1And it came to pass , when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul , that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David , and Jonathan loved him as his own soul . 2And Saul took him that day , and would let him go no more home to his father’s house . 3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant , because he loved him as his own soul . 4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him , and gave it to David , and his apparel, even to his sword , and to his bow , and to his girdle .
Saul's Growing Jealousy
5And David went out whithersoever 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 . 6And it came to pass 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 timbrels , with joy , and with instruments of music. 7And the women sang one to another as they played , and said , Saul hath slain his thousands , And David his ten thousands . 8And Saul was very wroth , and this 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 ? 9And Saul eyed David from that day and forward .
David's Military Success and Saul's Fear
10And it came to pass on the morrow , that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul , and he prophesied in the midst of the house : and David played with his hand , as he did day by day . And Saul had his spear in his hand ; 11and Saul cast the spear ; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall . And David avoided out of his presence twice . 12And Saul was afraid of David , because Jehovah was with him , and was departed from Saul . 13Therefore Saul removed him from him , and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people . 14And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways ; and Jehovah was with him . 15And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely , he stood in awe of him . 16But all Israel and Judah loved David ; for he went out and came in before them .
David's Marriage to Michal
17And Saul said to David , Behold , my elder daughter Merab , her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me , and fight Jehovah ’s battles . For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him , but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him . 18And 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 ? 19But 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. 20And Michal , Saul ’s daughter , loved David : and they told Saul , and the thing pleased him . 21And Saul said, I will give him her , that she may be a snare to him , and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him . Wherefore Saul said to David , Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law a second time . 22And Saul commanded his servants , saying , Commune with David secretly , and say , Behold , the king hath delight in thee , and all his servants love thee : now therefore be the king ’s son-in-law . 23And Saul ’s servants spake those words in the ears of David . And David said , Seemeth it to you a light thing to be the king ’s son-in-law , seeing that I am a poor man , and lightly esteemed ? 24And the servants of Saul told him , saying , On this manner spake David . 25And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David , The king desireth not any dowry , but a 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 . 26And when his servants told David these words , it pleased David well to be the king ’s son-in-law . And the days were not expired ; 27and 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 in full number to the king , that he might be the king ’s son-in-law . And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. 28And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David ; and Michal , Saul ’s daughter , loved him . 29And Saul was yet the more afraid of David ; and Saul was David ’s enemy continually . 30Then the princes of the Philistines went forth : and it came to pass , 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 .