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For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.

So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;

And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.

And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab"s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds over them.

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

And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David"s enemy continually.

And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul"s daughter loved him.

Wherefore 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 tale to the king, that he might be the king"s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

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.

And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king"s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.

And Saul"s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king"s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

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.

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 in the one of the twain.

And Michal Saul"s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul"s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

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

And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD"s battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.

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

And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.

And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul"s hand.

And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.