1After David finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan's heart was bound to David's heart, and Jonathan loved him as much as he loved himself.
2From that day on, Saul kept David with him and would not let him return home.
3Jonathan and David made a solemn covenant, because Jonathan loved him as himself.
4Jonathan took off his own robe and gave it to David, along with his sword, his bow, and his belt.
5In everything Saul sent him to do, David succeeded, and Saul put him in command of the fighting men. This was pleasing to all the people and to Saul's officials as well.
6When the men returned home after David killed the Philistine, women from all over Israel came out to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with tambourines, joyful songs, and musical instruments.
7The women sang as they danced: 'Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands!'
8Saul was furious and very upset. 'They credit David with tens of thousands, but me with only thousands! What more can he get except the kingdom?'
9From that day on, Saul watched David with suspicion.
10The next day an oppressive spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved in his house while David was playing his harp as he did regularly. Saul had a spear in his hand,
11and he hurled it at David, thinking, 'I'll pin David to the wall.' But David dodged out of his way twice.
12Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul.
13So Saul removed David from his presence and appointed him as a commander of a thousand men, and David went in and out with the troops.
14In everything David did, he succeeded greatly, because the LORD was with him.
15When Saul saw how well David was succeeding, he was even more afraid of him.
16But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them so effectively in battle.
17Saul said to David, 'Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage, but first prove yourself a warrior and fight the LORD's battles.' Saul thought, 'I won't have to kill him myself — let the Philistines do it!'
18But David replied, 'Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king's son-in-law?'
19When the time came for Merab to be given to David, she was instead given in marriage to Adriel from Meholah.
20Saul's younger daughter Michal fell in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.
21Saul thought, 'I'll give her to him. She can be a trap for him, so that the Philistines can kill him.' So Saul offered a second chance to David, saying, 'You now have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.'
22Saul instructed his servants, 'Talk to David privately and tell him: The king is fond of you, and all his servants love you. Now is the time to become the king's son-in-law.'
23When Saul's servants relayed this to David, he said, 'Does it seem like a small thing to you to become the king's son-in-law? I am poor and of no importance.'
24The servants reported back to Saul what David had said.
25Saul told them, 'Say this to David: The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.' Saul intended for David to die at the hands of the Philistines.
26When the servants told David this, he was pleased with the arrangement. The allotted time had not yet passed,
27so David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought their foreskins as a full payment to the king, to become the king's son-in-law. Saul then gave him his daughter Michal as his wife.
28When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,
29he became even more afraid of David, and he remained David's enemy for the rest of his life.
30The Philistine commanders continued to go out on raids, and every time they did, David was more successful against them than any of Saul's other officers, and his name became very well known.