1 By the time he finished talking with Saul, Jonathan's soul had become knit to David's soul, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2 From that day Saul kept him and would not let him go back to his father's house.
3 Jonathan and David made a covenant, because Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
4 Jonathan stripped off the robe he had on and gave it to David, with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
5 Wherever Saul sent him, David went out and acted wisely, and Saul put him in charge of the fighting men. All the people approved, and Saul's servants approved too.
6 As they were coming in, when David came back from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing, with tambourines, with rejoicing and with triangles.
7 And the women sang to one another as they made merry: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."
8 Saul was furious; this refrain was hateful to him. He said, "To David they have given tens of thousands, and to me only thousands. What is left for him but the kingship?"
9 From that day on Saul kept his eye on David.
10 The next day an evil spirit from God came powerfully upon Saul, and he raved inside the house. David was playing with his hand, as he did every day, and Saul had his spear in his hand.
11 Saul flung the spear, thinking, "I will pin David to the wall." Twice David dodged out of his way.
12 Saul was afraid of David, since the LORD was with David but had left Saul.
13 So Saul sent him away from his side and made him a commander of a thousand, and he went out and came in at the head of the troops.
14 In all he undertook David acted wisely, and the LORD was with him.
15 Saul saw how very wisely he acted and was in dread of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was the one who went out and came in at their head.
17 Saul said to David, "Here is Merab, my older daughter; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be a valiant man for me and fight the LORD's battles." For Saul thought, "My hand will not be on him; let the hand of the Philistines be on him."
18 David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my life or my father's clan in Israel, that I should become the king's son-in-law?"
19 But when the time came for Saul's daughter Merab to be given to David, she was given as a wife to Adriel of Meholah.
20 Michal, Saul's daughter, was in love with David. When Saul was told, the thing suited him.
21 Saul thought, "I will give her to him so she can be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be on him." So Saul said to David a second time, "You can be my son-in-law today."
22 Saul ordered his servants, "Speak to David in secret and say, 'Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now become the king's son-in-law.'"
23 Saul's servants said these words in David's hearing, and David said, "Does it seem a trifle to you to become the king's son-in-law? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed."
24 Saul's servants told him, "This is what David said."
25 Saul said, "Tell David this: 'The king wants no bride-price but a hundred Philistine foreskins, to be avenged on the king's enemies.'" Saul meant to have David fall at the hands of the Philistines.
26 His servants told David these words, and David was pleased with the idea of becoming the king's son-in-law. Before the time was up,
27 David set out with his men and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought their foreskins and counted them out in full to the king, to become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife.
28 Saul saw and realized that the LORD was with David, and that his daughter Michal loved him,
29 and Saul became more afraid of David still. Saul was David's enemy from then on.
30 The princes of the Philistines would come out to fight, and every time they came out, David acted more wisely than all Saul's servants, and his name came to be greatly prized.