| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. | 1After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. |
| 2And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. | 2From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. |
| 3Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. | 3And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. |
| 4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. | 4Jonathan 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. |
| 5And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. | 5Whatever 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. |
| 6As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. | 6When 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. |
| 7And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” | 7As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands." |
| 8And 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 the kingdom?” | 8Saul 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?" |
| 9And Saul eyed David from that day on. | 9And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David. |
| 10The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. | 10The 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 |
| 11And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice. | 11and he hurled it, saying to himself, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David eluded him twice. |
| 12Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. | 12Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul. |
| 13So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. | 13So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. |
| 14And David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him. | 14In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him. |
| 15And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. | 15When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. |
| 16But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them. | 16But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns. |
| 17Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” | 17Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the LORD." For Saul said to himself, "I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!" |
| 18And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” | 18But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king's son-in-law?" |
| 19But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife. | 19So when the time came for Merab, Saul's daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah. |
| 20Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. | 20Now Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. |
| 21Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” | 21"I will give her to him," he thought, "so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David, "Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law." |
| 22And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king’s son-in-law.’” | 22Then Saul ordered his attendants: "Speak to David privately and say, 'Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.'" |
| 23And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” | 23They repeated these words to David. But David said, "Do you think it is a small matter to become the king's son-in-law? I'm only a poor man and little known." |
| 24And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” | 24When Saul's servants told him what David had said, |
| 25Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. | 25Saul replied, "Say to David, 'The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.'" Saul's plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines. |
| 26And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the time had expired, | 26When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, |
| 27David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. | 27David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage. |
| 28But when Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, | 28When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, |
| 29Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually. | 29Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days. |
| 30Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed. | 30The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul's officers, and his name became well known. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
|
