1Sa 18:7-21, 25:44, 2Sa 3:13-16, 6:20-23 | ESV | STEP | And the women sang to one another as they celebrated , Saul has struck down his thousands , and David his ten thousands .

7 And the women ^asang to one another as they celebrated,

^b“Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”
8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but ^cthe kingdom?” 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.

10 The next day ^da harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and ^ehe raved within his house while David was ^fplaying the lyre, as he did day by day. ^gSaul had his spear in his hand. 11 And Saul ^hhurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.

12 ⁱSaul was afraid of David because ^jthe Lord was with him ^kbut had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. ^lAnd he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David ^mhad success in all his undertakings, ⁿfor the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that ^ohe had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 ^pBut all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

David Marries Michal

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is ^qmy elder daughter Merab. ^rI will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me ^sand fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, ^tbut let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 And David said to Saul, ^u“Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19 But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to ^vAdriel the ^wMeholathite for a wife.

20 Now ^xSaul’s daughter Michal ^yloved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may ^zbe a snare for him ^aaand that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, ^{▼▼Hebrew by two} ^ac“You shall now be my son-in-law.”

1 Samuel 25:44

44 Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

2 Samuel 3:13-16

13 And he said, “Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you; that is, ^adyou shall not see my face unless you first bring ^aeMichal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, ^affor whom I paid the bridal price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to ^agBahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” And he returned.

2 Samuel 6:20-23

20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, ^ahuncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the ^aivulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, ^ajwho chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince ^{▼▼Or leader} over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your ^{▼▼Septuagint; Hebrew my} eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.