1After David finished talking with Saul, Jonathan felt a deep connection with David, and Jonathan loved him as much as he loved himself.
2Saul kept David with him from that day on and would not let him return home to his father's house.
3Then Jonathan and David made a solemn agreement, because Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself.
4Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his military clothing, including his sword, bow, and belt.
5David went out to every place Saul sent him and acted wisely. So Saul put him in charge of the soldiers. This pleased all the people, including Saul's own servants.
6When David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul. They came with singing and dancing, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments.
7As they played, the women sang to each other, "Saul has killed thousands, but David has killed tens of thousands."
8Saul became very angry because this song displeased him. He said, "They have given David tens of thousands, but to me they have only given thousands. What more can he get except the kingdom?"
9From that day forward, Saul watched David with suspicion.
10The next day, an evil spirit from God powerfully came over Saul, and he raved inside his house. David was playing the harp as usual. Saul had his spear in his hand,
11and Saul threw the spear, thinking, "I'll pin David to the wall!" But David escaped from him twice.
12Saul was afraid of David because Yahweh was with David and had left Saul.
13So Saul sent David away and made him a commander over a thousand men. David led the troops out and back in front of the people.
14David acted wisely in everything he did, and Yahweh was with him.
15When Saul saw how very wisely David acted, he was in awe of him.
16But all the people of Israel and Judah loved David because he led them.
17Saul said to David, "Look, I will give you my older daughter Merab as your wife. Just be a brave soldier for me and fight Yahweh's battles." Saul thought, "I won't be the one to kill him; let the Philistines do it."
18David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should become the king's son-in-law?"
19But when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was instead given to Adriel, who was from Meholah, as his wife.
20Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When Saul was told about it, he was pleased.
21Saul thought, "I'll give Michal to David so she can be a trap for him, and so the Philistines will kill him." So Saul said to David, "Today you will become my son-in-law for a second time."
22Saul ordered his servants, “Talk to David privately and tell him, ‘Look, the king is fond of you, and all his servants love you. So now, become the king’s son-in-law.’”
23Saul’s servants told David these words. David replied, “Do you think it’s a minor thing to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am poor and not highly regarded?”
24Saul’s servants reported to him, “David said this.”
25Saul then said, “Tell David, ‘The king doesn’t want any dowry except one hundred Philistine foreskins, to get revenge on the king's enemies.’” Saul was thinking he could make David die at the hands of the Philistines.
26When his servants told David these words, David was very happy to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the deadline,
27David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave the full number to the king so he could become the king’s son-in-law. At that point, Saul gave him his daughter Michal as his wife.
28Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David, and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him.
29Saul became even more afraid of David, and Saul remained David’s enemy constantly.
30Then the Philistine leaders went to war again. Every time they went out, David acted more wisely than all of Saul’s servants, so his name became very famous.