1 Samuel 18

1And it came to pass, when he had made an endH3615 of speakingH1696 unto SaulH7586, that the soulH5315 of JonathanH3083 wasH1961 knit with the soulH5315 of DavidH1732, and JonathanH3083 lovedH157 him as his own soulH5315. 2And SaulH7586 tookH3947 him that dayH3117, and would let him goH7725 no more home to his father’sH1 houseH1004. 3Then JonathanH3083 and DavidH1732 madeH3772 a covenantH1285, because he loved him as his ownH5315 soulH5315. 4And JonathanH3083 strippedH6584 himself of the robeH4598 that was upon him, and gaveH5414 it to DavidH1732, and his apparel, even to his swordH2719, and to his bowH7198, and to his girdle. 5And DavidH1732 wentH3318 out whithersoever SaulH7586 sentH7971 him, and behaved himself wisely: and SaulH7586 setH7760 him over the menH376 of warH4421, and it was goodH3190 in the sight of all the peopleH5971, and alsoH1571 in the sight of Saul’s servantsH5650.

6And it cameH935 to pass as they cameH935, when DavidH1732 returnedH7725 from the slaughter of the PhilistineH6430, that the womenH802 cameH935 out of all the citiesH5892 of IsraelH3478, singingH7891 and dancingH4246, to meetH7122 kingH4428 SaulH7586, with timbrels, with joyH8057, and with instruments of music. 7And the womenH802 sang one to another as they playedH7832, and saidH559,

8And SaulH7586 was veryH3966 wroth, and this sayingH559 displeased him; and he saidH559, They have ascribed unto DavidH1732 tenH7233 thousandsH505, and to me they have ascribed but thousandsH505: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9And SaulH7586 eyed DavidH1732 from that dayH3117 and forward.

10And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evilH7451 spiritH7307 from GodH430 came mightily upon SaulH7586, and he prophesiedH5012 in the midstH8432 of the houseH1004: and DavidH1732 playedH5059 with his handH3027, as he did dayH3117 by dayH3117. And SaulH7586 had his spearH2595 in his handH3027; 11and SaulH7586 cast the spearH2595; for he saidH559, I will smite DavidH1732 even to the wallH7023. And DavidH1732 avoided out of his presenceH6440 twice. 12And SaulH7586 wasH1961 afraidH3372 of DavidH1732, because Jehovah wasH1961 with him, and wasH1961 departedH5493 from SaulH7586. 13Therefore SaulH7586 removedH5493 him from him, and madeH7760 him his captain over a thousandH505; and he wentH3318 out and cameH935 in before the peopleH5971. 14And DavidH1732 behaved himself wisely in all his waysH1870; and Jehovah wasH1961 with him. 15And whenH834 SaulH7586 sawH7200 that he behaved himself veryH3966 wisely, he stood in awe of him. 16But all IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063 lovedH157 DavidH1732; for he wentH3318 out and cameH935 in before them.

17And SaulH7586 saidH559 to DavidH1732, Behold, my elder daughterH1323 MerabH4764, her will I giveH5414 thee to wifeH802: onlyH389 beH1961 thou valiant for me, and fightH3898 Jehovah’s battlesH4421. For SaulH7586 saidH559, Let not my handH3027 beH1961 upon him, but let the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430 beH1961 upon him. 18And DavidH1732 saidH559 unto SaulH7586, Who am I, and what is my lifeH2416, or my father’sH1 familyH4940 in IsraelH3478, that I should beH1961 son-in-law to the kingH4428? 19But it came to pass at the timeH6256 when MerabH4764, Saul’s daughterH1323, should have beenH1961 givenH5414 to DavidH1732, that she wasH1961 givenH5414 unto AdrielH5741 the MeholathiteH4259 to wifeH802. 20And MichalH4324, Saul’s daughterH1323, lovedH157 DavidH1732: and they toldH5046 SaulH7586, and the thingH1697 pleased him. 21And SaulH7586 saidH559, I will giveH5414 him her, that she may beH1961 a snareH4170 to him, and that the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430 may beH1961 against him. Wherefore SaulH7586 saidH559 to DavidH1732, Thou shalt this dayH3117 beH1961 my son-in-law a second time.

22And SaulH7586 commandedH6680 his servantsH5650, sayingH559, Commune with DavidH1732 secretly, and sayH559, Behold, the kingH4428 hath delightH2654 in thee, and all his servantsH5650 loveH157 thee: nowH6258 thereforeH6258 be the king’sH4428 son-in-law. 23And Saul’s servantsH5650 spake those wordsH1697 in the earsH241 of DavidH1732. And DavidH1732 saidH559, Seemeth it to you a light thingH1697 to be the king’sH4428 son-in-law, seeing that I am a poorH7326 manH376, and lightly esteemed? 24And the servantsH5650 of SaulH7586 toldH5046 him, sayingH559, On this mannerH1697 spake DavidH1732. 25And SaulH7586 saidH559, ThusH3541 shall ye sayH559 to DavidH1732, The kingH4428 desireth not any dowry, but a hundredH3967 foreskinsH6190 of the PhilistinesH6430, to be avengedH5358 of the king’sH4428 enemiesH341. Now SaulH7586 thought to make DavidH1732 fallH5307 by the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430. 26And when his servantsH5650 toldH5046 DavidH1732 these wordsH1697, it pleased DavidH1732 well to be the king’sH4428 son-in-law. And the daysH3117 were not expired; 27and DavidH1732 aroseH6965 and wentH935, he and his menH376, and slew of the PhilistinesH6430 two hundredH3967 menH376; and DavidH1732 broughtH935 their foreskinsH6190, and they gaveH5414 them in fullH4390 number to the kingH4428, that he might be the king’sH4428 son-in-law. And SaulH7586 gaveH5414 him MichalH4324 his daughterH1323 to wifeH802. 28And SaulH7586 sawH7200 and knewH3045 that Jehovah was with DavidH1732; and MichalH4324, Saul’s daughterH1323, lovedH157 him. 29And SaulH7586 wasH1961 yetH5750 the more afraidH3372 of DavidH1732; and SaulH7586 wasH1961 David’s enemyH341 continually.

30Then the princesH8269 of the PhilistinesH6430 wentH3318 forthH3318: and it came to pass, as oftenH1767 as they wentH3318 forthH3318, that DavidH1732 behaved himself more wisely than all the servantsH5650 of SaulH7586; so that his nameH8034 was much set by.