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Jonathan and David

¹ When David had finished speaking to Saul, ^(C1)the soul of Jonathan was bonded to the soul of David, and ^(F1)(C2)Jonathan loved him as himself.² Saul took David that day and ^(C1)did not let him return to his father's house.³ Then ^(C1)Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.^4 (C1)Jonathan stripped himself of the outer robe that he was wearing and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword, his bow, and his belt.⁵ So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he acted wisely and prospered; and Saul appointed him over the men of war. And it pleased all the people and also Saul's servants.

⁶ As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, ^(C1)the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, songs of joy, and ^(F1)musical instruments.⁷ The women ^(C1)sang as they played and danced, saying,

"^(C2)Saul has slain his thousands,
^(C3)And David his ten thousands."

Saul Turns against David

¹⁰ Now it came about on the next day that ^(C1)an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul, and ^(C2)he raved madly inside his house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, ^(C3)as usual; and there was ^(C4)a spear in Saul's hand.^11 (C1)Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David evaded him twice.

^12 (C1)Now Saul was afraid of David, because ^(C2)the LORD was with him, but ^(C3)had departed from Saul.¹³ So Saul had David removed from his presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and ^(C1)he ^(F1)publicly associated with the people.¹⁴ David acted wisely and prospered in all his ways, and ^(C1)the LORD was with him.¹⁵ When Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, he was afraid of him.¹⁶ But ^(C1)all Israel and Judah loved David, because he publicly associated with them.

¹⁷ Then Saul said to David, "Behold ^(C1)I will give you my older daughter Merab as a wife; only be brave for me and fight ^(C2)the LORD'S battles." For Saul thought, "My hand shall not be against him, but ^(C3)let the hand of the Philistines be against him."¹⁸ David said to Saul, "^(C1)Who am I, and what is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be the king's son-in-law?"¹⁹ But at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, she was instead given to ^(C1)Adriel ^(C2)the Meholathite as a wife.

David Marries Saul's Daughter

²⁰ Now ^(C1)Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David; and when they told Saul, it pleased him.²¹ Saul said, "I will give her to him so that she may become a snare (bad influence, source of trouble) to him, and ^(C1)that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David for a second time, "^(C2)You shall be my son-in-law today."²² Then Saul commanded his servants, "Speak to David secretly, saying, 'Listen, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now then, become the king's son-in-law.'"²³ So Saul's servants spoke these words to David. But David said, "Is it a trivial thing in your sight to become a king's son-in-law, ^(C1)seeing that I am a poor man and insignificant?"²⁴ The servants of Saul told him what David said.²⁵ Then Saul said, "This is what you shall say to David: 'The king wants no ^(C1)dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, ^(C2)to take vengeance on the king's enemies.'" Now ^(C3)Saul's intention was to cause ^(F1)David's death at the hand of the Philistines.²⁶ When his servants told David these words, it pleased him to become the king's son-in-law. ^(C1)Before the time for the marriage arrived,²⁷ David arose and went, ^(C1)he and his men, and killed two hundred Philistine men, and David ^(C2)brought their foreskins as proof of death and presented ^(F1)every one of them to the king, so that he might become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal, his younger daughter, as a wife.²⁸ When Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, his daughter, loved him,²⁹ Saul was even more afraid of David; and Saul became David's constant enemy.

³⁰ Then the Philistine commanders (princes) ^(C1)came out to battle, and it happened as often as they did, that David ^(C2)acted more wisely and had more success than all Saul's servants. So his name was highly esteemed.