1 Samuel

1 Samuel 18 ©

1 Jonathan loveth David. 5 David's wise conduct ingratiateth him with the people, and with Saul's servants. 6 The women's song in honour of his victory exciteth Saul's envy; 10 who in his fury seeketh to kill him. 12 Saul feareth David for his wisdom and good success. 17 He promiseth him his eldest daughter by way of a snare, but giveth her to another. 20 He promiseth him Michal his younger daughter. 22 Saul setteth his servants to persuade David to be the king's son in law upon condition of bringing a hundred foreskins of the Philistines; David bringeth two hundred, and hath Michal given him to wife. 28 Saul's hatred increaseth, and David's glory.

1

AND it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that athe soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, band Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

2

And Saul took him that day, and would let him go cno more home to his father's house.

3

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

4

And Jonathan estripped 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 1behaved fhimself 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 2Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, gsinging and dancing, to meet king Saul, with *tabrets, with joy, and with 3instruments of musick.

7

And the women hanswered one another as they played, and said, iSaul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

8

And Saul was very *wroth, and jthe saying 4displeased 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 kbut the kingdom?

9

And Saul leyed David from that day and forward.

10

¶And it came to pass on the *morrow, that the evil mspirit from God came upon Saul, and nhe prophesied in the midst of the house: and David oplayed with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.

11

And Saul pcast 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 qafraid of David, because rthe LORD was with him, and was sdeparted from Saul.

13

Therefore Saul tremoved him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he uwent out and came in before the people.

14

And David 5behaved vhimself 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 wall Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

w v.5.
17

¶And xSaul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, yher will I give thee to wife: only be thou 6valiant for me, and fight the zLORD's battles. For Saul said, aLet not mine hand be upon him, bbut let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

a v.21,25.
18

And David said unto Saul, cWho 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 dAdriel the Meholathite to wife.

20

And eMichal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing 7pleased him.

21

And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a fsnare to him, and that gthe 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.

g v.17.
22

¶And Saul hcommanded 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, iSeemeth 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, 8On this manner spake David.

25

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

k v.17.
26

And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and lthe days were not 9expired.

l v.21.
27

Wherefore David arose and went, he and mhis men, nand 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 oMichal his daughter to wife.

m v.13.
o v.19.
28

¶And Saul saw and knew that pthe LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.

p v.12.
29

And Saul was yet qthe 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 rmore wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much 10set by.