Chapter 18

And it came to pass, when he had made an end¹⁵ of speaking¹⁵ unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit⁸ with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved⁴ him as his own soul.

And Saul took⁴ him that day, and would let¹ him go no more home² to his father's house.

Then Jonathan and David made⁴ a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

And Jonathan stripped¹⁰¹ himself of the robe that [was] upon him, and gave⁴ it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

And David went out⁴ whithersoever Saul sent⁴ him, [and] behaved himself wisely:⁵⁵ and Saul set⁴ him over the men of war, and he was accepted⁴ in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

And it came to pass as they came,² when David was returned² from the slaughter⁵³ of the Philistine, that the women came out⁴ of all cities of Israel, singing² and dancing, to meet² king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.

And the women answered⁴ [one another] as they played,¹⁸ and said,⁴ Saul hath slain⁵² his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

And Saul was very wroth,⁴ and the saying displeased^{4 5869} him; and he said,⁴ They have ascribed¹ unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed¹ [but] thousands: and [what] can he have more but the kingdom?

And Saul eyed⁶ David from that day and forward.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came⁴ upon Saul, and he prophesied¹⁰¹ in the midst of the house: and David played¹⁸ with his hand, as at other times: ³¹¹⁷ and [there was] a javelin in Saul's hand.

And Saul cast⁵⁵ the javelin; for he said,⁴ I will smite⁵⁵ David even to the wall [with it]. And David avoided¹¹ out of his presence twice.

And Saul was afraid⁴ of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed¹ from Saul.

Therefore Saul removed⁵⁵ him from him, and made⁴ him his captain over a thousand; and he went out⁴ and came in⁴ before the people.

And David behaved himself wisely⁵⁶ in all his ways; and the LORD [was] with him.

Wherefore when Saul saw⁴ that he behaved himself very wisely,⁵⁶ he was afraid⁴ of him.

But all Israel and Judah loved⁶ David, because he went out⁶ and came in⁶ before them.

And Saul said⁴ to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give⁴ thee to wife: only be thou valiant ²⁴²⁸ for me, and fight¹⁰ the LORD'S battles. For Saul said,¹ Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

And David said⁴ unto Saul, Who [am] I? and what [is] my life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?

But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given² to David, that she was given⁸ unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

And Michal Saul's daughter loved⁴ David: and they told⁵⁵ Saul, and the thing pleased^{4 5869} him.

And Saul said,⁴ I will give⁴ him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said⁴ to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law¹⁰¹ in [the one of] the twain.

And Saul commanded¹⁷ his servants, [saying], Commune¹⁶ with David secretly, and say,² Behold, the king hath delight¹ in thee, and all his servants love¹ thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.¹⁰⁰

And Saul's servants spake¹⁷ those words in the ears of David. And David said,⁴ Seemeth it to you [a] light⁸ [thing] to be a king's son in law,⁹⁹ seeing that I [am] a poor⁶ man, and lightly esteemed?¹²

And the servants of Saul told⁵⁵ him, saying,² On this manner spake¹⁴ David.

And Saul said,⁴ Thus shall ye say⁴ to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged⁹ of the king's enemies.⁶ But Saul thought¹ to make David fall⁵³ by the hand of the Philistines.

And when his servants told⁵⁵ David these words, it pleased^{4 5869} David well to be the king's son in law:⁹⁹ and the days were not expired.¹

Wherefore David arose⁴ and went,⁴ he and his men, and slew⁵⁵ of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought⁵⁵ their foreskins, and they gave them in full¹⁷ tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law.⁹⁹ And Saul gave⁴ him Michal his daughter to wife.

And Saul saw⁴ and knew⁴ that the LORD [was] with David, and [that] Michal Saul's daughter loved¹ him.

And Saul was yet the more⁵⁵ afraid² of David; and Saul became David's enemy⁶ continually. ³¹¹⁷

Then the princes of the Philistines went forth:⁴ and it came to pass, after they went forth,² [that] David behaved himself more wisely¹ than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.⁴