1 Samuel 18

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 (By the time David finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan had become as fond of David as if his life depended on him; he loved him as he loved himself.	1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2 Saul laid claim to David that day and did not allow him to return to his father's house.	2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
3 And Jonathan entered into a bond with David, because he loved him as himself.	3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 Jonathan divested himself of the mantle he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his military dress, and his sword, his bow and his belt.	4 And Jonathan stripped 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 David then carried out successfully every mission on which Saul sent him. So Saul put him in charge of his soldiers, and this was agreeable to the whole army, even to Saul's own officers.)	5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself 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 At the approach of Saul and David (on David's return after slaying the Philistine), women came out from each of the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing, with tambourines, joyful songs, and sistrums.	6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.
7 The women played and sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands."	7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought: "They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me. All that remains for him is the kingship."	8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased 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 but the kingdom?
9 (And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David.	9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
10 (The next day an evil spirit from God came over Saul, and he raged in his house. David was in attendance, playing the harp as at other times, while Saul was holding his spear.	10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.
11 Saul poised the spear, thinking to nail David to the wall, but twice David escaped him.)	11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
12 Saul then began to fear David, (because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul himself.)	12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.
13 Accordingly, Saul removed him from his presence by appointing him a field officer. So David led the people on their military expeditions,	13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 and prospered in all his enterprises, for the LORD was with him.	14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
15 Seeing how successful he was, Saul conceived a fear of David:	15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
16 on the other hand, all Israel and Judah loved him, since he led them on their expeditions.	16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
17 (Saul said to David, "There is my older daughter, Merob, whom I will give you in marriage if you become my champion and fight the battles of the LORD." Saul had in mind, "I shall not touch him; let the Philistines strike him."	17 And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD's battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
18 But David answered Saul: "Who am I? And who are my kin or my father's clan in Israel that I should become the king's son-in-law?"	18 And David said unto Saul, Who 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 However, when it was time for Saul's daughter Merob to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel the Meholathite instead.)	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 Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
20 Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David, and it was reported to Saul, who was pleased at this,	20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 for he thought, "I will offer her to him to become a snare for him, so that the Philistines may strike him." (Thus for the second time Saul said to David, "You shall become my son-in-law today.")	21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the 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.
22 Saul then ordered his servants to speak to David privately and to say: "The king is fond of you, and all his officers love you. You should become the king's son-in-law."	22 And Saul commanded 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 But when Saul's servants mentioned this to David, he said: "Do you think it easy to become the king's son-in-law? I am poor and insignificant."	23 And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth 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 When his servants reported to him the nature of David's answer,	24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.
25 Saul commanded them to say this to David: "The king desires no other price for the bride than the foreskins of one hundred Philistines, that he may thus take vengeance on his enemies." Saul intended in this way to bring about David's death through the Philistines.	25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26 When the servants reported this offer to David, he was pleased with the prospect of becoming the king's son-in-law. (Before the year was up,)	26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired.
27 David made preparations and sallied forth with his men and slew two hundred Philistines. He brought back their foreskins and counted them out before the king, that he might thus become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.	27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and 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 Michal his daughter to wife.
28 Saul thus came to recognize that the LORD was with David; besides, his own daughter Michal loved David.	28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.
29 Therefore Saul feared David all the more (and was his enemy ever after).	29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.
30 (The Philistine chiefs continued to make forays, but each time they took the field, David was more successful against them than any other of Saul's officers, and as a result acquired great fame.)	30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.