Now it came about when he had finished
speaking
to Saul
, that athe soul
of Jonathan
was knit
to the soul
of David
, and bJonathan
loved
him as himself
.
Saul took
him that day
and adid not let
him return
to his father's
house
.
Then aJonathan made
a covenant
with David
because he loved
him as himself
.
aJonathan stripped
himself of the robe
that was on him and gave
it to David
, with his armor
, including
his sword
and his bow
and his belt
.
So David went
out wherever
Saul
sent
him, and 1prospered
; and Saul
set
him over
the men
of war
. And it was pleasing
in the sight
of all
the people
and also
in the sight
of Saul's
servants
.
It happened as they were coming
, when David
returned
from killing
the Philistine
, that athe women
came
out of all
the cities
of Israel
, singing
and dancing
, to meet
King
Saul
, with tambourines
, with joy
and with 1musical
instruments
.
The women asang
as they 1played
, and said
, " bSaul
has slain
his thousands
, cAnd David
his ten
thousands
."
Then Saul became
very
angry
, for this
saying
1displeased
him; and he said
, "They have ascribed
to David
ten
thousands
, but to me they have ascribed
thousands
. Now awhat more
can he have but the kingdom
?"
Saul looked
at David
with suspicion
from that day
on.
Now it came about on the next
day
that aan evil
spirit
from God
came
mightily
upon Saul
, and bhe raved
in the midst
of the house
, while David
was playing
the harp with his hand
, 1 cas usual
; and 2 da spear
was in Saul's
hand
.
aSaul hurled
the spear
for he thought
, "I will 1pin
David
to the wall
." But David
2escaped
from his presence
twice
.
Now aSaul was afraid
of David
, bfor the LORD
was with him but chad departed
from Saul
.
Therefore Saul removed
him from 1his presence
and appointed
him as his commander
of a thousand
; and ahe went
out and came
in before
the people
.
David was 1prospering
in all
his ways
for athe LORD
was with him.
When Saul saw
that he was 1prospering
greatly
, he dreaded
him.
But aall Israel
and Judah
loved
David
, and he went
out and came
in before
them.
Then Saul said
to David
, " aHere
is my older
daughter
Merab
; I will give
her to you as a wife
, only
be a valiant
man
for me and fight
bthe LORD'S
battles
." For Saul
thought
, "My hand
shall not be against him, but clet the hand
of the Philistines
be against him."
But David said
to Saul
, " aWho
am I, and what
is my life
or my father's
family
in Israel
, that I should be the king's
son-in-law
?"
So it came about at the time
when Merab
, Saul's
daughter
, should have been given
to David
, that she was given
to aAdriel
bthe Meholathite
for a wife
.
Now aMichal, Saul's
daughter
, loved
David
. When they told
Saul
, the thing
was agreeable
1to him.
Saul thought
, "I will give
her to him that she may become
a snare
to him, and athat the hand
of the Philistines
may be against him." Therefore Saul
said
to David
, " bFor a second
time
you may be my son-in-law
today
."
Then Saul commanded
his servants
, "Speak
to David
secretly
, saying
, `Behold
, the king
delights
in you, and all
his servants
love
you; now
therefore, become
the king's
son-in-law
.' "
So Saul's servants
spoke
these
words
1to David
. But David
said
, "Is it trivial
in your sight
to become
the king's
son-in-law
, asince I am
a poor
man
and lightly
esteemed
?"
The servants of Saul
reported
to him 1according to these
words
which David
spoke
.
Saul then said
, "Thus
you shall say
to David
, `The king
does not desire
any adowry
except
a hundred
foreskins
of the Philistines
, bto take
vengeance
on the king's
enemies
.' " Now cSaul
planned
to make David
fall
by the hand
of the Philistines
.
When his servants told
David
these
words
, 1it pleased
David
to become
the king's
son-in-law
. 2 aBefore the days
had expired
David rose
up and went
, ahe and his men
, and struck
down
two hundred
men
among the Philistines
. Then bDavid
brought
their foreskins
, and they gave
them in full
number to the king
, that he might become
the king's
son-in-law
. So Saul
gave
him Michal
his daughter
for a wife
.
When Saul saw
and knew
that the LORD
was with David
, and that Michal
, Saul's
daughter
, loved
him,
then Saul was even
more
afraid
of David
. Thus Saul
was David's
enemy
continually
.
Then the commanders of the Philistines
awent
out to battle, and it happened
as often
as they went
out, that David
bbehaved
himself more
wisely
than
all
the servants
of Saul
. So his name
was highly
esteemed
.