Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan was bound to David in close friendship, and loved him as much as he loved himself.

1Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

2Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him return to his father's house.

2Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father's house.

3Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as much as himself.

3Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

4Then Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his military tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.

4Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt.

5David marched out with the army and was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul put him in command of the fighting men, which pleased all the people and Saul's servants as well.

5So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

6As the troops were coming back, when David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments.

6It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments.

7As they danced, the women sang: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands.

7The women sang as they played, and said, "Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands."

8Saul was furious and resented this song. "They credited tens of thousands to David," he complained, "but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?"

8Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?"

9So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.

9Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.

10The next day an evil spirit sent from God came powerfully on Saul, and he began to rave inside the palace. David was playing the lyre as usual, but Saul was holding a spear,

10Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul's hand.

11and he threw it, thinking, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David got away from him twice.

11Saul hurled the spear for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David escaped from his presence twice.

12Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul.

12Now Saul was afraid of David, for the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul.

13Therefore, Saul sent David away from him and made him commander over a thousand men. David led the troops

13Therefore Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

14and continued to be successful in all his activities because the LORD was with him.

14David was prospering in all his ways for the LORD was with him.

15When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded him.

15When Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, he dreaded him.

16But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was leading their troops.

16But all Israel and Judah loved David, and he went out and came in before them.

17Saul told David, "Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I'll give her to you as a wife, if you will be a warrior for me and fight the LORD's battles." But Saul was thinking, "I don't need to raise a hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him."

17Then Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me and fight the LORD'S battles." For Saul thought, "My hand shall not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him."

18Then David responded, "Who am I, and what is my family or my father's clan in Israel that I should become the king's son-in-law?"

18But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be the king's son-in-law?"

19When it was time to give Saul's daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.

19So it came about at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

20Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David, and when it was reported to Saul, it pleased him.

20Now Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable to him.

21"I'll give her to him," Saul thought. "She'll be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him." So Saul said to David a second time, "You can now be my son-in-law."

21Saul thought, "I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David, "For a second time you may be my son-in-law today."

22Saul then ordered his servants, "Speak to David in private and tell him, 'Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Therefore, you should become the king's son-in-law.'"

22Then Saul commanded his servants, "Speak to David secretly, saying, 'Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore, become the king's son-in-law.'"

23Saul's servants reported these words directly to David, but he replied, "Is it trivial in your sight to become the king's son-in-law? I am a poor commoner."

23So Saul's servants spoke these words to David. But David said, "Is it trivial in your sight to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?"

24The servants reported back to Saul, "These are the words David spoke."

24The servants of Saul reported to him according to these words which David spoke.

25Then Saul replied, "Say this to David: 'The king desires no other bride-price except a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.'" Actually, Saul intended to cause David's death at the hands of the Philistines.

25Saul then said, "Thus you shall say to David, 'The king does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king's enemies.'" Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,

26When his servants told David these words, it pleased David to become the king's son-in-law. Before the days had expired

27David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as full payment to the king to become his son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David as his wife.

27David rose up and went, he and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife.

28Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him,

28When Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him,

29and he became even more afraid of David. As a result, Saul was David's enemy from then on.

29then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David's enemy continually.

30Every time the Philistine commanders came out to fight, David was more successful than all of Saul's officers. So his name became well known.

30Then the commanders of the Philistines went out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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