1 Samuel 18

18 ¹As David finish to talk with Saul, Jonathan soul tie join David own, and Jonathan love am like im own soul. ²From dat day Saul keep David for im side, e no gree make David go back to im papa house. ³Den Jonathan cut Covenant with David, because e love am like im own soul. ⁴Jonathan comot di agbada wey e wear give am to David, plus im gown, im sword, im bow, and im belt.

⁵David dey succeed for everywhere wey Saul send am, so Saul put am over di sojas, and dis one sweet all di people plus Saul servants too.

⁶As dem dey return, wen David come back from killing di Philistine, women from every Israel city comot come meet King Saul, dem dey sing, dey dance, with joy, dem carry tambourine and instrument. ⁷As dem dey jubilate, di women dey sing answer each other: “Saul don kill im thousands, David im ten thousands.”

⁸Saul vex well well; dis word no sweet am at all. E talk say, “Dem give David ten thousands, but me na only thousands. Wetin remain again except di kingdom?” ⁹And from dat day Saul begin dey look David with jealous eye. ¹⁰Di next day one bad spirit from our Papa rush come on Saul; e dey rave inside im house wen David dey play di lyre, as e dey do everyday. Saul get im spear for im hand. ¹¹E throw di spear, e dey think say, “I go pin David for di wall.” But David dodge am two times. ¹²Saul dey fear David, because our Papa dey with am but don comot from Saul. ¹³So Saul send David comot from im front, e make am commander over 1,000, and David dey lead di people go war and come back. ¹⁴David dey succeed for all im ways, because our Papa dey with am. ¹⁵Wen Saul see how David dey succeed well well, e come dey dread am. ¹⁶But all Israel and Judah love David, because e dey lead dem go war and come back.

David Win Michal Pass Saul Trap-Trap

¹⁷Saul tell David, “See my first daughter Merab. I go give am to you as wife—only be brave for me and fight di battles of our Papa.” For Saul dey think, “My own hand no go dey against am; make di hand of di Philistines dey against am.”

¹⁸David talk to Saul, “Who I be, and wetin be my family, my papa people for Israel, wey I go come be di king in-law?” ¹⁹But wen di time reach to give Merab, Saul daughter, to David, dem give am to Adriel di Meholathite as wife.

²⁰Now Michal, Saul daughter, love David. Wen Saul hear dis one, e sweet am. ²¹Saul dey think, “I go give am to am as trap, make di hand of di Philistines strike am.” So Saul tell David, “Today you get second chance to be my in-law.”

²²Saul tell im servants, “Talk to David for hiding place: ‘Di king like you, and all im servants love you. Now come be im in-law.’”

²³Saul servants talk dis words to David. David talk say, “You think say to be di king in-law na small thing? Me na poor man wey no get respect.”

²⁴And Saul servants tell am, “Na dis David talk.”

²⁵Saul talk say, “Tell David: ‘Di king no want any bride-price, only one hundred foreskin of di Philistines—as revenge on di king enemies.’” E plan am say make David fall for di hand of di Philistines. ^a a v25 To bring enemy foreskin as proof say you kill dem na trophy custom wey dem sabi for ancient Canaan and di cultures wey surround am. ²⁶Im servants tell David dis thing; e dey happy well well to become di king in-law. Before di full time pass, ²⁷David and im men comot, dem kill 200 Philistines, and dem bring dia foreskin to di king, dem count am complete so David fit become im in-law. So Saul give am im daughter Michal as wife. ²⁸Wen Saul see and know say our Papa dey with David, and say Michal im daughter love am, ²⁹Saul come dey fear David pass before, and e become David enemy for di rest of im life.

³⁰Di commanders of di Philistines dey continue come out to war, and every time David dey succeed pass all Saul officers, so im name come get plenty honour.