1 W hen David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own life.

¶ And it came to pass when he had finished speaking unto Saul that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

2 S aul took David that day and would not let him return to his father’s house.

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

3 T hen Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own life.

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

4 A nd Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, even his sword, his bow, and his girdle.

And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David and his garments, even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle.

5 A nd David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he prospered and behaved himself wisely; and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was satisfactory both to the people and to Saul’s servants.

And David went out wherever Saul sent him and behaved himself prudently, and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s slaves.

6 A s they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the Israelite towns, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with timbrels, songs of joy, and instruments of music.

¶ And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.

7 A nd the women responded as they laughed and frolicked, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

And the women sang as they played and said, Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands.

8 A nd Saul was very angry, for the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed only thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?

And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him, and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands; and what can he have more but the kingdom?

9 A nd Saul eyed David from that day forward.

And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

10 T he next day an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in his house, while David played with his hand, as at other times; and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.

And it came to pass on the next day that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house, and David played with his hand as at other times, and there was a spear in Saul’s hand.

11 A nd Saul cast the javelin, for he thought, I will pin David to the wall. And David evaded him twice.

And Saul cast the spear, saying, I will smite David to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

12 S aul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.

¶ But Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him and had departed from Saul.

13 S o Saul removed David from him and made him his commander over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

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

14 D avid acted wisely in all his ways and succeeded, and the Lord was with him.

And David behaved himself prudently in all his ways, and the LORD was with him.

15 W hen Saul saw how capable and successful David was, he stood in awe of him.

Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved himself very prudently, he was afraid of him.

16 B ut all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

But all Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them.

17 S aul said to David, My elder daughter Merab I will give you as wife; only serve me courageously and fight the Lord’s battles. For Saul thought, Let not my hand, but the Philistines’ hand, be upon him.

And Saul said to David, Behold I will give thee my elder daughter Merab to wife; only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD’s battles. For Saul said to himself, My hand shall not be against him, but the hand of the Philistines shall be against him.

18 D avid said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?

And David said 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?

19 B ut at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.

And it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David that she was given unto Adriel, the Meholathite, to wife.

20 N ow Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and it pleased him.

But Michal, Saul’s other daughter, loved David, and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

21 S aul thought, I will give her to him that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. So Saul said to David a second time, You shall now be my son-in-law.

And Saul said, I will give her to him that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore, Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law with the other one.

22 A nd Saul commanded his servants to speak to David privately and say, The king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now then, become son-in-law.

And Saul commanded his slaves, saying, Speak with David secretly and say, Behold, the king has delight in thee, and all his slaves love thee; now, therefore, be the king’s son-in-law.

23 S aul’s servants told those words to David. David said, Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?

And Saul’s slaves spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?

24 A nd the servants of Saul told him what David said.

And the slaves of Saul told him, saying, David spoke these words.

25 S aul said, Say this to David, The king wants no dowry but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to avenge himself of the king’s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the Philistines’ hands.

And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The desire of the king is not in any dowry, but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. For Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26 W hen his servants told David these words, it pleased well to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the days expired,

And when his slaves told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law, and the days were not expired.

27 D avid went, he and his men, and slew two hundred Philistine men, and brought their foreskins and gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife.

Therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men, and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them all to the king that he might be the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal, his daughter, to wife.

28 W hen Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David and that Michal daughter loved him,

But Saul, seeing and knowing that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him,

29 S aul was still more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s constant enemy.

was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually.

30 T hen the Philistine princes came out to battle, and when they did so, David had more success and behaved himself more wisely than all Saul’s servants, so that his name was very dear and highly esteemed.

Then the princes of the Philistines went forth, and it came to pass after they went forth that David behaved himself more prudently than all the slaves of Saul so that his name was much set by.