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OEB 1SA Chapter 18

18 Now when David had finished speaking with Saul, the lives of Jonathan and David became bound together, and Jonathon loved him as his own life, 2 and so Saul took David that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own life. 4 He stripped himself of the cloak which he had on and gave it to David and his military coat, even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle. 5 And David went out. On every task which Saul sent him, he acted wisely and with success, so that Saul appointed him over the warriors. He was beloved alike by all the people and by the servants of Saul.

6 At the return home of the army and David’s return from slaying the Philistine, the women came out dancing from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with tambourines, with cries of rejoicing, and with cymbals. 7 The women sang to each other as they danced, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands.’ 8 It made Saul very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, ‘They ascribed to David ten thousands, while to me they ascribed but thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?’ 9 And Saul kept his eye on David from that day forward.

10 The next day an evil spirit from God came powerfully on Saul, and he prophesied within his house. David played the lyre to him, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand, 11 and cast it, thinking, ‘I will pin David to the wall.’ But twice David dodged it.

12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him and had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence, and made him a commander over a thousand. David went out and came in at the head of his men, 14 and he acted wisely and prospered in all his ways, for the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw that David acted wisely and prospered, he stood in dread of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in at the head of the army.

17 Then Saul said to David, ‘See my oldest daughter, Merab. I will give her to you as wife, only be a valiant champion and fight the Lord’s battles.’ For Saul said to himself, ‘I must not raise my hand against him, but let the hand of the Philistines deal with him.’ 18 And David replied to Saul, ‘Who am I, and what is my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?’ 19 But when the time came that Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was instead given as wife to Adriel the Meholathite.

20 Michal, Saul’s daughter, fell in love with David. When they told Saul, he was pleased. 21 He thought, ‘I will give her to him, so that she becomes a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.’ Therefore Saul said to David a second time, ‘You will this day be my son-in-law.’ 22 Saul commanded his servants, ‘Communicate with David secretly and tell him that the king is pleased with him and all the servants love him, therefore become the king’s son-in-law.’ 23 And Saul’s servants spoke these words in the ears of David. And David said, ‘Is it an easy thing in your opinion to become the king’s son-in-law, when I am a poor man and of no reputation?’ 24 The servants of Saul reported back what David had said. 25 And Saul said, ‘Tell David: The king desires no bride-price, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, in order to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 When his servants told David these words, David was well pleased with the prospect of being the king’s son-in-law. Before the appointed time, 27 he arose and went together with his men and slew a hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and gave them in full to the king, in order to become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife. 28 When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David and his daughter Michal loved him, 29 Saul feared David still more, and from that time was David’s enemy.

30 The Philistine commanders continued to come out to battle, and as often as they came out, David acted more wisely and with greater success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was held in high repute.

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