1 ¶ When David finished speaking to Saul, the heart of Jonathan bonded to David in friendship, and Jonathan loved David as himself.

2 And Saul took David that day, and would no longer let him return home to his father’s house.

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

4 And Jonathan took off the robe that he was wearing, and gave it to David, and his armor, even his sword, his bow, and his belt.

5 And David went wherever Saul sent him, and conducted himself wisely: and Saul put him in charge of the troops, and he was in favor with all of the people, and also with Saul’s servants.

6 ¶ And when they were coming home, as David returned from killing the Philistines, the women came out of all towns of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, songs of joy, and instruments of music.

7 And the women sang responsively as they played, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

8 And Saul became very angry, for those words displeased him; and he said, They have credited David with ten thousands, and they have only credited me with thousands: what more can he have but the kingdom?

9 And Saul eyed David jealously from that day forward.

10 And on the next day, an evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he began to rave in the midst of the palace: and David played the harp with his hand, as at other times: but there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.

11 And Saul threw the javelin; for he thought, I will pin David to the wall with it. But David evaded him twice.

12 ¶ Then Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and had departed from Saul.

13 So Saul removed David from his presence, and made him a commander over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

14 And David acted wisely in all that he did; and the LORD was with him.

15 And when Saul noticed how wisely he conducted himself, he was afraid of him.

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

17 Then Saul said to David, Look at my eldest daughter Merab, I will give her to you as a wife: only be valiant for me, and fight the LORD’S battles. For Saul thought, Let not my hand, but the hand of the Philistines be against him.

18 And David said to Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be a son in law to the king?

19 But at the time when Saul’s daughter Merab should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite in marriage.

20 But Saul’s daughter Michal loved David: and when they told Saul, he was pleased.

21 And Saul thought, I will give her to him, so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him. Therefore Saul said to David the second time, You shall now be my son in law.

22 And Saul instructed his servants to speak with David in private, and say, Behold, the king is delighted with you, and all his servants love you: therefore you should now become the king’s son in law.

23 And Saul’s servants repeated those words to David. And David said, Does it seem to you like a little thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, who is insignificant?

24 And the servants of Saul told him what David said.

25 And Saul said, Say this to David, The king wants no dowry, except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies. But Saul thought to have David killed by the hand of the Philistines.

26 And when his servants told David these words, David was pleased at the prospect of being the king’s son in law: before the days expired.

27 Therefore David arose, and he and his men slew two hundred Philistine men; and David brought their foreskins, and gave them in full payment to the king, that he might be the king’s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter in marriage.

28 Now Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal his daughter loved him.

29 But Saul was even more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s continual enemy.

30 Then the princes of the Philistines came out to fight: and whenever they came out, David conducted himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was highly esteemed.