1Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the 18:1 life of Jonathan was bound up with the life ofsoul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

2Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore.

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

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

5So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and 18:5 Or prosperedbehaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

6Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the 18:6 PhilistinesPhilistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments.

7So the women sang as they danced, and said:

8Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?”

9So Saul 18:9 Viewed with suspicioneyed David from that day forward.

10And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand.

11And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.

12Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul.

13Therefore Saul removed him from 18:13 Lit. himselfhis presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

14And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.

15Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, 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, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

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

19But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.

20Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

21So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may 18:21 be bait forbe a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.”

22And Saul commanded his servants, “Communicate with David secretly, and say, ‘Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”

23So Saul’s servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?”

24And the servants of Saul told him, saying, 18:24 Lit. According to these words“In this manner David spoke.”

25Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ ” But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the days had not expired;

27therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.

28Thus Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him;

29and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy 18:29 all the dayscontinually.

30Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.