18:1 When he had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan and David became bound together in friendship.1 Jonathan loved David like himself. 18:2 Saul took David2 on that day and did not allow him to return to the house of his father. 18:3 Jonathan entered into a covenant relationship with David, for he loved him like himself. 18:4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that he had on and gave it to David, along with his other garments, including his sword, his bow, and even his belt.
18:5 In every mission on which Saul used to send him, David behaved wisely. So Saul appointed him over the men of war. This pleased3 not only all the army but also the servants of Saul.
18:6 When they arrived after David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women from all the cities of Israel went forth with singing and dancing to meet Saul the king. They came in gladness, with tambourines and three-stringed instruments. 18:7 The women who were playing said,
18:8 This made Saul very angry. The matter displeased him and he thought,4 “They have attributed to David tens of thousands, but to me they have only attributed thousands. What yet does he lack, except the kingdom?” 18:9 So Saul was keeping an eye on David from that day onward.
18:10 On the next day an evil spirit from God rushed on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. Now David was playing the lyre with his hand on that day. But there was a spear in Saul’s hand, 18:11 and Saul hurled the spear thinking, “I’ll nail David to the wall!” But David escaped from him on two different occasions.
18:12 Saul therefore came to fear David, for the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. 18:13 So Saul removed David from his presence and appointed him as a leader of a thousand. He repeatedly led the army out and back.5 18:14 Now David was judicious in all his ways, and the LORD was with him. 18:15 But as Saul saw that he was so judicious, he was afraid of him. 18:16 All Israel and Judah loved David, for he was always the one who led them out and back in battle.
18:176 Then Saul said to David, “Here’s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a mighty warrior for me and fight the battles of the LORD.” For Saul thought, “There’s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!”
18:18 David said to Saul, “But Who am I and what does my life amount to in terms of7 my father’s family in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” 18:19 When it came time to give Merab Saul’s daughter in marriage to David, she instead was given in marriage to Adriel who was from Meholah.
18:20 Now Michal Saul’s daughter loved David. When they told Saul about this, the matter pleased him. 18:21 Saul said, “I will give her to him so that she may become a snare for him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Today is the second time that you could become my son-in-law.”8
18:22 Then Saul instructed his servants, “Speak secretly to David saying, ‘The king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you. So now become the king’s son-in-law.” 18:23 So Saul’s servants spoke these words privately9 to David. David replied, “Is becoming the king’s son-in-law something insignificant to you? I’m just a poor and lightly esteemed man!”
18:24 When Saul’s servants reported what David had said, 18:25 Saul replied, “Here is what you should say to David: ‘There is nothing that the king wants as a price for the bride except a hundred Philistine foreskins, so that he can be avenged of his10 enemies.’” For Saul supposed that he could deal David a mortal blow by the Philistines.
18:26 So his servants told David these things. And it was acceptable to David to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the specified time had not yet expired11 18:27 when David along with his men, having got up and gone out, struck down two hundred Philistine men. Then David brought their foreskins and presented all of them to the king so as to become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
18:28 When Saul saw and realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, 18:29 Saul was even more fearful of David. Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on.12 18:3013 Then the leaders of the Philistines would go forth, and as often as they went forth David proved to be more prudent than all of Saul’s servants. His name was held in high esteem.