1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan (Yehonatan) was knit with the soul of Dawid, and Jonathan (Yehonatan) loved him as his own soul.

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

3 Then Jonathan (Yehonatan) and Dawid made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

4 And Jonathan (Yehonatan) stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to Dawid, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

5 And Dawid 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.

6 And it came to pass as they came, when Dawid was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Yisrael, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.

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

8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed unto Dawid ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands; and what can he has more but the kingdom?”

9 And Saul eyed Dawid from that day and forward.

10 And it came to pass on the next day, that the evil spirit from God (Elohim) came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house; and Dawid played with his hand, as at other times; and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.

11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, “I will smite Dawid even to the wall with it.” And Dawid avoided out of his presence twice.

12 And Saul was afraid of Dawid, because יהוה was with him, and was departed from Saul.

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

14 And Dawid behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and יהוה was with him.

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

16 But all Yisrael and Judah (Yehudah) loved Dawid, because he went out and came in before them.

17 And Saul said to Dawid, “Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give you to wife; only be you valiant for me, and fight יהוה’s battles.” For Saul said, “Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.”

18 And Dawid said unto Saul, “Who am I? And what is my life, or my father’s family in Yisrael, that I should be son in law to the king?”

19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul’s daughter should have been given to Dawid, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

20 And Michal Saul’s daughter loved Dawid; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

21 And 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 Dawid, “You shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.”

22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, “Commune with Dawid secretly, and say, ‘Behold, the king hath delight in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore be the king’s son in law.’”

23 And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of Dawid. And Dawid 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?”

24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, “On this manner spake Dawid.”

25 And Saul said, “Thus shall you say to Dawid: ‘The king desireth not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies.’ But Saul thought to make Dawid fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26 And when his servants told Dawid these words, it pleased Dawid well to be the king’s son in law; and the days were not expired.

27 Wherefore Dawid arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and Dawid 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.

28 And Saul saw and knew that יהוה was with Dawid, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him.

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

30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth; and it came to pass, after they went forth, that Dawid behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was highly esteemed.