Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan!” ¹  Jonathan was indicated by lot.

Saul said, “God will punish me severely if Jonathan doesn’t die!” ¹ 

Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to ¹  Shur, which is next to Egypt.

Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit ¹  from the Lord tormented him.

Then Saul’s servants said to him, “Look, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you!”

So Saul said to his servants, “Find ¹  me a man who plays well and bring him to me.”

David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him a great deal, ¹  and he became his armor bearer.

Saul and the Israelite army ¹  assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against ²  the Philistines.

When Saul and all the Israelites ¹  heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.

David was going back and forth ¹  from Saul in order to care for his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

They are with Saul and the whole Israelite army ¹  in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”

When David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him. ¹ 

Saul retained David ¹  on that day and did not allow him to return to his father’s house.

The women who were playing the music sang, “Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his tens of thousands!”

So Saul was keeping an eye on David from that day onward.

and Saul threw the spear, thinking, “I’ll nail David to the wall!” But David escaped from him on two different occasions.

Saul removed David ¹  from his presence and made him a commanding officer. ²  David led the army out to battle and back. ³ 

When Saul’s servants reported what David had said,

When Saul sent messengers to arrest David, she said, “He’s sick.”

Jonathan replied to Saul, “David urgently requested that he be allowed to go to Bethlehem.