě sobě král, a všickni služebníci jeho laskavi jsou na tebe; nyní tedy budiž zetěm královým. 23A když mluvili služebníci Saulovi v uši Davidovy slova ta, odpověděl David: Zdaliž se vám malá věc zdá, býti zetěm královým? A já jsem člověk chudý a opovržený. 24Tedy služebníci Saulovi oznámili jemu, řkouce: Taková slova mluvil David. 25I řekl Saul: Takto rcete Davidovi: Není žádostiv král věna, toliko sto obřízek Filistinských, aby byla pomsta nad nepřátely královskými. (Saul pak to obmýšlel, aby David upadl v ruku Filistinských.) 26Protož oznámili služebníci jeho Davidovi slova ta, a líbilo se to Davidovi, aby byl zetěm královým. Ještě se pak nebyli vyplnili dnové ti, 27Když vstav David, odšel, on i muži jeho, a zbil z Filistinských dvě stě mužů, jejichž obřízky přinesl David, a z úplna je dali králi, aby byl zetěm královým. I dal jemu Saul Míkol dceru svou za manželku. 28A vida Saul, nýbrž zkušené maje, že jest Hospodin s Davidem, a že Míkol dcera jeho miluje ho, 29Ještě tím více Saul obával se Davida. I byl Saul nepřítelem Davidovým po všecky dny. 30Vtrhovali pak do země knížata Filistinská; i bývalo, že kdyžkoli vycházeli, opatrněji sobě počínal David proti nim nade všecky služebníky Saulovy, pročež i jméno jeho bylo velmi slavné.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 JONATHAN LOVES DAVID. (
1Sam 18:1-4)
the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David--They were nearly of an age. The prince had taken little interest in David as a minstrel; but his heroism and modest, manly bearing, his piety and high endowments, kindled the flame not of admiration only, but of affection, in the congenial mind of Jonathan.
2 Saul would let him go no more home--He was established as a permanent resident at court.
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant--Such covenants of brotherhood are frequent in the East. They are ratified by certain ceremonies, and in presence of witnesses, that the persons covenanting will be sworn brothers for life.
4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David--To receive any part of the dress which had been worn by a sovereign, or his eldest son and heir, is deemed, in the East, the highest honor which can be conferred on a subject (see on
Esth 6:8). The girdle, being connected with the sword and the bow, may be considered as being part of the military dress, and great value is attached to it in the East.
6 SAUL ENVIES HIS PRAISE. (
1Sam 18:5-9)
the women came out of all cities of Israel--in the homeward march from the pursuit of the Philistines. This is a characteristic trait of Oriental manners. On the return of friends long absent, and particularly on the return of a victorious army, bands of women and children issue from the towns and villages, to form a triumphal procession, to celebrate the victory, and, as they go along, to gratify the soldiers with dancing, instrumental music, and extempore songs, in honor of the generals who have earned the highest distinction by feats of gallantry. The Hebrew women, therefore, were merely paying the customary gratulations to David as the deliverer of their country, but they committed a great indiscretion by praising a subject at the expense of their sovereign.
9 Saul eyed David--that is, invidiously, with secret and malignant hatred.
10 SEEKS TO KILL HIM. (
1Sam 18:10-12)
on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul--This rankling thought brought on a sudden paroxysm of his mental malady.
he prophesied--The term denotes one under the influence either of a good or a bad spirit. In the present it is used to express that Saul was in a frenzy. David, perceiving the symptoms, hastened, by the soothing strains of his harp, to allay the stormy agitation of the royal mind. But before its mollifying influence could be felt, Saul hurled a javelin at the head of the young musician.
there was a javelin in Saul's hand--Had it been followed by a fatal result, the deed would have been considered the act of an irresponsible maniac. It was repeated more than once ineffectually, and Saul became impressed with a dread of David as under the special protection of Providence.
13 FEARS HIM FOR HIS GOOD SUCCESS. (
1Sam 18:13-16)
Therefore Saul removed him from him--sent him away from the court, where the principal persons, including his own son, were spellbound with admiration of the young and pious warrior.
made him captain over a thousand--gave him a military commission, which was intended to be an honorable exile. But this post of duty served only to draw out before the public the extraordinary and varied qualities of his character, and to give him a stronger hold of the people's affections.
17 HE OFFERS HIM HIS DAUGHTER FOR A SNARE. (
1Sam 18:17-21)
Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife--Though bound to this already [
1Sam 17:25], he had found it convenient to forget his former promise. He now holds it out as a new offer, which would tempt David to give additional proofs of his valor. But the fickle and perfidious monarch broke his pledge at the time when the marriage was on the eve of being celebrated, and bestowed Merab on another man (see on
2Sam 21:8); an indignity as well as a wrong, which was calculated deeply to wound the feelings and provoke the resentment of David. Perhaps it was intended to do so, that advantage might be taken of his indiscretion. But David was preserved from this snare.
20 Michal Saul's daughter loved David--This must have happened some time after.
they told Saul, and the thing pleased him--Not from any favor to David, but he saw that it would be turned to the advancement of his malicious purposes, and the more so when, by the artful intrigues and flattery of his spies, the loyal sentiments of David were discovered.
25 The king desireth not any dowry--In Eastern countries the husband purchases his wife either by gifts or services. As neither David nor his family were in circumstances to give a suitable dowry for a princess, the king intimated that he would be graciously pleased to accept some gallant deed in the public service.
a hundred foreskins of the Philistines--Such mutilations on the bodies of their slain enemies were commonly practised in ancient war, and the number told indicated the glory of the victory. Saul's willingness to accept a public service had an air of liberality, while his choice of so difficult and hazardous a service seemed only putting a proper value on gaining the hand of a king's daughter. But he covered unprincipled malice against David under this proposal, which exhibited a zeal for God and the covenant of circumcision.
26 the days were not expired--The period within which this exploit was to be achieved was not exhausted.
27 David . . . slew of the Philistines two hundred men--The number was doubled, partly to show his respect and attachment to the princess, and partly to oblige Saul to the fulfilment of his pledge.
29 Saul was yet the more afraid of David--because Providence had visibly favored him, by not only defeating the conspiracy against his life, but through his royal alliance paving his way to the throne.