Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

When he had finished speaking to Saul, Jonathan's heart became deeply connected with David's. He loved him like his own life.

Saul took David that day and would no longer allow him to return home to his father's house. Jonathan and David made a covenant because of their deep affection for each other. Jonathan stripped himself of his robe and gave it to David, along with his clothing, sword, bow, and belt.

David went out wherever Saul sent him, behaving wisely and earning favor in the sight of all the people and Saul's servants. As they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tambourines, joy, and instruments of music.

The women sang to one another as they played, saying, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." But this saying displeased Saul. He thought, "They have credited David with ten thousand, but I've been credited with only thousands. What more could he possibly want than the kingdom?"

From that day on, Saul eyed David suspiciously. The next day, an evil spirit from God came upon Saul with great intensity, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. Meanwhile, David was playing his instrument as usual, while Saul held a javelin in his hand.

Saul cast the javelin, saying, "I'll strike David to the wall with it." But twice, David managed to avoid his presence. Saul was afraid of David because he realized that God was with him and had turned away from Saul.

Saul removed David from his presence and appointed him captain over a thousand men. He went out and came in before the people, always earning their respect. David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.

When Saul saw how wisely David conducted himself, he began to stand in awe of him. All Israel and Judah loved David because he served them so well. Saul said to David, "Behold, my elder daughter Merab; I will give her to you in marriage, but be valiant for me and fight the Lord's battles."

David replied, "Who am I, and what is my family in Israel that I should become your son-in-law?" But at the time when Saul was supposed to give Merab to David, he gave her instead to Adriel the Meholathite as his wife.

Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David, and they informed Saul about it. He approved of their relationship, thinking it would make a good trap for David. So Saul said to David, "You shall be my son-in-law today through Michal."

Saul commanded his servants to tell David secretly that the king delighted in him and all his servants loved him. They spoke these words in David's hearing, and he replied, "Does it seem light to you to become the son-in-law of a king? I'm just a poor man and lightly esteemed."

The servants told Saul about David's response, and he said, "Tell David that the king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines. This will be my revenge against them." But Saul was actually trying to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

When his servants delivered these words to David, it pleased him well to become the king's son-in-law. So he arose and went with his men, killing two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins to Saul as a dowry for Michal in marriage.

Saul saw that the Lord was with David, and Michal loved him even more. But this only made Saul more afraid of David and intensified his enmity towards him. The princes of the Philistines departed, and after they left, David proved himself wiser than all Saul's servants.