The First Book of Samuel (WEB)
18: 1It happened, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was
knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 18:2Saul took him that day,
and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 18:3Then Jonathan and David made a
covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 18:4Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was
on him, and gave it to David, and his clothing, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his sash.
18:5David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the
men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
18:6It happened as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of 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 instruments of music. 18:7The women sang one to another as they
played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands. 18:8Saul was very angry,
and this saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me
they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 18:9Saul eyed
David from that day and forward. 18:10It happened on the next day, that an evil spirit from God
came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his
hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand; 18:11and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I
will strike David even to the wall. David avoided out of his presence twice. 18:12Saul was afraid of
David, because Yahweh was with him, and was departed from Saul. 18:13Therefore Saul removed
him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the
people. 18:14David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Yahweh was with him. 18:15When
Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him. 18:16But all Israel and Judah
loved David; for he went out and came in before them. 18:17Saul said to David, Behold, my elder
daughter Merab, her will I give you as wife: only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh's battles.
For Saul said, Don't let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him. 18:18David
said to 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? 18:19But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have
been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife. 18:20Michal, Saul's
daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 18:21Saul 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, You shall this day be my son-in-law a second time. 18:22Saul
commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king has
delight in you, and all his servants love you: now therefore be the king's son-in-law. 18:23Saul's
servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, Seems it to you a light thing to be the
king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 18:24The servants of Saul told
him, saying, On this manner spoke David. 18:25Saul said, Thus shall you tell David, The king
desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's
enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 18:26When his
servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. The days were
not expired; 18:27and David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines two
hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king,
that he might be the king's son-in-law. Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife. 18:28Saul saw
and knew that Yahweh was with David; and Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. 18:29Saul was yet
the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy continually. 18:30Then the princes of the
Philistines went forth: and it happened, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself
more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
World English Bible