Emotional Ways

^[55] As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is that young man?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, Your Majesty, I don’t know.” ^[56] The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is.” ^[57] As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head. ^[58] “Whose son are you, young man?” Saul asked him. David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.” ^[1] After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. ^[2] From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. ^[3] And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. ^[4] Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. ^[5] Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well. ^[6] When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. ^[7] As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” ^[8] Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” ^[9] And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David. ^[10] The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand ^[11] and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice. ^[12] Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul. ^[13] So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. ^[14] In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him. ^[15] When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. ^[16] But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright &copy 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.&reg Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.