1 Samuel 18

¹ And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit on the soul of David; and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

² And Saul took him on that day, and would not permit him to go home to his father’s house.

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

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

⁵ And David went out; whithersoever Saul used to send him, he was successful; and Saul set him over the men of war; and he was accepted in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.

⁶ And it came to pass as they came home, when David returned from smiting the Philistines, that the women came forth out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with triangles.

⁷ And the women that played answered one another, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

⁸ And Saul was very wroth, and this saying was displeasing in his eyes; and he said, They have given unto David ten thousands, and to me they have given the thousands: and all that he lacketh now yet is only the kingdom.

⁹ And Saul looked jealous on David from that day and forward.

¹⁰ And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came suddenly over Saul, and he spoke foolish things in the midst of the house: while David was playing with his hand, as on previous days; and the spear was in the hand of Saul.

¹¹ And Saul cast the spear; and he thought, I will strike David through even on the wall. And David turned aside out of his presence twice.

¹² And Saul was afraid of David; because the Lord was with him, and from Saul he was departed.

¹³ Therefore Saul removed him from himself, and made him his captain over a thousand: and he went out and came in before the people.

¹⁴ And David was successful on all his ways; and the Lord was with him.

¹⁵ And when Saul saw that he was very successful, he was in dread 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, here is my eldest daughter Merab, her will I give to thee for wife: only be thou unto me a man of valor, and fight the Lord’s battles. And Saul thought, Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against 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 a son–in–law to the king?

¹⁹ But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto ‘Adriel the Mecholathite for wife.

²⁰ And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told it to Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes.

²¹ And Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may become unto him a snare, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Through the second shalt thou this day become my son–in–law.

²² And Saul commanded his servants, Speak to David secretly, saying, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee; and now thou must become the king’s son–in–law.

²³ And the servants of Saul spoke in the ears of David these words. And David said, Doth it seem so light in your eyes to become the king’s son–in–law, seeing that I am a poor man, and of light esteem?

²⁴ And the servants of Saul told him, saying, Words such as these David hath spoken.

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

²⁶ And when his servants told David these words, the thing was pleasing in the eyes of David to become the king’s son–in–law: and the days were not complete,

²⁷ When David arose and went, he and his men, and smote of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they counted them out in full to the king, that he might become the king’s son–in–law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter for wife.

²⁸ And Saul saw and understood that the Lord was with David: and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him.

²⁹ And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David’s enemy all the time.

³⁰ And the princes of the Philistines went forth; and it came to pass, whenever they went forth, that David was more successful than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was highly prized.