Jonathan and David's Friendship
Study note
After David's conversation with Saul, Jonathan felt an immediate bond with David. Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself. This was remarkable because Jonathan, as Saul's eldest son, was next in line for the throne, yet he willingly gave that up for David. Jonathan made a covenant of friendship with David and gave him his own robe, armor, sword, bow, and belt. These were gifts of deep respect from a prince to a shepherd boy.
1 After David finished talking with Saul, something powerful happened. Jonathan and David became the closest of friends. Jonathan loved David as deeply as he loved himself. And 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.
2 From that day forward, Saul kept David with him and would not let him go back to his father's home. And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
3 Jonathan and David made a solemn promise of friendship. Jonathan loved David as much as he loved his own life. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 Jonathan pulled off his own robe and gave it to David, along with his armor, his sword, his bow, and his belt. And 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.
David's Success and Saul's Jealousy
Study note
David was successful in everything Saul asked him to do. Saul gave him a high rank in the army, and all the people, including Saul's own officers, approved. But when the army returned from fighting the Philistines, the women came out singing and dancing, celebrating that 'Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.' This comparison infuriated Saul, who realized the people saw David as the greater warrior. From that day on, Saul watched David with suspicion and jealousy.
5 Whatever mission Saul sent David on, he pulled it off successfully. So Saul promoted him to a high position in the army. This made everyone happy, even Saul's own officers. And 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.
6 After David killed the Philistine champion, the army headed home. Women poured out from towns all across Israel to welcome King Saul. They sang and danced with pure joy, playing tambourines and other instruments. And 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.
7 As they danced and cheered, the women sang to each other: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands!" And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 This song made Saul boiling mad. He fumed, "They give David credit for tens of thousands but only thousands to me? The only thing he has not taken yet is the throne itself!" And 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?
9 From that moment on, Saul kept a jealous, suspicious eye on David. And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
Saul Tries to Kill David
Study note
The next day, an evil spirit came upon Saul, and he acted like a madman in his house. While David was playing the harp as usual, Saul threw his spear at David twice, trying to pin him to the wall. David escaped both times. Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David but had left Saul. Saul removed David from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand soldiers, hoping he would be killed in battle. But David was successful in everything because the Lord was with him, and all Israel and Judah loved him.
10 The very next day, an evil spirit from God came rushing over Saul. He went into a rage, raving wildly inside his house, while David played the harp as he normally did. And 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.
11 Saul had a spear in his hand, and he hurled it at David, thinking, "I will pin him to the wall!" But David dodged out of the way. Saul tried it twice, and both times David escaped. And 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.
12 Saul grew afraid of David because it was clear that the Lord was with David but had left Saul. And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.
13 So Saul removed David from his personal staff and gave him command over a thousand soldiers. David led the troops out to battle and back again. 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 Everything David touched turned out well because the Lord was there with him. And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
15 The more success David had, the more afraid Saul became of him. Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
16 But everyone else in Israel and Judah loved David. He was such a great leader in battle. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
Saul Offers His Daughters to David
Study note
Saul offered his older daughter Merab to David as a wife if David would fight bravely. Saul hoped the Philistines would kill David. David humbly said he was not important enough to be the king's son-in-law. In the end, Merab was given to another man. When Saul learned that his younger daughter Michal loved David, he saw another opportunity. He told David the bride price would be one hundred Philistine foreskins, again hoping David would be killed trying to obtain them.
17 Saul approached David with an offer: "Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as a wife. All I ask is that you serve me bravely and keep fighting the Lord's battles." Secretly, Saul was thinking, "I do not have to kill him myself. The Philistines will take care of that." And 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.
18 David replied humbly, "Who am I? What is my family's place in Israel? Why should I become the king's son-in-law?" And 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?
19 But when the time came for Merab to be given to David, Saul gave her to a man named Adriel from Meholah instead. But 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.
20 As it turned out, Saul's other daughter, Michal, had fallen in love with David. When Saul heard about it, he was pleased. And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 Saul thought, "I will use her as bait. She can lure David into a situation where the Philistines will kill him." So for the second time, Saul told David, "You can be my son-in-law." 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 David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.
22 Saul instructed his servants, "Go talk to David privately. Tell him, 'The king truly likes you, and all his servants think highly of you. Now is your chance to become his son-in-law.'" And 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.
23 The servants passed along the message, but David said, "Do you realize how big a deal it is to become the king's son-in-law? I am just a poor, ordinary man." And 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?
24 The servants went back and told Saul exactly what David said. And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.
25 Saul replied, "Tell David that the king does not want any wedding payment except one hundred foreskins from dead Philistines, as payback against his enemies." Saul's real plan was to get David killed by the Philistines. And 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.
David Marries Michal
Study note
David was pleased with the offer and before the deadline, he and his men killed two hundred Philistines, twice the required number. Saul had no choice but to give Michal to David in marriage. Saul realized that the Lord was truly with David and that his own daughter loved David. This made Saul even more afraid and hostile. David continued to be more successful than any of Saul's other officers whenever the Philistines attacked, which made David even more famous.
26 When the servants relayed this to David, he was thrilled at the chance to become the king's son-in-law. Before the deadline had even passed, And 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.
27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought back their foreskins, counted them all out before the king, and fulfilled the requirement. So Saul gave his daughter Michal to David as his wife. Wherefore 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.
28 It became very clear to Saul that the Lord was with David. He also saw that his own daughter Michal was deeply in love with David. And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.
29 This only made Saul more afraid of David. From that point on, Saul treated David as his lifelong enemy. And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.
30 The Philistine generals kept launching attacks. Every time they did, David did better than all of Saul's other officers. His fame grew bigger and bigger. Then 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.