David

and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them.

And Saul saith unto David, `Lo, my elder daughter Merab--her I give to thee for a wife; only, be to me for a son of valour, and fight the battles of Jehovah;' and Saul said, `Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.'

And David saith unto Saul, `Who am I? and what my life--the family of my father in Israel--that I am son-in-law to the king?'

And it cometh to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she hath been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

And Michal daughter of Saul loveth David, and they declare to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes,

and Saul saith, `I give her to him, and she is to him for a snare, and the hand of the Philistines is on him;' and Saul saith unto David, `By the second--thou dost become my son-in-law to-day.'

And Saul commandeth his servants, `Speak unto David gently, saying, Lo, the king hath delighted in thee, and all his servants have loved thee, and now, be son-in-law to the king.'

And the servants of Saul speak in the ears of David these words, and David saith, `Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king--and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?'

And the servants of Saul declare to him, saying, `According to these words hath David spoken.'

And Saul saith, `Thus do ye say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a hundred foreskins of the Philistines--to be avenged on the enemies of the king;' and Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.

And his servants declare to David these words, and the thing is right in the eyes of David, to be son-in-law to the king; and the days have not been full,

and David riseth and goeth, he and his men, and smiteth among the Philistines two hundred men, and David bringeth in their foreskins, and they set them before the king, to be son-in-law to the king; and Saul giveth to him Michal his daughter for a wife.

And Saul seeth and knoweth that Jehovah is with David, and Michal daughter of Saul hath loved him,

and Saul addeth to be afraid of the presence of David yet; and Saul is an enemy with David all the days.

And the princes of the Philistines come out, and it cometh to pass from the time of their coming out, David hath acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious.

And Saul speaketh unto Jonathan his son, and unto all his servants, to put David to death,

and Jonathan son of Saul delighted exceedingly in David, and Jonathan declareth to David, saying, `Saul my father is seeking to put thee to death, and, now, take heed, I pray thee, in the morning, and thou hast abode in a secret place, and been hidden,

And Jonathan speaketh good of David unto Saul his father, and saith unto him, `Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works for thee are very good;

yea, he putteth his life in his hand, and smiteth the Philistine, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation for all Israel; thou hast seen, and dost rejoice, and why dost thou sin against innocent blood, to put David to death for nought?'

And Jonathan calleth for David, and Jonathan declareth to him all these words, and Jonathan bringeth in David unto Saul, and he is before him as heretofore.

And there addeth to be war, and David goeth out and fighteth against the Philistines, and smiteth among them--a great smiting, and they flee from his face.

And a spirit of sadness from Jehovah is unto Saul, and he is sitting in his house, and his javelin in his hand, and David is playing with the hand,

and Saul seeketh to smite with the javelin through David, and through the wall, and he freeth himself from the presence of Saul, and he smiteth the javelin through the wall; and David hath fled and escapeth during that night.

And Saul sendeth messengers unto the house of David to watch him, and to put him to death in the morning; and Michal his wife declareth to David, saying, `If thou art not delivering thy life to-night--tomorrow thou art put to death.'

And Michal causeth David to go down through the window, and he goeth on, and fleeth, and escapeth;