1 Samuel 18

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 When David had finished talking to Saul, Jonathan felt an instant affection for David; Jonathan lovedhim like his very self;	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 engaged him that very day and would not let him go home to his father.	2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
3 Jonathan made a pact with David, since he loved him like his very self;	3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 Jonathan took off the cloak which he was wearing and gave it to David, and his armour too, evenincluding 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 Wherever David was sent on a mission by Saul, he was successful, and Saul put him in command ofthe fighting men; al the people respected him and so did Saul's staff.	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 On their return, when David was coming back from kil ing the Philistine, the women came out of al thetowns of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul, with tambourines, sistrums and cries of joy;	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 and as they danced the women sang: Saul has kil ed his thousands, and David his tens of 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; the incident displeased him. 'They have given David the tens of thousands,' hesaid, 'but me only the thousands; what more can he have, except the throne?'	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 Saul watched David jealously from that day onwards.	9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
10 The fol owing day, an evil spirit from God seized on Saul and he fell into a frenzy while he wasindoors. David played the harp as on other occasions; Saul had a spear in his hand.	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 brandished the spear; he said, 'I wil pin David to the wall!' David evaded him twice.	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 feared David, since Yahweh was with him and had withdrawn from Saul.	12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.
13 So Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him commander of a thousand; he led thepeople on campaign.	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 In al his expeditions, David was successful and Yahweh was with him.	14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
15 And Saul, seeing how very successful he was, was afraid of him.	15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
16 Al Israel and Judah loved David, however, since he was their leader on campaign.	16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
17 Saul said to David, 'This is my elder daughter Merab; I shal give her to you in marriage; but you mustserve me bravely and fight Yahweh's wars.' Saul thought, 'Better than strike the blow myself, let the Philistinesdo it!'	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 David replied to Saul, 'Who am I and what is my lineage -- and my father's family -- in Israel, for meto 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 When the time came for Merab daughter of Saul to be given to David, she was given to Adriel ofMeholah 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 Michal daughter of Saul fel in love with David. When Saul heard this he was pleased.	20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 He thought, 'Yes, I shall give her to him; she can be the snare for him, so that the Philistines wil gethim.' (On two occasions, Saul told David, 'Today, you shall be my son-in-law.')	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 gave instructions to his servants, 'Have a private word with David and say, "Look, the king isfond of you and al his servants love you -- why not be 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 Saul's servants repeated these words in David's ear, to which David replied, 'Do you think thatbecoming the king's son-in-law is a trivial matter; I have neither wealth nor position.'	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 Saul's servants then reported back, 'This is what David said.'	24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.
25 Saul replied, 'Tel David this, "The king desires no bride-price except one hundred Philistineforeskins, in vengeance on the king's enemies." ' Saul was counting on getting David killed by 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 his servants repeated this to David, David thought it would be a fine thing to be the king's son-in-law. And no time was lost	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 before David got up to go, he and his men, and kil ed two hundred of the Philistines. David broughttheir foreskins back and counted them out before the king, so that he could be the king's son-in-law. Saul thengave 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 could not but see that Yahweh was with David, and that the whole House of Israel loved him;	28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.
29 Saul became more afraid of David than ever, and became his inveterate enemy.	29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.
30 The Philistine chiefs kept mounting their campaigns but, whenever they did so, David proved moresuccessful than any of Saul's staff; consequently he gained great renown.	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.