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.
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 Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
And that day Saul took David and would not let him go back to his father's house.
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
Then Jonathan and David made an agreement together, because of Jonathan's love for David.
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 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 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 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 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.
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 The women sang one to another as they played, and said, "Saul has slain his thousands, 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 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?"
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 Saul viewed David with suspicion from that day and forward.
And from that day Saul was looking with envy on David.
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;
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 Saul threw the spear; for he said, "I will pin David even to the wall." David escaped from 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 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and had departed from Saul.
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 his captain over a thousand; 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 David behaved himself 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 When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
And when Saul saw how wisely he did, he was in fear of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
But David was loved by all Israel and Judah, for he went out and came 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."
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 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 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 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.
But when the time came to give Merab, Saul's daughter, to David, she was given to Adriel of Meholath.
20 Mikal, Saul's daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
And Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David: and Saul had word of it and was pleased.
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."
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 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 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 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 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 The servants of Saul told him, saying, "David spoke like this."
And the servants of Saul gave him an account of what David had said.
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 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 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 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 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.
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 When Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that all Israel loved him,
And it was clear to Saul that the Lord was with David; and he was loved by all Israel.
29 then he was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.
And Saul's fear of David became all the greater, and he went on hating him, day by day.
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.
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.
