1 Samuel 18
1 When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to 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 David into his service that day; he did not let him return 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 of friendship because Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
Then Jonathan and David made an agreement together, because of Jonathan's love for David.
4 Jonathan took off the robe that he was wearing and gave it to David with his armor, as well as his sword, bow, and 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 David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he succeeded. Saul set him over the men of war. This was pleasing in the eyes 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 As they came home from defeating the Philistines, the women came from all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments.
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. They sang: “Saul has killed his thousands, and 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 song displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but they have ascribed only thousands to me. What more can he have but the monarchy?”
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 looked at David with suspicion from that day on.
And from that day Saul was looking with envy on David.
10 The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul and he raved within the house. So David played his instrument, as he did each day. Saul had a 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 Saul threw the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from Saul's presence twice in this way.
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 Yahweh was with him, but was no longer with Saul.
And Saul went in fear of David, because the Lord was with David and had gone away from Saul.
13 So Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him a commander of a thousand. In this way David 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 was prospering in all his ways, for Yahweh was with him.
And in all his undertakings David did wisely; and the Lord was with him.
15 When Saul saw that he prospered, 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 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you as a wife. Only be courageous for me and fight Yahweh's battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not 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 who are my relatives, or my father's clan 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 at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.
But when the time came to give Merab, Saul's daughter, to David, she was given to Adriel of Meholath.
20 But Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. They told Saul, and this pleased him.
And Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David: and Saul had word of it and was pleased.
21 Then Saul thought, “I will give her to him, so that she can be a trap for him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David a second time, “You will be my son-in-law.”
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 Saul commanded his servants, “Speak with David in private, and say, 'See, the king takes pleasure in you, and all his servants love you. Now then, become 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 So Saul's servants spoke these words to David. Then David said, “Is it a small matter to you to be the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?”
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 reported to him the words which David spoke.
And the servants of Saul gave him an account of what David had said.
25 Then Saul said, “Say this to David, 'The king does not desire any price for the bride except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged from 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 to be the king's son-in-law.
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 Before those days had expired, David went with his men and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, so that he might be the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter as his 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 he knew that Yahweh was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him,
And it was clear to Saul that the Lord was with David; and he was loved by all Israel.
29 Saul was even more afraid of David. Saul was continually David's enemy.
And Saul's fear of David became all the greater, and he went on hating him, day by day.
30 Then the princes of the Philistines came out for battle, and as often as they came out, David succeeded more than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly regarded.
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.
