18
1 When
he had finished
speaking to Saul,
the soul of
Jonathan was knit
with the soul
of David, and
Jonathan loved him
as his own
soul.
2 Saul
took him that
day, and wouldn’t
let him go
home to
his father’s house
any more.
3 Then
Jonathan and David
made a covenant,
because he loved him
as his own
soul.
4 Jonathan
stripped himself of
the robe that
was on him
and gave it
to David with
his clothing, even
including his
sword, his bow,
and his sash.
5 David
went out wherever
Saul sent him,
and behaved
himself wisely;
and Saul set
him over the
men of war.
It was good
in the sight
of all the
people, and also
in the sight
of Saul’s servants.
6 As
they came, when
David returned
from the slaughter
of the Philistine,
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.
7 The women
sang to one another
as they played,
and said,
“Saul has slain
his thousands,
and David his
ten thousands.”
8 Saul
was very angry,
and this saying
displeased him. He
said, “They
have credited David
with ten thousands,
and they have only
credited me with
thousands. What
can he have
more but the
kingdom?”
9 Saul watched
David from that
day and forward.
10 On
the next day,
an evil spirit
from God came
mightily on Saul,
and he prophesied
in the middle
of the house.
David played with
his hand, as
he did day
by day. Saul
had his spear
in his hand;
11 and
Saul threw the
spear, for he said,
“I will pin
David to the
wall!” David
escaped from his
presence twice.
12 Saul
was afraid of
David, because the
LORD was with
him, and had
departed from Saul.
13 Therefore
Saul removed him
from his presence,
and made him
his captain over
a thousand; and he
went out and
came in before
the people.
14 David
behaved himself
wisely in all
his ways; and
the LORD was
with him.
15 When
Saul saw that
he behaved himself
very wisely,
he stood in awe
of him.
16 But
all Israel and
Judah loved David;
for he went
out and came
in before them.
17 Saul said
to David, “Behold,
my elder daughter
Merab. I will
give her to
you as wife. Only
be valiant for
me, and fight
the LORD’s
battles.” For
Saul said, “Don’t let
my hand be
on him, but
let the hand
of the Philistines
be on 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?”
19 But
at the time
when Merab, Saul’s
daughter, should
have been given
to David, she
was given to
Adriel the
Meholathite as wife.
20 Michal,
Saul’s daughter, loved
David; and they
told Saul, and
the thing pleased
him.
21 Saul said,
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
a second time, “You
shall today be
my son-in-law.”
22 Saul
commanded his
servants, “Talk
with David
secretly, and say,
‘Behold, the king
has delight in
you, and all
his servants love
you. Now therefore
be the king’s
son-in-law.’ ”
23 Saul’s
servants spoke
those words in
the ears of David.
David said, “Does
it seem to
you a light
thing to be
the king’s
son-in-law, since I
am a poor
man and little known?”
24 The
servants of Saul
told him, saying,
“David spoke like
this.”
25 Saul said,
“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 he
would make David
fall by the
hand of the
Philistines.
26 When
his servants told
David these words,
it pleased David
well to be
the king’s
son-in-law. Before
the deadline,
27 David
arose and went,
he and his men,
and killed two
hundred men of the
Philistines. Then
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
Michal his
daughter as wife.
28 Saul
saw and knew
that the LORD
was with David;
and Michal, Saul’s
daughter, loved him.
29 Saul
was even more
afraid of David;
and Saul was
David’s enemy continually.
30 Then
the princes of
the Philistines
went out; and
as often as
they went out,
David behaved
himself more
wisely than all
the servants of
Saul, so that
his name was
highly esteemed.