< 1 Samuel 18 >

1 It happened, 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.
And when he had made an ende of speaking vnto Saul, the soule of Ionathan was knit with the soule of Dauid, and Ionathan loued him, as his owne soule.
2 Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
And Saul tooke him that day, and woulde not let him returne to his fathers house.
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
Then Ionathan and Dauid made a couenant: for he loued him as his owne soule.
4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.
And Ionathan put off the robe that was vpon him, and gaue it Dauid, and his garments, euen to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
5 Then Saul set him over the men of war, and David went out, succeeding wherever Saul sent him. And it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
And Dauid went out whithersoeuer Saul sent him, and behaued himselfe wisely: so that Saul set him ouer the men of warre, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Sauls seruants.
6 It happened 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 tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.
When they came againe, and Dauid returned from the slaughter of the Philistim, the women came out of all cities of Israel singing and dauncing to meete king Saul, with timbrels, with instruments of ioy, and with rebeckes.
7 The women sang one to another as they played, and said, "Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands."
And the women sang by course in their play, and sayd, Saul hath slayne his thousand, and Dauid his ten thousand.
8 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. What can he have more but the kingdom?"
Therefore Saul was exceeding wroth, and the saying displeased him, and he sayde, They haue ascribed vnto Dauid ten thousand, and to me they haue ascribed but a thousand, and what can he haue more saue the kingdome?
9 Saul viewed David with suspicion from that day and forward.
Wherefore Saul had an eye on Dauid from that day forward.
10 It happened on the next day, that a harmful spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand;
And on the morowe, the euill spirite of God came vpon Saul, and he prophecied in the middes of the house: and Dauid played with his hand like as at other times, and there was a speare in Sauls hand.
11 and Saul threw the spear; for he said, "I will pin David even to the wall." David escaped from his presence twice.
And Saul tooke the speare, and sayd, I will smite Dauid through to the wall. But Dauid auoyded twise out of his presence.
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and had departed from Saul.
And Saul was afrayd of Dauid, because the Lord 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.
Therefore Saul put him from him, and made him a captaine ouer a thousand, and he went out and in before the people.
14 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
And Dauid behaued himselfe wisely in all his wayes: for the Lord was with him.
15 When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
Wherefore when Saul saw that he was very wise, he was afrayde of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
For all Israel and Iudah loued Dauid, because he went out and in before them.
17 Saul said to David, "Look, my elder daughter Merob, I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the LORD's battles." For Saul said, "Do not let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him."
Then Saul sayd to Dauid, Beholde mine eldest daughter Merab, her I will giue thee to wife: onely be a valiant sonne vnto me, and fight the Lordes battels: for Saul thought, Mine hand shall not be vpon him, but the hand of the Philistims shalbe vpon him.
18 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?"
And Dauid answered Saul, What am I? and what is my life, or the family of my father in Israel, that I should be sonne in law to the King?
19 But it happened at the time when Merob, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
Howbeit when Merab Sauls daughter should haue bene giuen to Dauid, she was giuen vnto Adriel a Meholathite to wife.
20 Mikal, Saul's daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
Then Michal Sauls daughter loued Dauid: and they shewed Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 And Saul thought, "I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David, "You shall this day be my son-in-law a second time."
Therefore Saul said, I wil giue him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistims may bee against him. Wherefore Saul sayde to Dauid, Thou shalt this day be my sonne in law in the one of the twayne.
22 Then Saul commanded his servants, "Talk with David secretly, and say, 'Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. So now therefore be the king's son-in-law.'"
And Saul commanded his seruants, Speake with Dauid secretly, and say, Behold, ye King hath a fauour to thee, and all his seruants loue thee: be now therefore the Kings sonne in law.
23 Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, "Does it seems to you a little thing to be the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man, and insignificant?"
And Sauls seruantes spake these wordes in the eares of Dauid. And Dauid sayd, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a Kings sonne in lawe, seeing that I am a poore man and of small reputation?
24 The servants of Saul told him, saying, "David spoke like this."
And then Sauls seruats brought him word againe, saying, Such wordes spake Dauid.
25 Saul said, "You shall tell David, 'The king desires no dowry except one 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.
And Saul sayd, This wise shall ye say to Dauid, The King desireth no dowrie, but an hundred foreskinnes of the Philistims, to bee auenged of the Kings enemies: for Saul thought to make Dauid fall into the handes of the Philistims.
26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. The days were not expired;
And when his seruantes tolde Dauid these wordes, it pleased Dauid well, to be the Kings sonne in law: and the dayes were not expired.
27 and David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines one 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. Then Saul gave him Mikal his daughter as wife.
Afterwarde Dauid arose with his men, and went and slewe of the Philistims two hundreth men: and Dauid brought their foreskinnes, and they gaue them wholly to the King that hee might be the Kings sonne in lawe: therefore Saul gaue him Michal his daughter to wife.
28 When Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that all Israel loved him,
Then Saul sawe, and vnderstoode that the Lord was with Dauid, and that Michal the daughter of Saul loued him.
29 then he was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.
Then Saul was more and more afrayde of Dauid, and Saul became alway Dauids enemie.
30 Then the leaders of the Philistines went forth: and it happened, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was highly esteemed.
And when the Princes of the Philistims went forth, at their going forth Dauid behaued himselfe more wisely then all the seruants of Saul, so that his name was much set by.

< 1 Samuel 18 >