1 Now after David's talk with Saul was ended, the soul of Jonathan was joined with the soul of David, and David became as dear to him as his very life.

2 And that day Saul took David and would not let him go back to his father's house.

3 Then Jonathan and David made an agreement together, because of Jonathan's love for David.

4 And Jonathan took off the robe he had on and gave it to David, with all his military dress, even to his sword and his bow and the band round his body.

5 And David went wherever Saul sent him, and did wisely: and Saul put him at the head of his men of war, and this was pleasing to all the people as well as to Saul's servants.

6 Now on their way, when David came back after the destruction of the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, with songs and dances, meeting David with melody and joy and instruments of music.

7 And the women, answering one another in their song, said, Saul has put to death his thousands and David his tens of thousands.

8 And Saul was very angry and this saying was unpleasing to him; and he said, They have given David credit for tens of thousands, and to me for only thousands: what more is there for him but the kingdom?

9 And from that day Saul was looking with envy on David.

10 Now on the day after, an evil spirit from God came on Saul with great force and he was acting like a prophet among the men of his house, while David was making music for him, as he did day by day: and Saul had his spear in his hand.

11 And Saul, balancing the spear in his hand, said, I will give David a blow, pinning him to the wall. And David got away from him twice.

12 And Saul went in fear of David, because the Lord was with David and had gone away from Saul.

13 So Saul sent him away, and made him a captain over a thousand; and he went about his business before the people.

14 And in all his undertakings David did wisely; and the Lord was with him.

15 And when Saul saw how wisely he did, he was in fear of him.

16 But David was loved by all Israel and Judah, for he went out and came in before them.

17 And Saul said to David, Here is my oldest daughter Merab, whom I will give you for your wife: only be strong for me, fighting in the Lord's wars. For Saul said, Let it not be through me that his fate comes to him, but through the Philistines.

18 And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my father's family in Israel, that I am to be son-in-law to the king?

19 But when the time came to give Merab, Saul's daughter, to David, she was given to Adriel of Meholath.

20 And Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David: and Saul had word of it and was pleased.

21 And Saul said, I will give her to him, so that she may be a cause of danger to him, and so that the hands of the Philistines may be against him. So Saul said to David, Today you are to become my son-in-law for the second time.

22 And Saul gave his servants orders saying, Have talk with David secretly and say to him, See how the king has delight in you, and how you are loved by all his servants: then be the king's son-in-law.

23 And Saul's servants said these things to David. And David said, Does it seem to you a small thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, of no great name?

24 And the servants of Saul gave him an account of what David had said.

25 And Saul said, Then say to David, The king has no desire for any bride-price, but only for the private parts of a hundred Philistines so that the king may get the better of his haters. But it was in Saul's mind that David might come to his end by the hands of the Philistines.

26 And when his servants said these words to David, he was well pleased to be the son-in-law of the king. And the days were still not past.

27 So David and his men got up and went, and put to death two hundred of the Philistines; and David took their private parts and gave the full number of them to the king, so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for his wife.

28 And it was clear to Saul that the Lord was with David; and he was loved by all Israel.

29 And Saul's fear of David became all the greater, and he went on hating him, day by day.

30 Then the rulers of the Philistines went out to war: and whenever they went out, David did more wisely than all the other servants of Saul, so that his name became greatly honoured.

1 Come Davide ebbe finito di parlare con Saul, l’anima di Gionathan rimase così legata all’anima di lui, che Gionathan l’amò come l’anima sua.

2 Da quel giorno Saul lo tenne presso di sé e non permise più ch’ei se ne tornasse a casa di suo padre.

3 E Gionathan fece alleanza con Davide, perché lo amava come l’anima propria.

4 Quindi Gionathan si tolse di dosso il mantello, e lo diede a Davide; e così fece delle sue vesti, fino alla ua spada, al suo arco e alla sua cintura.

5 E Davide andava e riusciva bene dovunque Saul lo mandava: Saul lo mise a capo della gente di guerra, ed egli era gradito a tutto il popolo, anche ai servi di Saul.

