1 Samuel 18

1 After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

2 And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house.

3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

4 And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.

5 So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.

6 As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.

7 And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

8 And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”

9 And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

10 The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear,

11 and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.

12 So Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.

13 Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,

14 and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.

15 When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.

16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was leading them out to battle and back.

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?”

19 So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.

20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.

21 “I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be my son-in-law.”

22 Then Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become his son-in-law.’”

23 But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”

24 And the servants told Saul what David had said.

25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.

26 When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,

27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.

28 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,

29 he grew even more afraid of David. So from then on Saul was David’s enemy.

30 Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers, so that his name was highly esteemed.

1 ¶ 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, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.

3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that [was] upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, [and] behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

6 ¶ And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.

7 And the women answered [one another] as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed [but] thousands: and [what] can he have more but the kingdom?

9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and [there was] a javelin in Saul's hand.

11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall [with it]. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

12 ¶ And Saul was afraid of David, 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.

14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD [was] with him.

15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

17 And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD'S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

18 And David said unto 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 it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in [the one of] the twain.

22 And Saul commanded his servants, [saying], Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.

23 And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you [a] light [thing] to be a king's son in law, seeing that I [am] a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.

25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired.

27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD [was] with David, and [that] Michal Saul's daughter loved him.

29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.

30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, [that] David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

1 And it came to pass, when he had spoken to Saul, that the heart of Jonathan was joined unto the heart of David: and Jonathan loved him as his own heart.

2 And Saul took him that day, and suffered him not to come again to his father's house.

3 And Jonathan and David made a covenant together: for he loved him as his own heart.

4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe which he had on, and gave it to David, and his coat, and his sword, and his bow, and his girdle.

5 And David went out whither Saul sent him, and kept himself wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war: and he pleased all the people well, even the servants of Saul.

6 And it came to pass, when he was come again from the battle of the Philistines, that the women of all the cities of Israel went out to meet king Saul with singing and with dancing, and with joy, and with violins.

7 And the women sang one against another, and played, saying, Saul hath smitten a thousand, but David ten thousand.

8 And Saul was very wroth, and the word displeased him, and said, They have given David ten thousand, and have given me a thousand: the kingdom will be yet;

9 And Saul looked sore upon David from that day forward.

10 And the next day the evil spirit of God came upon Saul, and prophesied in the house at home: and David played upon the strings with his hand, as he did every day. And Saul had a spear in his hand.

11 And he shot him, and thought: I will spear David against the wall. And David turned from him twice.

12 And Saul was afraid of David: for the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.

13 And Saul put him away, and made him ruler over a thousand men: and he went out and came in before the people.

14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his doings: and the LORD was with him.

15 And when Saul saw that he thought himself wise, he shrank from him.

16 But all Israel and Judah loved David: for he went out and came in before them:

17 And Saul said unto David, Behold, my greatest daughter Merob will I give thee to wife: be thou joyful, and fight the wars of the LORD. For Saul said, My hand shall not be upon him, but the hand of the Philistines.

18 And David said unto Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, and my father's seed in Israel, that I should be the king's son in law?

19 And when the time came that Merob the daughter of Saul should be given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and when it was told Saul, he said, This is right.

21 And I will give her unto him, and she shall be his fall, and the hands of the Philistines shall be upon him. And he said unto David, Thou shalt be my son in law this day with the other.

22 And Saul commanded his servants: Speak unto David privily, and say, Behold, the king hath a desire for thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.

23 And the servants of Saul spake these words in David's ears. And David said, Dost thou think it a small thing to be the king's son in law? But I am a poor, little man.

24 And Saul's servants told him again, saying, These words spake David.

25 And Saul said, Thus say ye unto David, The king desireth no morning gift, save an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to avenge himself on the king's enemies. For Saul sought to slay David by the hand of the Philistines.

26 And his servants spake these words unto David, and thought it good for David, that he should be the king's son in law. And the time was not yet ended.

27 And David arose, and went with his men, and smote of the Philistines two hundred men. And David brought their skirts, and made the king glad of the number, that he might be the king's son in law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter in marriage.

28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David. And Michal Saul's daughter loved him.

29 And Saul was yet more afraid of David, and became his enemy all the days of his life.

30 And when the princes of the Philistines went out, David dealt more wisely than all the servants of Saul, when they went out; and his name was magnified.