1 Samuel - 18

1 - And 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.

2 - And Saul - took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.

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

4 - 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 - And David - went out whithersoever Saul - sent him, and behaved himself wisely: 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 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 tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.

7 - And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul - hath slain his thousands, and David - his ten thousands.

8 - 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 - And Saul - eyed David - from that day and forward.

10 - And it came to pass on the morrow, 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 javelin in Saul - 's hand.

11 - And Saul - cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David - even to the wall with it. And David - avoided out of his presence twice.

12 - And Saul - was afraid of David - , because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul - .

13 - Therefore Saul - removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

14 - And David - behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.

15 - Wherefore when Saul - saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

16 - But all Israel - and Judah - loved David - , because he went out and came in before them.

17 - And Saul - said to David - , Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD's battles. For Saul - said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

18 - 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 - But 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 - And Michal Saul - 's daughter loved David - : and they told Saul - , and the thing pleased him.

21 - And 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 in the one of the twain.

22 - And 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.

23 - And Saul - 's servants spake those words in the ears of David - . And David - said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

24 - And the servants of Saul - told him, saying, On - this manner spake David - .

25 - And Saul - said, Thus shall ye say to David - , The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul - thought to make David - fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26 - And 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.

27 - Wherefore 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 tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul - gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

28 - And Saul - saw and knew that the LORD was with David - , and that Michal Saul - 's daughter loved him.

29 - And Saul - was yet the more afraid of David - ; and Saul - became David - 's enemy continually.

30 - Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David - behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul - ; so that his name was much set by.