1 Samuel 18:20-30

International Standard Version

²⁰ Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. Saul was informed of this and he liked the idea.^{[a] 21} Saul told himself,^[b] “I’ll give her to him and she can be a snare to him and the Philistines will harm him.”^[c] So Saul told David, “For a second time you can be my son-in-law today.”

²² Saul commanded his officials,^[d] “Speak with David privately and say, ‘Look, the king delights in you, and all his officials^[e] love you. Now become the king’s son-in-law.’”

²³ Saul’s officials^[f] delivered this message to David,^[g] and he^[h] asked, “Is becoming the king’s son-in-law an unimportant thing to you? I’m a poor and unimportant man.”

²⁴ Saul’s officials^[i] reported to him: “This is what David said.”

²⁵ Saul said, “This is what you are to tell David, ‘The king desires no bride price except 100 Philistine foreskins to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought he would cause David to die at the hand of the Philistines. ²⁶ When his officials^[j] delivered this message to David, David decided it would be a good thing to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the time was up, ²⁷ David got up, went out with his men, and struck down 200 Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and gave them all to the king so he could become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife. ²⁸ As Saul continued to observe, he realized that the Lord was with David and that Saul’s daughter Michal loved him. ²⁹ Then Saul was even more afraid of David, and Saul was David’s enemy from that time on.^[k]

³⁰ The Philistine commanders would go out to fight^[l] and whenever they did, David was more successful than any of Saul’s other leaders.^[m] His name was held in high esteem.