1 Samuel

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

2 And Saul took him that day,—and suffered him not to return unto the house of his father.

3 And Jonathan and David solemnised a covenant,—because he loved him as his own soul.

4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe which was upon him, and gave it to David,—and his equipments, even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle.

5 And David went forth—whithersoever Saul sent him, he behaved himself prudently, so Saul set him over the men of war,—and he became a favourite in the eyes of all the people, yea even in the eyes of the servants of Saul.

6 But so it was, when they came in on the return of David from the smiting of the Philistine, that the women went forth out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet Saul the king,—with timbrels, with rejoicing, and with instruments of three strings.

7 And the women that made merry responded to each other in song and said,—Saul hath smitten his thousands, But David his tens of thousands.

8 Then was Saul exceeding angry, and this saying was offensive in his eyes, and he said,—They have ascribed to David ten thousands, But to me have they ascribed thousands,—What more, then, can he have but the kingdom?

9 And Saul was eyeing David from that day forward.

10 And when it came to pass, on the morrow, that a superhuman spirit of sadness came suddenly upon Saul, and he was moved to raving in the midst of the house,—and David began playing with his hand, as he had done day by day, that a spear being in Saul’s hand,

11 Saul hurled the spear, and said to himself—I will smite David even to the wall! But David moved round from before him twice.

12 And Saul feared because of David,—for Yahweh was with him, whereas from Saul he had departed.

13 So Saul removed him from him, and appointed him to be for him the captain of a thousand,—and he went out and came in before the people.

14 And it came to pass that David in all his ways acted prudently,—and Yahweh was with him.

15 And when Saul saw that he was acting very prudently, he was afraid of him.

16 But all Israel and Judah were in love with David,—for he was going out and coming in before them.

17 So then Saul said unto David—Lo! my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife, only approve thyself unto me as a son of valour and fight the battles of Yahweh. Saul, however, had said to himself—Let not my own hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

18 And David said unto Saul—Who am I or who are my kinsfolk, the family of my father in Israel,—that I should become son-in-law to the king?

19 But it came to pass, within the time for giving Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

20 Then did Michal, Saul’s daughter, love David,—and it was told Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes.

21 And Saul said to himself—I will give her unto him, that she may prove to him a snare, and that the hand of the Philistines may be upon him. So then Saul said unto David, A second time mayest thou become my son-in-law to-day.

22 And Saul commanded his servants—Speak ye unto David quietly saying, Lo! the king delighteth in thee, and all his servants love thee,—now, therefore, become thou son-in-law to the king.

23 And the servants of Saul spake in the ears of David these words. And David said—Seemeth it a light thing in your eyes to become son-in-law to the king, seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?

24 So the servants of Saul told him, saying,—According to these words spake David,

25 Then said Saul—Thus shall ye say unto David—The king hath no delight in purchase-price, but rather in a hundred foreskins of Philistines, by avenging himself on the enemies of the king. But Saul thought to let David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26 So when his servants told David these words, the thing was right in the eyes of David, to become son-in-law unto the king,—and the days had not expired.

27 Wherefore David arose and went—he and his men, and smote among the Philistines two hundred men, and David brought in their foreskins, and gave them in full tale unto the king that he might become son-in-law unto the king, and Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

28 And Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David, and that all Israel loved him.

29 So then Saul went on to fear because of David yet more,—and it came to pass that Saul was hostile to David all the days.

30 And when the princes of the Philistines came forth, so it was, that as often as they came forth David was more circumspect than any of the servants of Saul, so that his name was precious exceedingly.