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The First
Book of Samuel 18
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking
to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul
of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return
to his father's house.
And David and Jonathan made a covenant, for be loved
him as his own soul.
And Jonathan stripped himself of the coat with which
he was clothed, and gave it to David, and the rest of
his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and
to his girdle.
And David went out to whatsoever business Saul sent
him, and he behaved himself prudently: and Saul set
him over the soldiers, and he was acceptable in the
eyes of all the people, and especially in the eyes of
Saul's servants.
Now when David returned, after be slew the Philistine,
the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing
and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels of joy,
and cornets.
And the women sung as they played, and they said: I
Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
And Saul was exceeding angry, and this word was displeasing
in his eyes, and he said: They have given David ten
thousands, and to me they have given but a thousand;
what can he have more but the kingdom?
And Saul did not look on David with a good eye from
that day and forward.
And the day after the evil spirit from God came upon
Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And
David played with his hand as at other times. And Saul
held a spear in his hand,
And threw it, thinking to nail David to the wall: and
David stept aside out of his presence twice.
And Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him,
and was departed from himself.
Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him a
captain over a thousand men, and he went out and came
in before the people.
And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord
was with him.
And Saul saw that he was exceeding prudent, and began
to beware of him.
But all Israel and Juda loved David, for he came in
and went out before them.
And Saul said to David: Behold my elder daughter Merob,
her will I give thee to wife: only be a valiant man,
and fight the battles of the Lord. Now Saul said within
himself: Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands
of the Philistines be upon him.
And David said to Saul: Who am I, or what is my life,
or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son
in law of the king?
And it came to pass at the time when Merob the daughter
of Saul should have been given to David, that she was
given to Hadriel the Molathite to wife.
But Michol the other daughter of Saul loved David. And
it was told Saul, and it pleased him.
And Saul said: I will give her to him, that she may
be a stumblingblock to him, and that the band of the
Philistines may be upon him. And Saul said to David:
In two things thou shalt be my son in law this day.
And Saul commanded his servants to speak to David privately,
saying: Behold thou pleasest the king, and all his servants
love thee. Now therefore be the king's son in law.
And the servants of Saul spoke all these words in the
ears of David. And David said: Doth it seem to you a
small matter to be the king's son in law? But I am a
poor man, and of small ability.
And the servants of Saul told him, saying: Such words
as these hath David spoken.
And Saul said: Speak thus to David: The king desireth
not any dowry, but only a hundred foreskins of the Philistines,
to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought
to deliver David into the hands of the Philistines.
And when his servants had told David the words that
Saul had said, the word was pleasing in the eyes of
David to be the king's son in law.
And after a few days David rose up, and went with the
men that were under him, and he slew of the Philistines
two hundred men, and brought their foreskins and numbered
them out to the king, that he might be his son in law.
Saul therefore gave him Michol his daughter to wife.
And Saul saw, and understood that the Lord was with
David. And Michol the daughter of Saul loved him.
And Saul began to fear David more: and Saul became David's
enemy continually.
And the princes of the Philistines went forth: and from
the beginning of their going forth, David behaved himself
more wisely than all the servants of Saul, and his name
became very famous.
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