6 Or all’arrivo dell’esercito, quando Davide, ucciso il Filisteo, facea ritorno, le donne uscirono da tutte le città d’Israele incontro al re Saul, cantando e danzando al suon de’ timpani e de’ triangoli, e alzando grida di gioia;

7 e le donne, danzando, si rispondevano a vicenda e dicevano: Saul ha ucciso i suoi mille, e Davide i suoi diecimila.

8 Saul n’ebbe sdegno fortissimo; quelle parole gli dispiacquero, e disse: "Ne dànno diecimila a Davide, e a me non ne dan che mille! Non gli manca più che il regno!"

9 E Saul, da quel giorno in poi, guardò Davide di mal occhio.

10 Il giorno dopo, un cattivo spirito, suscitato da Dio, s’impossessò di Saul che era come fuori di sé in mezzo alla casa, mentre Davide sonava l’arpa, come solea fare tutti i giorni. Saul aveva in mano la sua lancia;

11 e la scagliò, dicendo: "Inchioderò Davide al muro!" Ma Davide schivò il colpo per due volte.

12 Saul avea paura di Davide, perché l’Eterno era con lui e s’era ritirato da Saul;

13 perciò Saul lo allontanò da sé, e lo fece capitano di mille uomini; ed egli andava e veniva alla testa del popolo.

14 Or Davide riusciva bene in tutte le sue imprese, e l’Eterno era con lui.

15 E quando Saul vide ch’egli riusciva splendidamente, cominciò ad aver timore di lui;

16 ma tutto Israele e Giuda amavano Davide, perché andava e veniva alla loro testa.

17 Saul disse a Davide: "Ecco Merab, la mia figliuola maggiore; io te la darò per moglie; solo siimi valente, e combatti le battaglie dell’Eterno". Or Saul diceva tra sé: "Non sia la mia mano che lo colpisca, ma sia la mano de’ Filistei".

18 Ma Davide rispose a Saul: "Chi son io, che è la vita mia, e che è la famiglia di mio padre in Israele, ch’io abbia ad essere genero del re?"

19 Or avvenne che, quando Merab figliuola di Saul doveva esser data a Davide, fu invece sposata ad driel di Mehola.

20 Ma Mical, figliuola di Saul, amava Davide; lo riferirono a Saul, e la cosa gli piacque.

21 E Saul disse: "Gliela darò, perché sia per lui un’insidia ed egli cada sotto la mano de’ Filistei". Saul dunque disse a Davide: "Oggi, per la seconda volta, tu puoi diventar mio genero".

22 Poi Saul diede quest’ordine ai suoi servitori: "Parlate in confidenza a Davide, e ditegli: Ecco, tu sei in grazia del re, e tutti i suoi servi ti amano, diventa dunque genero del re".

23 I servi di Saul ridissero queste parole a Davide. Ma Davide replicò: "Sembra a voi cosa lieve il diventar genero del re? E io son povero e di basso stato".

24 I servi riferirono a Saul: "Davide ha risposto così e così".

25 E Saul disse: "Dite così a Davide: Il re non domanda dote; ma domanda cento prepuzi di Filistei, per trar vendetta de’ suoi nemici". Or Saul aveva in animo di far cader Davide nelle mani de’ Filistei.

26 I servitori dunque riferirono quelle parole a Davide, e a Davide piacque di diventar in tal modo genero del re. E prima del termine fissato,

27 Davide si levò, partì con la sua gente, uccise duecento uomini de’ Filistei, portò i loro prepuzi e ne consegnò il numero preciso al re, per diventar suo genero.

28 E Saul gli diede per moglie Mical, sua figliuola. E Saul vide e riconobbe che l’Eterno era con Davide; Mical, figliuola di Saul, l’amava.

29 E Saul continuò più che mai a temer Davide, e gli fu sempre nemico.

30 Or i principi de’ Filistei uscivano a combattere; e ogni volta che uscivano, Davide riusciva meglio di tutti i servi di Saul, in guisa che il suo nome divenne molto famoso.