1 ¶ 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.

When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan became one with the soul of David. Jonathan loved him as himself.

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

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

3 T hen Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul.

Then Jonathan made an agreement with David, because he loved him as himself.

4 A nd 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.

Jonathan took off his long coat and gave it to David. He gave him his battle-clothes, his sword, his bow and his belt also.

5 A nd 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.

David went everywhere that Saul sent him, and did well. Saul had him lead the men of war. And it was pleasing to all the people and to Saul’s servants.

6 ¶ 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.

When David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, playing songs of joy on timbrels.

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

The women sang as they played, and said, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

8 A nd 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?

Then Saul became very angry. This saying did not please him. He said, “They have given David honor for ten thousands, but for me only thousands. Now what more can he have but to be king?”

9 A nd Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

And Saul was jealous and did not trust David from that day on.

10 A nd 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.

The next day a bad spirit sent from God came upon Saul with power. He acted like a crazy man in his house, while David was playing the harp. Saul had a spear in his hand,

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

and he threw the spear, thinking, “I will nail David to the wall.” But David jumped out of his way twice.

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

Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him but had left Saul.

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

So Saul made David go away from him, and had him lead a thousand men. And David went out to the people.

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

David did well in all that he did, because the Lord was with him.

15 T herefore, when Saul saw that he behaved himself very prudently, he was afraid of him.

When Saul saw how well he did, he was afraid of him.

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

But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them. David Marries Saul’s Daughter

17 A nd 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.

Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as a wife, if you only work for me with strength of heart and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “I will not go against him. Let the Philistines go against him.”

18 A nd 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?

David said to Saul, “Who am I? What is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?”

19 A nd 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.

But at the time when Saul’s daughter Merab should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

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

Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. When they told Saul, it pleased him.

21 A nd 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.

Saul thought, “I will give her to David. I will use her to trap him, and the Philistines will go against him.” So Saul said to David a second time, “Now you may be my son-in-law.”

22 A nd 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.

Then Saul told his servants, “Speak to David in secret. Tell him, ‘See, the king is happy with you, and all his servants love you. So now become the king’s son-in-law.’”

23 A nd 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?

So Saul’s servants said this to David. But David said, “Is it not important to you to become the king’s son-in-law? I am only a poor man and am not very respected.”

24 A nd the slaves of Saul told him, saying, David spoke these words.

Saul’s servants told Saul what David had said.

25 A nd 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.

Then Saul said, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no marriage gift except the pieces of skin from the sex parts of a hundred Philistines, to punish those who hate the king.’” Saul planned to have the Philistines kill David.

26 A nd 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.

When his servants told this to David, it pleased him to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the time was finished,

27 T herefore 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.

David and his men went and killed 200 Philistine men. Then David brought their pieces of flesh and gave all of them to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife.

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

When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him,

29 w as yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually.

Saul was even more afraid of David. So he hated David always.

30 T hen 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.

Then the Philistine leaders went out to battle. And when they did, David acted with more wisdom than all the servants of Saul. So his name became very important.