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 unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit on 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 on that day, and would not permit him to go home to his father's house.
3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because of his loving 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 robe that he had upon him, and gave it to David, and likewise 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; whithersoever Saul used to send him, he was successful; and Saul set him over the men of war; and he was accepted in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.
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.
And it came to pass as they came home, when David returned from smiting the Philistines, that the women came forth out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with triangles.
7 And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
And the women that played answered one another, and said, Saul hath slain 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 very wroth, and this saying was displeasing in his eyes; and he said, They have given unto David ten thousands, and to me they have given the thousands: and all that he lacketh now yet is only the kingdom.
9 And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
And Saul looked jealous on David 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 it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came suddenly over Saul, and he spoke foolish things in the midst of the house: while David was playing with his hand, as on previous days; and the spear was in the hand of Saul.
11 and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
And Saul cast the spear; and he thought, I will strike David through even on the wall. And David turned 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 was afraid of David; because the Lord was with him, and from Saul he was departed.
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 himself, and made him his captain over a thousand: 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 was successful on all his ways; and the Lord was with him.
15 When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.
And when Saul saw that he was very successful, he was in dread of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was leading them out to battle and back.
But all Israel and Judah loved David; because he went out and came in 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, here is my eldest daughter Merab, her will I give to thee for wife: only be thou unto me a man of valor, and fight the Lord's battles. And Saul thought, Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against 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 unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be a son-in-law to 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.
But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto 'Adriel the Mecholathite for wife.
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told it to Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes.
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 become unto him a snare, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Through the second shalt thou this day become my son-in-law.
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, Speak to David secretly, saying, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee; and now thou must become 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 in the ears of David these words. And David said, Doth it seem so light in your eyes to become the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and of light esteem?
24 And the servants told Saul what David had said.
And the servants of Saul told him, saying, Words such as these David hath 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, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged on the king's enemies. But Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand 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 told David these words, the thing was pleasing in the eyes of David to become the king's son-in-law: and the days were not complete,
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.
When David arose and went, he and his men, and smote of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they counted them out in full to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter for 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 Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.
29 he grew even more afraid of David. So from then on Saul was David’s enemy.
And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy all the time.
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 it came to pass, whenever they went forth, that David was more successful than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was highly prized.
