1 Samuel 18

1And it happened, when he had finished speaking to Saul, that Jonathan’s soul was bound to David’s soul, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

2Saul took him that day and did not allow him to return to his father's house.

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

4Then Jonathan stripped off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, along with his armor, and even his sword, his bow, and his belt.

5David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he acted wisely. So Saul appointed him over the men of war, and this was good in the eyes of all the people and also in the eyes of Saul’s servants.

6And it happened, as they were coming in, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, that the women came out from all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments.

7And the women who were celebrating sang responsively, saying, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

8Then Saul became very angry, and this matter displeased him. He said, “They have given David ten thousands, but to me they have given the thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom?”

9And Saul eyed David from that day forward.

10And it happened on the next day that an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied within the house while David was playing with his hand, as day by day; and the spear was in Saul’s hand.

11Saul hurled the spear and said, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David dodged away from him twice.

12Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him and had departed from Saul.

13So Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him commander of a thousand, and he went out and came in before the people.

14And David was acting wisely in all his ways, and Yahweh was with him.

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

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

17Then Saul said to David, “Look, my older daughter Merab—I will give her to you as a wife. Only be a valiant man for me, and fight the LORD’s battles.” For Saul said, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

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

19But when the time came to give Merab, Saul’s daughter, to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.

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

21Then Saul said, “I will give her to him, so that she may become a snare to him and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “By the second one you may become my son-in-law today.”

22So Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David privately, saying, ‘Look, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you. So now become the king’s son-in-law.’”

23So Saul’s servants spoke these words in David’s hearing, and David said, “Does it seem to you a small thing to become the king’s son-in-law, when I am a poor and lightly regarded man?”

24Saul’s servants told him, saying, “David spoke words like these.”

25Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David, ‘The king has no desire for a bride-price except a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul intended to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26So his servants told David these words, and the matter seemed right in David’s eyes, to become the king’s son-in-law; and the days had not yet been fulfilled.

27So David arose and went, he and his men, and struck down two hundred Philistine men. Then David brought their foreskins, and they counted them out in full to the king, so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.

28Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David, and that Michal the daughter of Saul loved him.

29Saul continued to fear David even more, and Saul was David’s enemy all his days.

30Then the commanders of the Philistines went out, and as often as they went out, David acted more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.