Chapter 18
1 When he had finished speaking to Saul , the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David , and Jonathan loved him as his own soul .
2 Saul took him that day , and wouldn’t let him go home to his father’s house any more .
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant , because he loved him as his own soul .
4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his clothing, even including his sword , his bow , and his sash.
5 David went out wherever Saul sent him , and behaved himself wisely ; and Saul set him over the men of war . It was good in the sight of all the people , and also in the sight of Saul ’s servants .
6 As they came , when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine , the women came out of all the cities of Israel , singing and dancing , to meet King Saul with tambourines , with joy , and with instruments of music.
7 The women sang to one another as they played , and said , " Saul has slain his thousands , and David his ten thousands ."
8 Saul was very angry , and this saying displeased him . He said , " They have credited David with ten thousands , and they have only credited me with thousands . What can he have more but the kingdom ?"
9 Saul watched David from that day and forward .
10 On the next day , an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul , and he prophesied in the middle of the house . David played with his hand , as he did day by day . Saul had his spear in his hand ;
11 and Saul threw the spear , for he said, " I will pin David to the wall !" David escaped from his presence twice .
12 Saul was afraid of David , because the LORD was with him , and had departed from Saul .
13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence , and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people .
14 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways ; and the LORD was with him .
15 When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely , he stood in awe of him .
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David ; for he went out and came in before them .
17 Saul said to David , " Behold , my elder daughter Merab . I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me , and fight the LORD ’s battles ." For Saul said, "Don’t let my hand be on him , but let the hand of the Philistines be on him ."
18 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 ?"
19 But at the time when Merab , Saul ’s daughter , should have been given to David , she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
20 Michal , Saul ’s daughter , loved David ; and they told Saul , and the thing pleased him .
21 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 against him . Therefore Saul said to David a second time , " You shall today be my son-in-law ."
22 Saul commanded his servants , " Talk with David secretly , and say , ‘ Behold , the king has delight in you , and all his servants love you . Now therefore be the king ’s son-in-law .’"
23 Saul ’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David . David said , "Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king ’s son-in-law , since I am a poor man and little known?"
24 The servants of Saul told him , saying , " David spoke like this ."
25 Saul said, "Tell David , ‘ The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines , to be avenged of the king ’s enemies .’" Now Saul thought he would make David fall by the hand of the Philistines .
26 When his servants told David these words , it pleased David well to be the king ’s son-in-law . Before the deadline,
27 David arose and went , he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines . Then David brought their foreskins , and they gave them in full number to the king , that he might be the king ’s son-in-law . Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife.
28 Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David ; and Michal , Saul ’s daughter , loved him .
29 Saul was even more afraid of David ; and Saul was David ’s enemy continually .
30 Then the princes of the Philistines went out ; and as often as they went out , David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul , so that his name was highly esteemed .