1 Samuel 18

1When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan’s soul was bound to David’s soul, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

2Saul took David into his service that day and did not let him return to his father’s house.

3Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as himself.

4Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow, and his belt.

5David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he succeeded. So Saul put him in charge of the fighting men. This pleased all the people, and Saul’s servants as well.

6As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments.

7As they danced, the women sang to one another, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

8Saul was very angry. This saying displeased him, and he said, “They have credited David with tens of thousands, and me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?”

9From that day on Saul kept a suspicious eye on David.

10The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had a spear in his hand,

11and Saul hurled the spear, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.

12Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with David but had left Saul.

13So Saul sent him away from his presence and made him commander of a thousand men, and David led the troops out and back.

14David succeeded in everything he did, for Yahweh was with him.

15When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was in dread of him.

16But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them out and back.

17Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife. Only be a brave warrior for me and fight Yahweh’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let my hand not be against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

18David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”

19But when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given instead to Adriel of Meholah as his wife.

20Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When Saul was told about it, the matter pleased him.

21Saul thought, “I will give her to him so that she may be a snare to him and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Today you will have a second chance to become my son-in-law.”

22Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now become the king’s son-in-law.’”

23Saul’s servants repeated these words to David, but David said, “Do you think it is a small thing to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor man and of no importance.”

24Saul’s servants reported to him, “This is what David said.”

25Saul said, “Say this to David: ‘The king wants no bride-price except a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on the king’s enemies.’” Saul was planning to have David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26When his servants told David these words, David was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the appointed time was up,

27David got up and went out with his men and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king, so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal as his wife.

28When Saul saw and realized that Yahweh was with David, and that his daughter Michal loved him,

29Saul became even more afraid of David, and Saul remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life.

30The Philistine commanders kept going out to battle, and every time they went out, David had more success than all of Saul’s servants, so that his name became highly honored.