20 (A)Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may [a]be a snare to him, and that (B)the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, (C)“You shall be my son-in-law today.”

22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Communicate with David secretly, and say, ‘Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”

23 So Saul’s servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, [b]“In this manner David spoke.”

25 Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any (D)dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take (E)vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ ” But Saul (F)thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king’s son-in-law. Now (G)the days had not expired; 27 therefore David arose and went, he and (H)his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And (I)David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.

28 Thus Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him; 29 and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy [c]continually. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines (J)went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David (K)behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:21 be bait for
  2. 1 Samuel 18:24 Lit. According to these words
  3. 1 Samuel 18:29 all the days

20 And Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 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 a second time.

22 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 And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be the king’s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. 25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 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 and 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 number to the king, that he might be the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. 28 And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David; and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him. 29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David’s enemy continually.

30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David [a]behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much [b]set by.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:30 Or, prospered more than
  2. 1 Samuel 18:30 Hebrew precious.