1 Samuel 18:27
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.
David arose with his men and killed two hundred Philistines and brought their foreskins in full number to Saul as the required marriage price for Michal, after which Saul gave Michal his daughter to David as his wife. Michal, Saul's daughter, was David's first wife. The obtaining of a wife by such payment secured the marriage, but payment by itself does not make the wife a chattel slave.
Not long after David was permanently called to Saul's court at Gibeah after the slaying of Goliath, he behaved wisely, gained the friendship of the people, and played before Saul, and Saul made him captain of a thousand to remove him from his immediate presence. The verse belongs to the account of David's distinguished service against the Philistines as champion of God's people. That distinguished service led Saul to recognize David as the man God had chosen to take his place as king.
Saul was made wretched by the honors, advancement, and increasing popularity given to David, showing fierce, unreasonable envy and jealousy. He looked on David with a jealous eye because the people sang that Saul had slain his thousands and David his ten thousands, and David's increasing popularity only increased Saul's unreasoning hatred until it led to open effort and declaration to take David's life. The verse sets David's checkered but ever-rising career after his choosing against Saul's rashness, weakness, failure, rejection, and ever-downward course.
Its setting includes the beginning of David's friendship and covenant with Jonathan and Jonathan's noble, unselfish generosity, bringing out the striking contrast between jealous Saul and his noble son. The verse marks the start of Saul's enmity and shows David's loyalty, mercy, and magnanimity in refusing to retaliate or take vengeance with his own hand against Saul the ruler pursuing him even while Saul sought to slay him. It shows David's hope and trust in God, that it is safe to leave one's cause in God's hand and to commit one's cause into the hands of God, and why David sincerely mourned Saul. The verse is part of an interesting narrative with important lessons for the Bible student, throwing light on the habits and customs of the people and the influence of surrounding nations upon them, and showing God's providence shaping and molding national events while still remembering the promised Seed. It is an example of David setting out to overcome the Philistines and succeeding with God's help, applied as encouragement to add one hundred members through united effort.