Jonathan Befriends David

And it came to pass, when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and not anymore would he let him return to the house of his father.

And cut Jonathan and David a covenant, in his love for him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his tunic, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.

Saul Envies David

And David went out everywhere Saul sent him; 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.

6And it came to pass in their coming in, that David was returning from the striking down of the Philistine, and the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet Saul the king with tambourines, with joy, and with triples.† 7And the women answered as they danced, and said,

“Saul has struck his thousands,

and David his myriads.”

8And Saul was very hot, and this thing was evil in his eyes, and he said, “They have ascribed to David myriads, and to me they have ascribed the thousands. And more to him is only the kingdom.” 9And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

And it came to pass on the next day, that a spirit of distress† from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house, and David played by his hand, day by day, and a spear was in the hand of Saul. And Saul cast the spear; for he said, “I will pin David to the wall.” And David escaped from his face twice.

12And Saul was afraid of David because YHWH was with him, and He had departed from Saul. 13And Saul turned aside from him and made him captain of a thousand, and he went out and came in before the face of the people. 14And David in all his ways acted wisely, and YHWH was with him.

15And Saul saw that he acted very wisely, and he was afraid of him. 16And all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before their faces.

David Marries Michal

And Saul said to David, “Behold, my older daughter Merab, I will give her to you as a wife. Only be for me a valiant man and fight the battles of YHWH.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

And David said to Saul, “Who am I? And what is my life—the family of my father in Israel—that I should be son-in-law to the king?” And it came to pass at the time to give Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.

20And Michal daughter of Saul loved David, and they told Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes. 21And Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be to him a snare, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” And Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be son-in-law to me today.”

22And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in secrecy and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you, and now become son-in-law of the king.’”

23And the servants of Saul spoke in the ears of David these words. And David said, “Does it seem light in your⁺ eyes to be a son-in-law of the king? And I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”

24And the servants of Saul declared to him, saying, “In these words David spoke.”

25And Saul said, “Thus you⁺ shall say to David, ‘The king does not desire any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines to take vengeance on the enemies of the king.’” And Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26And his servants told to David these words, and the thing was right in the eyes of David to become son-in-law of the king. And the days were not full. 27And David arose and went, he and his men, and he struck among the Philistines two hundred men. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, to make himself son-in-law of the king. And Saul gave to him Michal his daughter as a wife.

28And Saul saw and knew that YHWH was with David, and that Michal daughter of Saul loved him. 29And Saul added to be afraid from the face of David; and still Saul was enemy of David all the days.

And the princes of the Philistines went out. And it came to pass whenever they went out, that David acted more wisely than all the servants of Saul, and His name became highly esteemed.