International Standard Version

King James Bible

1When David finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan became a close friend to David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

1And 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.

2Saul took David that day and did not let him return to his father's house.

2And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.

3Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as he loved himself.

3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

4Jonathan took off the robe that he had on and gave it to David, along with his coat, his sword, his bow, and his belt.

4And 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.

5David went out and was successful everywhere Saul sent him, and Saul put him in charge of the troops. This pleased the entire army, as well as Saul's officials.

5And 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.

6When David returned from defeating the Philistine, as they were entering the city, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul, singing and dancing as they joyously played tambourines and lyres.

6And 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.

7As the women sang and played, they said, "Saul has struck down his thousands but David his ten thousands."

7And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

8Saul was very angry and he did not like what the women sang. He told himself, "They have attributed tens of thousands to David, but to me they have attributed thousands. What else can he have but the kingdom?"

8And 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?

9From then on Saul kept his eye on David.

9And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

10The next day, while David was playing the lyre as he had before, the evil spirit from the LORD attacked Saul, and he began to rave inside the house with a spear in his hand.

10And 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.

11Saul hurled it, thinking, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David escaped from him twice.

11And 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.

12Now Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him and had departed from Saul.

12And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.

13Saul removed David from his presence and made him an officer over a division of soldiers. So David led the troops in battle.

13Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

14David was successful in all that he did, for the LORD was with him.

14And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.

15When Saul saw that David was highly successful, he feared him.

15Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

16But all Israel and Judah loved David because he led them in battle.

16But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

17Saul told David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I'll give her to you as a wife. Just be an excellent soldier for me and fight the LORD's battles." Now Saul told himself, "I won't harm him myself. Instead, I'll let the Philistines harm him."

17And 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.

18David told Saul, "Who am I and what is my life or my father's family in Israel that I should be the king's son-in-law?"

18And 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?

19And when the time came to give Saul's daughter Merab to David, she was given as a wife to Adriel of Meholah.

19But 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.

20Saul's daughter Michal loved David. Saul was informed of this and he liked the idea.

20And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

21Saul told himself, "I'll give her to him and she can be a snare to him and the Philistines will harm him." So Saul told David, "For a second time you can be my son-in-law today."

21And 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.

22Saul commanded his officials, "Speak with David privately and say, 'Look, the king delights in you, and all his officials love you. Now become the king's son-in-law.'"

22And 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.

23Saul's officials delivered this message to David, and he asked, "Is becoming the king's son-in-law an unimportant thing to you? I'm a poor and unimportant man."

23And 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?

24Saul's officials reported to him: "This is what David said."

24And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.

25Saul said, "This is what you are to tell David, 'The king desires no bride price except 100 Philistine foreskins to take vengeance on the king's enemies.'" Now Saul thought he would cause David to die at the hand of the Philistines.

25And 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.

26When his officials delivered this message to David, David decided it would be a good thing to become the king's son-in-law. Before the time was up,

26And 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.

27David got up, went out with his men, and struck down 200 Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and gave them all to the king so he could become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife.

27Wherefore 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.

28As Saul continued to observe, he realized that the LORD was with David and that Saul's daughter Michal loved him.

28And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.

29Then Saul was even more afraid of David, and Saul was David's enemy from that time on.

29And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.

30The Philistine commanders would go out to fight and whenever they did, David was more successful than any of Saul's other leaders. His name was held in high esteem.

30Then 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.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.