CHAPTER 18
After
David had finished
speaking
with
Saul,
the souls
of Jonathan
and David
were knit together,
and Jonathan
loved him
as himself.
And Jonathan
removed
the robe
he was wearing
and gave
it to David,
along with his tunic,
his sword,
his bow,
and his belt.
So David
marched out
and prospered
in everything
Saul
sent him to do,
and Saul
set him
over
the men
of war.
And this was pleasing
in the sight
of all
the people
and of Saul's
officers
as well.
As the troops
were returning home
after David
had killed
the Philistine,
the women
came out
of all
the cities
of Israel
to meet
King
Saul
with singing
and dancing,
with joyful songs,
and with tambourines
and other musical instruments.
And as the women danced,
they sang out:
“Saul
has slain
his thousands,
and David
his tens of thousands.”
And Saul
was furious
and resented
this
song.
“They have ascribed
tens of thousands
to David,”
he said,
“but only
thousands
to me.
What more
can he have
but
the kingdom?”
The next day
a spirit
of distress
sent from God
came
upon
Saul,
and he prophesied
inside the
house
while David
played the harp
as usual.
Now Saul
was holding
a spear,
Therefore Saul
sent David away
and gave
him
command
of a thousand men.
David led
the troops out to battle
and back,
Then Saul
said
to David,
“Here
is my oldest
daughter
Merab.
I will give her
to you
in marriage.
Only
be
valiant
for me
and fight
the LORD's
battles.”
But Saul
was thinking,
“I need not raise
my hand
against him;
let the hand
of the Philistines
be
against him.”
And David
said
to
Saul,
“Who
am I,
and what
is my family
or my father’s
clan
in Israel,
that
I should become
the son-in-law
of the king?”
So when it was
time
to give
Saul’s
daughter
Merab
to David,
she
was given
in marriage
to Adriel
of Meholah.
“I will give her
to David,”
Saul
thought,
“so that she may be
a snare
to him,
and the hand
of the Philistines
may be
against him.”
So Saul
said
to
David,
“For a second time
now
you can be my son-in-law.”
Then Saul
ordered
his servants,
“Speak
to
David
privately
and tell him,
‘Behold,
the king
is pleased with you,
and all
his servants
love you.
Now therefore,
become his
son-in-law.’”
But when Saul's
servants
relayed these
words
to David,
he
replied,
“Does it seem trivial
in your sight
to be the son-in-law
of the king?
I
am a poor
man
and lightly esteemed.”
Saul
replied,
“Say
to David,
‘The king
desires
no
other dowry
but
a hundred
Philistine
foreskins
as revenge
on his
enemies.’”
But Saul
intended
to cause David’s
death
at the hands
of the Philistines.
When the servants
reported
these
terms
to David,
he
was pleased
to become the king’s
son-in-law.
Before the wedding day arrived,
David
and his men
went out
and killed
two hundred
Philistines.
He
brought
their foreskins
and presented them as payment in full
to become
the king's
son-in-law.
Then Saul
gave
his daughter
Michal
to David in marriage.
Every time
the Philistine
commanders
came out for battle,
David
was more successful
than all
of Saul’s
officers,
so that his name
was highly
esteemed.