1 N ow it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

¶ 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 him that day and did 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 himself.

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

4 J onathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt.

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 S o David went out wherever Saul sent him, and prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of 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 I t happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments.

¶ 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 T he women sang as they played, and said, “ 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 T hen Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now 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 S aul looked at David with suspicion from that day on. Saul Turns against David

And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

10 N ow it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was 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 S aul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from his presence 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 N ow Saul was afraid of David, for 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 T herefore Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him as his commander of 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 was prospering in all his ways for 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 that he was prospering greatly, he dreaded 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, and 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 T hen Saul said to David, “ Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “My hand shall not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against 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 B ut David 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 S o it came about at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife. David Marries Saul’s Daughter

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. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable to 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 become a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “ For a second time you may be my son-in-law today.”

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 T hen Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David secretly, saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore, become the king’s 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 o Saul’s servants spoke these words to David. But David said, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law, since 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 T he servants of Saul reported to him according to these words which David spoke.

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

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

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 David to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the days had 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 rose up and went, he and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a 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, Saul’s daughter, loved him,

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

29 t hen Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David’s enemy continually.

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

30 T hen the commanders of the Philistines went out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was 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.