Samuel & King Saul

And Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul himself.

Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him a captain over a thousand men, and he went out and came in before the people.

And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.

And Saul saw that he was exceeding prudent, and began to beware of him.

But all Israel and Juda loved David, for he came in and went out before them.

And Saul said to David: Behold my elder daughter Merob, her will I give thee to wife: only be a valiant man, and fight the battles of the Lord. Now Saul said within himself: Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines be upon him.

And David said to Saul: Who am I, or what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law of the king?

And it came to pass at the time when Merob, the daughter of Saul, should have been given to David, that she was given to Hadriel, the Molathite, to wife.

But Michol, the other daughter of Saul, loved David. And it was told Saul, and it pleased him.

And Saul said: I will give her to him, that she may be a stumblingblock to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be upon him. And Saul said to David: In two things thou shalt be my son in law this day.

And Saul commanded his servants to speak to David privately, saying: Behold, thou pleasest the king, and all his servants love thee. Now, therefore be the king's son in law.

And the servants of Saul spoke all these words in the ear of David. And David said: Doth it seem to you a small matter to be the king's son in law? But I am a poor man, and of small ability.

And the servants of Saul told him, saying: Such words as these hath David spoken.

And Saul said: Speak thus to David: The king desireth not any dowry, but only a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to deliver David into the hands of the Philistines.

And when his servants had told David the words that Saul had said, the word was pleasing in the eyes of David to be the king's son in law.

And after a few days David rose up, and went with the men that were under him, and he slew of the Philistines two hundred men, and brought their foreskins and numbered them out to the king, that he might be his son in law. Saul therefore gave him Michol, his daughter, to wife.

And Saul saw, and understood that the Lord was with David. And Michol, the daughter of Saul, loved him.

And Saul began to fear David more: and Saul became David's enemy continually.

And the princes of the Philistines went forth: and from the beginning of their going forth, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, and his name became very famous.

And Saul spoke to Jonathan, his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David exceedingly.

And Jonathan told David, saying: Saul, my father, seeketh to kill thee: wherefore look to thyself, I beseech thee, in the morning and thou shalt abide in a secret place, and shalt be hid.

And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art: and I will speak of thee to my father, and whatsoever I shall see, I will tell thee.

And Jonathan spoke good things of David to Saul, his father: and said to him: Sin not, O king, against thy servant, David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and his works are very good towards thee.

And he put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought great salvation for all Israel. Thou sawest it and didst rejoice. Why therefore wilt thou sin against innocent blood, by killing David, who is without fault?

And when Saul heard this, he was appeased with the words of Jonathan, and swore: As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain.