Chapter 18

David and Jonathan. ¹ When David finished speaking with Saul, David’s soul was bonded with Jonathan’s soul. Jonathan loved him more than he loved himself. ² From that day on, Saul would not permit him to return to his father’s house.

³ Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him more than he loved himself. ⁴ Jonathan took off the robe that he was wearing, and he gave it to David, even giving him his sword, his bow, and his belt. ⁵ Whatever Saul sent David to do, he did it so wisely that he placed him in charge of warriors. This pleased all of the people, and even Saul’s servants.

Saul’s Jealousy. ⁶ When David returned after having struck down the Philistine, the women came out from the cities of Israel to greet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, tambourines, and lutes. ^7 [a]As the women danced, they sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David has killed his ten thousands.” ⁸ Saul was very angry at this for the saying displeased him. He said, “They give David tens of thousands, and me they only give thousands. What else is he lacking but the kingdom?” ⁹ From that time on, Saul kept an eye on David.

¹⁰ The next morning an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied right inside of the house. David played on the harp, as he did every day. In the meantime, Saul had a javelin in his hand.^{[b] 11} Saul cast the javelin, saying to himself, “I will pin David to the wall,” but David eluded him twice. ¹² Saul feared David, for the Lord was with him, but he had departed from Saul.

¹³ Saul sent him away, giving him command over a thousand men. He would go out and come back publicly. ¹⁴ David prospered in everything he did, for the Lord was with him. ¹⁵ When Saul saw that he was very successful, he grew to dread him. ¹⁶ But Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came back publicly.

¹⁷ David’s Marriage. Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter, Merab, I will give her to you in marriage, only be a brave warrior and fight the Lord’s battles.” Saul thought, “It will not be by my hand, but let it be by the hands of the Philistines.” ¹⁸ David said to Saul, “Who am I? What is my life or my father’s family worth in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”^{[c] 19} When Saul’s daughter Merab should have been given to David, she was given instead to Adriel, the Meholathite, as his wife.

²⁰ Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When Saul was informed about this, he was pleased. ²¹ Saul thought, “I will give her to him so that she might be a trap for him and so that the hands of the Philistines will be against him.” Saul said to David, “You have a second chance to be my son-in-law.” ²² Saul ordered his servants, “Speak in confidence to David saying, ‘The king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. You should become the king’s son-in-law.’ ” ²³ Saul’s servants said these things to David, and David answered, “Do you think it is a light matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I am only a poor man and not highly esteemed.”

²⁴ Saul’s servants told him, “David was speaking about this thing.” ²⁵ Saul said, “This is what you are to say to David, ‘The king does not want a dowry, he only wants one hundred Philistine foreskins, so he might be avenged on the king’s enemies.’ ” Saul planned to have David fall at the hands of the Philistines.^{[d] 26} When his servants told David these things, David was well-pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the allotted time had expired, ²⁷ David went out with his men and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal, his daughter, in marriage.

²⁸ When Saul saw and realized that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, his daughter, loved him, ²⁹ Saul dreaded him all the more, and Saul was David’s enemy for the rest of his life. ³⁰ The Philistine leaders continued to go out to battle, and whenever they went out, David would encounter them with more success than all of Saul’s other servants, so that his name became well known.