1 Samuel 18:20-29

Complete Jewish Bible

²⁰ But Mikhal Sha’ul’s daughter fell in love with David. They told Sha’ul, and it pleased him. ²¹ Sha’ul said, “I’ll give her to him, so that she can entrap him, and the P’lishtim can do away with him.” So Sha’ul said to David, “Today you will become my son-in-law through the second [daughter].” ²² Sha’ul ordered his servants to speak privately with David and say, “Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you; so become the king’s son-in-law.” ²³ Sha’ul’s servants said this to David; but David replied, “Do you think being the king’s son-in-law is something to be treated so casually, given that I’m a poor man without social standing?” ²⁴ Sha’ul’s servants reported back to him how David had responded. ²⁵ Sha’ul said, “Here’s what you are to say to David: ‘The king doesn’t want any dowry; he wants a hundred foreskins of the P’lishtim, so that he can have vengeance on the king’s enemies.” For Sha’ul was hoping to have David killed by the P’lishtim. ²⁶ When his servants said these words to David, it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. Even before the time [for him to be married], ²⁷ David got up and set out, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the P’lishtim. He brought their foreskins and gave all of them to the king in order to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Sha’ul gave him Mikhal his daughter as his wife.

²⁸ Sha’ul saw and understood that Adonai was with David and that Mikhal Sha’ul’s daughter loved him. ²⁹ This only made Sha’ul the more afraid of David, so that Sha’ul became David’s enemy for the rest of his life.