1 Samuel 18
1 After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2 And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house.
And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father’s house.
3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
And David and Jonathan made a covenant, for be loved him as his own soul.
4 And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
And Jonathan stripped himself of the coat with which he was clothed, and gave it to David, and the rest of his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
5 So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.
And David went out to whatsoever business Saul sent him, and he behaved himself prudently: and Saul set him over the soldiers, and he was acceptable in the eyes of all the people, and especially in the eyes of Saul’s servants.
6 As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.
Now when David returned, after be slew the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels of joy, and cornets.
7 And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
And the women sung as they played, and they said: I Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”
And Saul was exceeding angry, and this word was displeasing in his eyes, and he said: They have given David ten thousands, and to me they have given but a thousand; what can he have more but the kingdom?
9 And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
And Saul did not look on David with a good eye from that day and forward.
10 The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear,
And the day after the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And David played with his hand as at other times. And Saul held a spear in his hand,
11 and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
And threw it, thinking to nail David to the wall: and David stept aside out of his presence twice.
12 So Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.
And Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from himself.
13 Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,
Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him a captain over a thousand men, and he went out and came in before the people.
14 and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.
And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
15 When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.
And Saul saw that he was exceeding prudent, and began to beware of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was leading them out to battle and back.
But all Israel and Juda loved David, for he came in and went out before them.
17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
And Saul said to David: Behold my elder daughter Merob, her will I give thee to wife: only be a valiant man, and fight the battles of the Lord. Now Saul said within himself: Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines be upon him.
18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?”
And David said to Saul: Who am I, or what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law of the king?
19 So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
And it came to pass at the time when Merob the daughter of Saul should have been given to David, that she was given to Hadriel the Molathite to wife.
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
But Michol the other daughter of Saul loved David. And it was told Saul, and it pleased him.
21 “I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be my son-in-law.”
And Saul said: I will give her to him, that she may be a stumblingblock to him, and that the band of the Philistines may be upon him. And Saul said to David: In two things thou shalt be my son in law this day.
22 Then Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become his son-in-law.’”
And Saul commanded his servants to speak to David privately, saying: Behold thou pleasest the king, and all his servants love thee. Now therefore be the king’s son in law.
23 But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”
And the servants of Saul spoke all these words in the ears of David. And David said: Doth it seem to you a small matter to be the king’s son in law? But I am a poor man, and of small ability.
24 And the servants told Saul what David had said.
And the servants of Saul told him, saying: Such words as these hath David spoken.
25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.
And Saul said: Speak thus to David: The king desireth not any dowry, but only a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. Now Saul thought to deliver David into the hands of the Philistines.
26 When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,
And when his servants had told David the words that Saul had said, the word was pleasing in the eyes of David to be the king’s son in law.
27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.
And after a few days David rose up, and went with the men that were under him, and he slew of the Philistines two hundred men, and brought their foreskins and numbered them out to the king, that he might be his son in law. Saul therefore gave him Michol his daughter to wife.
28 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,
And Saul saw, and understood that the Lord was with David. And Michol the daughter of Saul loved him.
29 he grew even more afraid of David. So from then on Saul was David’s enemy.
And Saul began to fear David more: and Saul became David’s enemy continually.
30 Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers, so that his name was highly esteemed.
And the princes of the Philistines went forth: and from the beginning of their going forth, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, and his name became very famous.
