6. As David was returning after killing Goliath and as the soldiers were coming back home, women from every town in Israel came out to meet King Saul. They were singing joyful songs, dancing, and playing tambourines and lyres.
7. In their celebration the women sang, “Saul has killed thousands, but David tens of thousands.”
8. Saul did not like this, and he became very angry. He said, “For David they claim tens of thousands, but only thousands for me. They will be making him king next!”
9. And so he was jealous and suspicious of David from that day on.
10. The next day an evil spirit from God suddenly took control of Saul, and he raved in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did every day, and Saul was holding a spear.
11. “I'll pin him to the wall,” Saul said to himself, and he threw the spear at him twice; but David dodged each time.
12. Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David but had abandoned him.
13. So Saul sent him away and put him in command of a thousand men. David led his men in battle
14. and was successful in all he did, because the Lord was with him.
15. Saul noticed David's success and became even more afraid of him.
16. But everyone in Israel and Judah loved David because he was such a successful leader.
17. Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife on condition that you serve me as a brave and loyal soldier, and fight the Lord's battles.” (Saul was thinking that in this way the Philistines would kill David, and he would not have to do it himself.)
18. David answered, “Who am I and what is my family that I should become the king's son-in-law?”
19. But when the time came for Merab to be given to David, she was given instead to a man named Adriel from Meholah.
20. Saul's daughter Michal, however, fell in love with David, and when Saul heard of this, he was pleased.
21. He said to himself, “I'll give Michal to David; I will use her to trap him, and he will be killed by the Philistines.” So for the second time Saul said to David, “You will be my son-in-law.”