1 Samuel 18
1 Now after David's talk with Saul was ended, the soul of Jonathan was joined with the soul of David, and David became as dear to him as his very life.
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that, the soul of Jonathan, was knit with, the soul of David, so that Jonathan loved him, as his own soul.
2 And that day Saul took David and would not let him go back to his father's house.
And Saul took him, that day, —and suffered him not to return unto the house of his father.
3 Then Jonathan and David made an agreement together, because of Jonathan's love for David.
And Jonathan and David solemnised a covenant, —because he loved him as his own soul.
4 And Jonathan took off the robe he had on and gave it to David, with all his military dress, even to his sword and his bow and the band round his body.
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe which was upon him, and gave it to David, —and his equipments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
5 And David went wherever Saul sent him, and did wisely: and Saul put him at the head of his men of war, and this was pleasing to all the people as well as to Saul's servants.
And David went forth—whithersoever Saul sent him, he behaved himself prudently, so Saul set him over the men of war, —and he became a favourite in the eyes of all the people, yea even in the eyes of the servants of Saul.
6 Now on their way, when David came back after the destruction of the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, with songs and dances, meeting David with melody and joy and instruments of music.
But so it was, when they came in on the return of David from the smiting of the Philistine, that the women went forth out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet Saul the king, —with timbrels, with rejoicing, and with instruments of three strings.
7 And the women, answering one another in their song, said, Saul has put to death his thousands and David his tens of thousands.
And the women that made merry responded to each other in song, and said, —Saul, hath smitten, his thousands, but, David, his, tens of thousands.
8 And Saul was very angry and this saying was unpleasing to him; and he said, They have given David credit for tens of thousands, and to me for only thousands: what more is there for him but the kingdom?
Then was Saul exceeding angry, and this saying was offensive in his eyes, and he said, —They have ascribed, to David, ten thousands, but, to me, have they ascribed thousands, —What, more, then, can he have but, the kingdom?
9 And from that day Saul was looking with envy on David.
And Saul was eyeing David from that day forward.
10 Now on the day after, an evil spirit from God came on Saul with great force and he was acting like a prophet among the men of his house, while David was making music for him, as he did day by day: and Saul had his spear in his hand.
And, when it came to pass, on the morrow, that a superhuman spirit of sadness came suddenly upon Saul, and he was moved to raving in the midst of the house, —and, David, began playing with his hand, as he had done day by day, that a spear being in Saul’s hand,
11 And Saul, balancing the spear in his hand, said, I will give David a blow, pinning him to the wall. And David got away from him twice.
Saul hurled the spear, and said to himself—I will smite David, even to the wall! But David moved round from before him, twice.
12 And Saul went in fear of David, because the Lord was with David and had gone away from Saul.
And Saul feared because of David, —for Yahweh was with him, whereas, from Saul, he had departed.
13 So Saul sent him away, and made him a captain over a thousand; and he went about his business before the people.
So Saul removed him from him, and appointed him to be for him the captain of a thousand, —and he went out and came in before the people.
14 And in all his undertakings David did wisely; and the Lord was with him.
And it came to pass that David, in all his ways, acted prudently, —and, Yahweh, was with him.
15 And when Saul saw how wisely he did, he was in fear of him.
And, when Saul saw that, he, was acting very prudently, he was afraid of him.
16 But David was loved by all Israel and Judah, for he went out and came in before them.
But, all Israel and Judah, were in love with David, —for he was going out and coming in before them.
17 And Saul said to David, Here is my oldest daughter Merab, whom I will give you for your wife: only be strong for me, fighting in the Lord's wars. For Saul said, Let it not be through me that his fate comes to him, but through the Philistines.
So then Saul said unto David—Lo! my elder daughter Merab, her, will I give thee to wife, only, approve thyself unto me as a son of valour and fight the battles of Yahweh. Saul, however, had said to himself—Let not, my own 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 father's family in Israel, that I am to be son-in-law to the king?
And David said unto Saul—Who am, I, or who are my kinsfolk, the family of my father, in Israel, —that I should become son-in-law, to the king?
19 But when the time came to give Merab, Saul's daughter, to David, she was given to Adriel of Meholath.
But it came to pass, within the time for giving Merab daughter of Saul to David, that, she, was given to Adriel the Meholathite, to wife.
20 And Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David: and Saul had word of it and was pleased.
Then did Michal, Saul’s daughter, love David, —and it was told Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes.
21 And Saul said, I will give her to him, so that she may be a cause of danger to him, and so that the hands of the Philistines may be against him. So Saul said to David, Today you are to become my son-in-law for the second time.
And Saul said to himself—I will give her unto him, that she may prove to him a snare, and that, the hand of the Philistines, may be upon him. So then Saul said unto David, A second time, mayest thou become my son-in-law to-day.
22 And Saul gave his servants orders saying, Have talk with David secretly and say to him, See how the king has delight in you, and how you are loved by all his servants: then be the king's son-in-law.
And Saul commanded his servants—Speak ye unto David quietly saying, Lo! the king delighteth in thee, and, all his servants, love thee, —now, therefore, become thou son-in-law to the king.
23 And Saul's servants said these things to David. And David said, Does it seem to you a small thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, of no great name?
And the servants of Saul spake, in the ears of David, these words. And David said—Seemeth it a light thing, in your eyes, to become son-in-law to the king, seeing that, I, am a poor man and lightly esteemed?
24 And the servants of Saul gave him an account of what David had said.
So the servants of Saul told him, saying, —According to these words, spake David,
25 And Saul said, Then say to David, The king has no desire for any bride-price, but only for the private parts of a hundred Philistines so that the king may get the better of his haters. But it was in Saul's mind that David might come to his end by the hands of the Philistines.
Then said Saul—Thus, shall ye say unto David—The king hath no delight in purchase-price, but rather in a hundred foreskins of Philistines, by avenging himself on the enemies of the king. But, Saul, thought to let David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26 And when his servants said these words to David, he was well pleased to be the son-in-law of the king. And the days were still not past.
So, when his servants told David these words, the thing was right in the eyes of David, to become son-in-law unto the king, —and the days had not expired.
27 So David and his men got up and went, and put to death two hundred of the Philistines; and David took their private parts and gave the full number of them to the king, so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for his wife.
Wherefore David arose, and went—he and his men, and smote among the Philistines two hundred men, and David brought in their foreskins, and gave them in full tale unto the king, that he might become son-in-law unto the king, and Saul gave him Michal his daughter, to wife.
28 And it was clear to Saul that the Lord was with David; and he was loved by all Israel.
And Saul saw and knew that, Yahweh, was with David, and that, all Israel, loved him.
29 And Saul's fear of David became all the greater, and he went on hating him, day by day.
So then Saul went on to fear because of David, yet more, —and it came to pass that Saul was hostile to David, all the days.
30 Then the rulers of the Philistines went out to war: and whenever they went out, David did more wisely than all the other servants of Saul, so that his name became greatly honoured.
And, when the princes of the Philistines came forth, so it was, that, as often as they came forth, David was more circumspect than any of the servants of Saul, so that his name was, precious exceedingly.
