18:1 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.
18:2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house.
18:3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
18:4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
18:5 Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul’s officers as well.
18:6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes.
18:7 As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
18:8 Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?”
18:9 And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
18:10 The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the harp, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand
18:11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
18:12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul.
18:13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns.
18:14 In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him.
18:15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him.
18:16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.
18:17 Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the LORD.” For Saul said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”
18:18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”
18:19 So when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
18:20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.
18:21 “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
18:22 Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and his attendants all like you; now become his son-in-law.’”
18:23 They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
18:24 When Saul’s servants told him what David had said,
18:25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
18:26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed,
18:27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
18:28 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,
18:29 Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
18:30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.
18:1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan became knit with the soul of David; and Jonathan loved him like his own soul.
18:2 And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father s house.
18:3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him like his own soul.
18:4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and he gave it to David, as well as his armor and even his sword and his bow and his belt.
18:5 And David went forth; on every mission that Saul sent him he acted prudently. Therefore Saul set him over the men of battle, and it was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul s servants.
18:6 But when the men came home, as David returned from striking the Philistines, the women came out of all the towns of Israel singing and dancing to meet Saul the king, with tambourines and joyful songs and stringed instruments.
18:7 And the women sang to one another as they played, and they said, Saul has struck down his thousands; / But David, his ten thousands.
18:8 And Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. And he said, They ascribe ten thousands to David, but to me they ascribe only thousands. And what more can he have except the kingdom?
18:9 So Saul eyed David from that day on.
18:10 Then on the next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul; and he prophesied in the midst of the house while David played the lyre by hand, as he had day by day. And the spear was in Saul s hand.
18:11 Then Saul threw the spear; for he said, I will strike David even to the wall. But David fled from him twice.
18:12 And Saul was afraid of David, for Jehovah was with him and had departed from Saul.
18:13 So Saul removed him from being with him and made him the captain of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people.
18:14 And David acted prudently in all his campaigns, and Jehovah was with him.
18:15 And when Saul saw that he acted very prudently, he stood in awe of him.
18:16 And all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
18:17 And Saul said to David, See, my oldest daughter Merab I will give to you as wife; only be valiant for me and fight Jehovah s battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
18:18 And David said to 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?
18:19 But at the time when Merab the daughter of Saul was to be given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
18:20 Now Michal the daughter of Saul loved David, and it was told Saul; and the matter pleased him.
18:21 And 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 upon him. Therefore Saul said to David, For the second time, you may be my son-in-law today.
18:22 Then Saul commanded his servants, Speak to David privately, saying, See, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. So now become the king s son-in-law.
18:23 And Saul s servants spoke these words in David s ears. And David said, Is it such a light thing in your sight for me to become a son-in-law to the king, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?
18:24 And Saul s servants told him, saying, This is what David said.
18:25 Then Saul said, Thus shall you say to David, The king has no desire for a dowry but for a hundred Philistine foreskins, that he may be avenged of the king s enemies. For Saul planned to have David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
18:26 So when his servants told David these things, David was pleased to become the king s son-in-law. And when the time had not yet expired,
18:27 David rose up and went, he and his men; and he struck down two hundred Philistine men. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king s son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife.
18:28 And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David. And Michal the daughter of Saul loved him.
18:29 And Saul was even more afraid of David, and Saul was David s enemy from then on.
18:30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth; and as often as they went forth, David succeeded more than all the servants of Saul. So his name was very highly esteemed.
