King James Version

1 And it was, when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day and did not allow him to return to his father's house. 3 And Jonathan and David made a covenant because of their love for each other, like their own souls. 4 And Jonathan removed the mantle that was on him and gave it to David, along with his garments, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 And David went out in all that Saul sent him; he was successful, and Saul made him commander over the men of war, and it was good in the eyes of all the people and also in the eyes of Saul's servants. 6 And when they came back from striking down the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to sing and to dance to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 7 And the women who were playing answered and said, "Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands." 8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him, and he said, “They have given David ten thousands, and to me they have given thousands, and yet there is only his kingship left for him.” 9 And Saul was David's enemy from that day on. 10 And it happened the next day, that an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house, while David was playing with his hand as he did day by day, and the spear was in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul hurled the spear and said, "I will strike David to the wall." And David turned away from him twice. 12 And Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him and had departed from Saul. 13 And Saul turned away from him and appointed him a captain of a thousand and he went out and came before the people. 14 And David was successful in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. 15 And Saul saw that he was very cunning, and he was afraid of him. 16 And all Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them. 17 And Saul said to David, "Behold, my daughter Merab, I will give her to you as a wife; only be a valiant man for me and fight the battles of the Lord." And Saul said, "Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him." 18 And David said to Saul, "Who am I, and who is my family, that I should be the king's son-in-law?" 19 And it came to pass at the time that Merab, the daughter of Saul, was given to David, and she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife. 20 And Michal, daughter of Saul, loved David, and they told Saul, and the matter was right in his eyes. 21 And Saul said, "I will give her to him as a snare, and she will be for him a trap in the hand of the Philistines." And Saul said to David, "Today you shall be married to her." 22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying to David secretly, "Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore be the king's son-in-law." 23 And the servants of Saul spoke these words to David, and David said, "Is it a trivial thing in your eyes to marry the king, while I am a poor man and insignificant?" 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, “These words David has spoken.” 25 And Saul said, "Thus you shall say to David: 'There is no desire for the king in a hundred foreskins of the Philistines to take revenge on the enemies of the king.'" And Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And my servants told David these words, and the matter was right in the eyes of David to marry the king, but the days were not completed. 27 And David arose and went, he and his men, and struck down two hundred men of the Philistines, and David brought their foreskins and they measured them out to the king to become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife. 28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and Michal the daughter of Saul loved him. 29 And Saul continued to be afraid of David, and Saul was David's enemy all the days. 30 And the lords of the Philistines went out, and it was as they went out that David struck down more than all the servants of Saul, and his name was highly esteemed.