1And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul (nephesh) of Jonathan was knit to the soul (nephesh) of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul (nephesh).
2And Saul took him that day, and did not let him return to the house of his father.
3And Jonathan and David cut a covenant (berit), because he loved him as his own soul (nephesh).
4And Jonathan stripped off 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 belt.
5And David went out wherever Saul sent him; he acted wisely. And Saul set him over the men (ish) of war, and it was good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.
6And it came to pass as they came, when David returned from smiting the Philistine, that the women (ishah) came out from all the cities of Israel to sing and dance, to meet Saul the king, with timbrels, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments.
7And the women (ishah) who made merry answered and said: "Saul has smitten his thousands, and David his ten thousands."
8And it burned hot to Saul exceedingly, and this thing was evil in his eyes, and he said: "They have given to David ten thousands, and to me they have given the thousands; and there is yet for him only the kingdom!"
9And Saul was eyeing David from that day and onward.
10And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit (ruach) of God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house; and David was playing with his hand, as day by day; and the spear was in the hand of Saul.
11And Saul hurled the spear, and said: "I will smite David even into the wall." And David turned aside from before him twice.
12And Saul was afraid from before David, because YHWH was with him, and from Saul he had departed.
13And Saul removed him from with him, and set him for himself as a captain of a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
14And David was acting wisely in all his ways, and YHWH was with him.
15And Saul saw that he was acting very wisely, and he was in dread before him.
16And all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
17And Saul said to David: "Behold my elder daughter Merab; her I will give to you for a wife (ishah); only be for me a son of valor, and fight the battles of YHWH." And Saul said: "Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him."
18And David said to Saul: "Who am I, and what is my life (chai), my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"
19And it came to pass at the time of giving Merab the daughter of Saul to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife (ishah).
20And Michal the daughter of Saul loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes.
21And Saul said: "I will give her to him, that she may be for a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." And Saul said to David: "By two, you shall be my son-in-law this day."
22And Saul commanded (tzivvah) his servants: "Speak to David secretly, saying: Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; and now, be son-in-law to the king."
23And the servants of Saul spoke these words in the ears of David. And David said: "Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king, seeing I am a poor man (ish) and lightly esteemed?"
24And the servants of Saul told him, saying: "According to these words David spoke."
25And Saul said: "Thus you shall say to David: The king has no desire for a dowry, but for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the enemies of the king." And Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26And his servants told David these words, and the thing was right in the eyes of David to be son-in-law to the king. And the days were not fulfilled,
27and David arose and went, he and his men (ish), and smote among the Philistines two hundred men (ish); and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full to the king, to be son-in-law to the king. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife (ishah).
28And Saul saw and knew that YHWH was with David; and Michal the daughter of Saul loved him.
29And Saul again feared from before David still more; and Saul was an enemy to David all the days.
30And the princes of the Philistines went out; and it came to pass, as often as they went out, that David acted more wisely than all the servants of Saul; and his name was very precious.