I Samuel 18

¹And it happened that, when he had completed speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan adhered to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him like his own soul.

²And Saul took him that day, and would not permit him to return to his father’s house.

³Then David and Jonathan formed a pact. For he loved him like his own soul.

⁴And Jonathan took off the coat that he was wearing, and he gave it to David, with the rest of his garments, even to his sword and bow, and even his belt.

⁵Also, David went out to do everything whatsoever that Saul sent him to do, and he conducted himself prudently. And Saul set him over men of war. And he was acceptable in the eyes of the entire people, and most of all in the sight of the servants of Saul.

⁶Now when David returned, after he had struck down the Philistine, the women went out, from all the cities of Israel, leading the singing and dancing, rejoicing with timbrels and bells, so as to meet king Saul.

⁷And the women sang, as they played, saying, “Saul has struck down a thousand, and David ten thousand.”

⁸Then Saul became exceedingly angry, and this word was displeasing in his eyes. And he said: “They have given David ten thousand, and to me they gave only one thousand. What is left for him, except the kingdom itself?”

⁹Therefore, Saul did not regard David with a good eye, from that day and thereafter.

¹⁰Then, on the next day, the evil spirit from God assailed Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And David played with his hand, just as at every other time. And Saul held a lance in his hand.

¹¹And he threw it, thinking that he would be able to fix David to the wall. And David stepped aside twice, from before his face.

¹²And Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, but he had withdrawn from Saul.

¹³Therefore, Saul sent him away from himself, and he made him tribune over one thousand men. And he entered and departed in the sight of the people.

¹⁴Also, David acted prudently in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.

¹⁵And so, Saul saw that he was exceedingly prudent, and he began to be wary of him.

¹⁶But all of Israel and Judah loved David. For he entered and departed before them.

¹⁷And Saul said to David: “Behold, my elder daughter, Merab. I will give her to you as wife. Only be a valiant man, and fight the wars of the Lord.” Now Saul was considering within himself, saying, “Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines be upon him.”

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

¹⁹Then it happened that, at the time when Merab, the daughter of Saul, was to be given to David, she was given to Adriel, the Meholathite, as wife.

²⁰Now Michal, the other daughter of Saul, loved David. And this was reported to Saul, and it pleased him.

²¹And Saul said, “I will give her to him, so that she may be a stumbling block to him, and so that the hand of the Philistines may be upon him.” And Saul said to David, “In two things, you shall be my son-in-law today.”

²²And Saul commanded his servants to speak to David privately, saying: “Behold, you are pleasing to the king, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, be the son-in-law of the king.”

²³And the servants of Saul spoke all these words to the ears of David. And David said: “Does it seem a small matter to you, to be the son-in-law of the king? I am but a poor and unimportant man.”

²⁴And the servants reported to Saul, saying, “David has spoken words in this manner.”

²⁵Then Saul said, “Speak in this way to David: The king does not have need of any dowry, but only one hundred foreskins from the Philistine men, so that he may be vindicated from the enemies of the king.” So did Saul think to deliver David into the hands of the Philistines.

²⁶And when his servants had repeated to David the words that Saul had spoken, the word was pleasing in the eyes of David, so that he would become son-in-law of the king.

²⁷And after a few days, David, rising up, went with the men who were under him, and he struck down two hundred men of the Philistines. And he brought their foreskins, and he counted them out for the king, so that he might be his son-in-law. And so, Saul gave to him his daughter Michal as wife.

²⁸And Saul saw and understood that the Lord was with David. And Michal, the daughter of Saul, loved him.

²⁹And Saul began to fear David all the more. And Saul became the enemy of David, every day.

³⁰And the leaders of the Philistines departed. And from the beginning of their departure, David conducted himself more prudently than all the servants of Saul, and his name became exceedingly celebrated.

I Samuel 18

¹And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, the son of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

²And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father's house.

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

⁴And Jonathan stripped himself of the coat with which he was clothed, and gave it to David, and the rest of his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

⁵And David went out to whatsoever business Saul sent him, and he behaved himself prudently: and Saul set him over the soldiers, and he was acceptable in the eyes of all the people, and especially in the eyes of Saul's servants.

⁶Now when David returned, after he slew the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels of joy, and cornets.

⁷And the women sung as they played, and they said: Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

⁸And Saul was exceeding angry, and this word was displeasing in his eyes, and he said: They have given David ten thousands, and to me they have given but a thousand, what can he have more but the kingdom?

⁹And Saul did not look on David with a good eye from that day and forward.

¹⁰And the day after, the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And David played with his hand as at other times. And Saul held a spear in his hand,

¹¹And threw it, thinking to nail David to the wall: and David stept aside out of his presence twice.

¹²And Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul himself.

¹³Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him a captain over a thousand men, and he went out and came in before the people.

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

¹⁵And Saul saw that he was exceeding prudent, and began to beware of him.

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

¹⁷And Saul said to David: Behold my elder daughter Merob, her will I give thee to wife: only be a valiant man, and fight the battles of the Lord. Now Saul said within himself: Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines be upon him.

¹⁸And David said to Saul: Who am I, or what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law of the king?

¹⁹And it came to pass at the time when Merob, the daughter of Saul, should have been given to David, that she was given to Hadriel, the Molathite, to wife.

²⁰But Michol, the other daughter of Saul, loved David. And it was told Saul, and it pleased him.

²¹And Saul said: I will give her to him, that she may be a stumblingblock to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be upon him. And Saul said to David: In two things thou shalt be my son in law this day.

²²And Saul commanded his servants to speak to David privately, saying: Behold, thou pleasest the king, and all his servants love thee. Now, therefore be the king's son in law.

²³And the servants of Saul spoke all these words in the ear of David. And David said: Doth it seem to you a small matter to be the king's son in law? But I am a poor man, and of small ability.

²⁴And the servants of Saul told him, saying: Such words as these hath David spoken.

²⁵And Saul said: Speak thus to David: The king desireth not any dowry, but only a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to deliver David into the hands of the Philistines.

²⁶And when his servants had told David the words that Saul had said, the word was pleasing in the eyes of David to be the king's son in law.

²⁷And after a few days David rose up, and went with the men that were under him, and he slew of the Philistines two hundred men, and brought their foreskins and numbered them out to the king, that he might be his son in law. Saul therefore gave him Michol, his daughter, to wife.

²⁸And Saul saw, and understood that the Lord was with David. And Michol, the daughter of Saul, loved him.

²⁹And Saul began to fear David more: and Saul became David's enemy continually.

³⁰And the princes of the Philistines went forth: and from the beginning of their going forth, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, and his name became very famous.