< 1 Samuel 18 >
1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2 And Saul took him that day, and would no more let him go home to his father's house.
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his belt.
5 And David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
6 And it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music.
7 And the women sang one to another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him, and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands, and what can he have more but the kingdom?
9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. And David played with his hand, as he did day by day, and Saul had his spear in his hand.
11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David turned away from his presence twice.
12 And Saul was afraid of David because Jehovah was with him, and was departed from Saul.
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.
14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and Jehovah was with him.
15 And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
17 And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, I will give her to thee for a wife. Only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
18 And David said to 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?
19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
20 And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David, and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
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. Therefore Saul said to David, Thou shall this day be my son-in-law a second time.
22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Converse with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king has delight in thee, and all his servants love thee. Now therefore be the king's son-in-law.
23 And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner David spoke.
25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king does not desire any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
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.
27 And David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines two hundred men. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number 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 Jehovah was with David, and Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.
29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David, and Saul was David's enemy continually.
30 Then the rulers of the Philistines went forth, and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was very precious.
