1S 18:1Now 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.
1S 18:2And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house.
1S 18:3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him like his own soul.
1S 18:4And 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.
1S 18:5And 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.
1S 18:6But when the men came home, as David returned from striking the Philistine, 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.
1S 18:7And the women sang to one another as they played, and they said,
Saul has struck down his thousands; / But David, his ten thousands.
1S 18:8And 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?
1S 18:9So Saul eyed David from that day on.
1S 18:10Then 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.
1S 18:11Then Saul threw the spear; for he said, I will strike David even to the wall. But David fled from him twice.
1S 18:12And Saul was afraid of David, for Jehovah was with him and had departed from Saul.
1S 18:13So 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.
1S 18:14And David acted prudently in all his campaigns, and Jehovah was with him.
1S 18:15And when Saul saw that he acted very prudently, he stood in awe of him.
1S 18:16And all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
1S 18:17And 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.
1S 18:18And 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?
1S 18:19But at the time when Merab the daughter of Saul was to be given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
1S 18:20Now Michal the daughter of Saul loved David, and it was told Saul; and the matter pleased him.
1S 18:21And 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.
1S 18:22Then 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.
1S 18:23And 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?
1S 18:24And Saul’s servants told him, saying, This is what David said.
1S 18:25Then 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.
1S 18:26So 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,
1S 18:27David 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.
1S 18:28And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David. And Michal the daughter of Saul loved him.
1S 18:29And Saul was even more afraid of David, and Saul was David’s enemy from then on.
1S 18:30Then 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.
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