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¹ And it happened, when he finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David; and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.² And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father's house.³ And Jonathan and David cut a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.⁴ And Jonathan stripped off the robe on him and gave it to David; also his apparel, even to his sword and to his bow and to his belt.⁵ And David went out wherever Saul sent him. And he acted wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war. And it was good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.

⁶ And it happened as they came in, as David returned from striking the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to sing with the dancers, to meet Saul the king with tambourines and with joy and three-stringed instruments.⁷ And the women who were playing answered and said, Saul has slain his thousands, but David his myriads.⁸ And it very much burned Saul, and this thing was evil in his eyes. And he said, They have given myriads to David, and to me they have given thousands. And is there more to him, except the kingdom?⁹ And from that day forward Saul was watching David.¹⁰ And on the next day it happened that the evil spirit from God came on Saul. And he prophesied in the midst of the house; and David was playing with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saul's spear was in his hand.¹¹ And Saul threw the spear, and said, I will strike David, even to the wall. And David twice drew back from his face.

¹² And Saul feared David, because Jehovah was with him, and had departed from Saul.¹³ And Saul separated him from himself and set him as his commander over a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people.¹⁴ And David acted wisely in all his ways, and Jehovah was with him.¹⁵ And Saul saw that he was acting wisely, and was afraid of him.¹⁶ And all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.¹⁷ And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab! I will give her to you for a wife; only, you be a brave son for me and fight the battles of Jehovah. And Saul said, Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be onhim.¹⁸ And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, and the family of my father in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?¹⁹ And it happened at the time Saul was to give his daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.²⁰ And Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes.²¹ And Saul said, I will give her to him, and she shall be a snare to him. And the hand of the Philistines shall be on him. And Saul said to David a second time, You shall be my son-in-law today.²² And Saul commanded his servants, Speak to David secretly, saying, Behold the king delights in you, and all his servants love you. And now, be son-in-law to the king.²³ And Saul's servants spoke these words in David's ears. And David said, Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king? And I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed.²⁴ And Saul's servants spoke to him, saying, David has spoken according to these words.²⁵ And Saul said, So you shall say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged on the king's enemies. And Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.²⁶ And his servants told David these words. And the thing was right in David's eyes, to be son-in-law to the king. And the days had not been fulfilled.²⁷ And David rose up and went out, he and his men. And they struck two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and he gave them in full to the king, in order to beson-in-law to the king. And Saul gave him hisdaughter Michal for a wife.²⁸ And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David, and that Saul's daughter Michal loved him.²⁹ And Saul was still more afraid of David. And Saul was an enemy to David continually.³⁰ And the rulers of the Philistines came out. And it happened from the time they came out, David acted more wisely than all the servants of Saul. And His name was greatly esteemed.