1 Samuel 18
1 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.
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.
2 And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father’s house.
And that day Saul took David and would not let him go back to his father's house.
3 And David and Jonathan made a covenant, for be loved him as his own soul.
Then Jonathan and David made an agreement together, because of Jonathan's love for David.
4 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.
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.
5 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.
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.
6 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.
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.
7 And the women sung as they played, and they said: I Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
And the women, answering one another in their song, said, Saul has put to death his thousands and David his tens of thousands.
8 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?
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?
9 And Saul did not look on David with a good eye from that day and forward.
And from that day Saul was looking with envy on David.
10 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,
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.
11 And threw it, thinking to nail David to the wall: and David stept aside out of his presence twice.
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.
12 And Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from himself.
And Saul went in fear of David, because the Lord was with David and had gone away from Saul.
13 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.
So Saul sent him away, and made him a captain over a thousand; and he went about his business before the people.
14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
And in all his undertakings David did wisely; and the Lord was with him.
15 And Saul saw that he was exceeding prudent, and began to beware of him.
And when Saul saw how wisely he did, he was in fear of him.
16 But all Israel and Juda loved David, for he came in and went out before them.
But David was loved by all Israel and Judah, for he went out and came in before them.
17 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.
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.
18 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?
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?
19 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.
But when the time came to give Merab, Saul's daughter, to David, she was given to Adriel of Meholath.
20 But Michol the other daughter of Saul loved David. And it was told Saul, and it pleased him.
And Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David: and Saul had word of it and was pleased.
21 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.
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.
22 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.
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.
23 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.
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?
24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying: Such words as these hath David spoken.
And the servants of Saul gave him an account of what David had said.
25 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.
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.
26 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.
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.
27 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.
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.
28 And Saul saw, and understood that the Lord was with David. And Michol the daughter of Saul loved him.
And it was clear to Saul that the Lord was with David; and he was loved by all Israel.
29 And Saul began to fear David more: and Saul became David’s enemy continually.
And Saul's fear of David became all the greater, and he went on hating him, day by day.
30 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.
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.
