« | 1 Samuel 18 | » |
1 David and Saul finished talking, and soon David and Jonathan became best friends. Jonathan thought as much of David as he did of himself.
2 From that time on, Saul kept David in his service and would not let David go back to his own family.
3 Jonathan liked David so much that they promised to always be loyal friends.
4 Jonathan took off the robe that he was wearing and gave it to David. He also gave him his military clothes, his sword, his bow and arrows, and his belt.
5 David was a success in everything that Saul sent him to do, and Saul made him a high officer in his army. That pleased everyone, including Saul's other officers.
6 David had killed Goliath, the battle was over, and the Israelite army set out for home. As the army went along, women came out of each Israelite town to welcome King Saul. They were singing happy songs and dancing to the music of tambourines and harps.
7 They sang: Saul has killed a thousand enemies; David has killed ten thousand enemies!
8 This song made Saul very angry, and he thought, "They are saying that David has killed ten times more enemies than I ever did. Next they will want to make him king."
9 Saul never again trusted David.
10 The next day the LORD let an evil spirit take control of Saul, and he began acting like a crazy man inside his house. David came to play the harp for Saul as usual, but this time Saul had a spear in his hand.
11 Saul thought, "I'll pin David to the wall." He threw the spear at David twice, but David dodged and got away both times.
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was helping David and was no longer helping him.
13 Saul put David in charge of a thousand soldiers and sent him out to fight.
14 The LORD helped David, and he and his soldiers always won their battles.
15 This made Saul even more afraid of David.
16 But everyone else in Judah and Israel was loyal to David, because he led the army in battle.
17 One day, Saul told David, "If you'll be brave and fight the LORD's battles for me, I'll let you marry my oldest daughter Merab." But Saul was really thinking, "I don't want to kill David myself, so I'll let the Philistines do it for me."
18 David answered, "How could I possibly marry your daughter? I'm not very important, and neither is my family."
19 But when the time came for David to marry Saul's daughter Merab, Saul told her to marry Adriel from the town of Meholah.
20 Saul had another daughter. Her name was Michal, and Saul found out that she was in love with David. This made Saul happy,
21 and he thought, "I'll tell David he can marry Michal, but I'll set it up so that the Philistines will kill him." He told David, "I'm going to give you a second chance to marry one of my daughters."
22 Saul ordered his officials to speak to David in private, so they went to David and said, "Look, the king likes you, and all of his officials are loyal to you. Why not ask the king if you can marry his daughter Michal?" "I'm not rich or famous enough to marry princess Michal!" David answered.
23 (SEE 18:22)
24 The officials went back to Saul and told him exactly what David had said.
25 Saul was hoping that the Philistines would kill David, and he told his officials to tell David, "The king doesn't want any silver or gold. He only wants to get even with his enemies. All you have to do is to bring back proof that you have killed a hundred Philistines!"
26 The officials told David, and David wanted to marry the princess. King Saul had set a time limit, and before it ran out,
27 David and his men left and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought back the proof and showed it to Saul, so he could marry Michal. Saul agreed to let David marry Michal.
28 Saul knew that she loved David, and he also realized that the LORD was helping David.
29 But knowing those things made Saul even more afraid of David, and he was David's enemy for the rest of his life.
30 The Philistine rulers kept coming to fight Israel, but whenever David fought them, he won. He was famous because he won more battles against the Philistines than any of Saul's other officers.
The Contemporary English Version (CEV)
The Contemporary English Version (CEV) is a modern Bible translation that aims to make the scriptures accessible and understandable to a broad audience, including children and those with limited English proficiency. Published by the American Bible Society in 1995, the CEV emphasizes clarity, readability, and ease of comprehension. Unlike more literal translations, the CEV uses a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, which focuses on conveying the original meaning of the text in a way that is clear and straightforward for contemporary readers.
One of the key features of the CEV is its use of everyday language and simple sentence structures. The translators avoided theological jargon and archaic terms, instead opting for language that is commonly used in daily conversation. This makes the CEV particularly well-suited for public reading, educational settings, and outreach programs where the audience might not be familiar with traditional biblical language. The translation strives to communicate the essence of the biblical message without the barriers that complex language can sometimes create.
The CEV also pays special attention to cultural sensitivity and inclusivity. The translators sought to avoid expressions and idioms that might be misunderstood or offensive in different cultural contexts. Additionally, the CEV includes gender-neutral language where appropriate, aiming to make the text more inclusive while still remaining faithful to the original manuscripts. This approach helps ensure that Bible teachings are accessible to a diverse global audience, promoting understanding and acceptance across different cultures and communities.
Despite its strengths, the CEV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more literal translations. Critics argue that the CEV emphasises on simplicity and readability which can sometimes result in a loss of nuance and depth found in the original languages. Some theologians and scholars believe that the thought-for-thought approach may oversimplify complex theological concepts. Nevertheless, the Contemporary English Version remains a valuable resource for many readers, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that is particularly effective for those new to the scriptures or those seeking a more accessible way to engage with the biblical text.