| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1When David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan and David became bound together in close friendship. Jonathan loved David as much as he did his own life. | 1When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan committed himself to David, and loved him as much as he loved himself. |
| 2Saul retained David on that day and did not allow him to return to his father's house. | 2Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him return to his father's house. |
| 3Jonathan made a covenant with David, for he loved him as much as he did his own life. | 3Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as much as himself. |
| 4Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with the rest of his gear, including his sword, his bow, and even his belt. | 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. |
| 5On every mission on which Saul sent him, David achieved success. So Saul appointed him over the men of war. This pleased not only all the army, but also Saul's servants. | 5David marched out with the army and was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul put him in command of the soldiers, which pleased all the people and Saul's servants as well. |
| 6When the men arrived after David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women from all the cities of Israel came out singing and dancing to meet King Saul. They were happy as they played their tambourines and three-stringed instruments. | 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. |
| 7The women who were playing the music sang, "Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his tens of thousands!" | 7As they celebrated, the women sang: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands. |
| 8This made Saul very angry. The statement displeased him and he thought, "They have attributed to David tens of thousands, but to me they have attributed only thousands. What does he lack, except the kingdom?" | 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?" |
| 9So Saul was keeping an eye on David from that day onward. | 9So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward. |
| 10The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul and he prophesied within his house. Now David was playing the lyre that day. There was a spear in Saul's hand, | 10The next day an evil spirit sent from God took control of Saul, and he began to rave inside the palace. David was playing the lyre as usual, but Saul was holding a spear, |
| 11and Saul threw the spear, thinking, "I'll nail David to the wall!" But David escaped from him on two different occasions. | 11and he threw it, thinking, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David got away from him twice. |
| 12So Saul feared 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 left Saul. |
| 13Saul removed David from his presence and made him a commanding officer. David led the army out to battle and back. | 13Therefore, Saul reassigned David and made him commander over 1,000 men. David led the troops |
| 14Now David achieved success in all he did, for the LORD was with him. | 14and continued to be successful in all his activities because the LORD was with him. |
| 15When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him. | 15When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded him. |
| 16But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he was the one leading them out to battle and back. | 16But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was leading their troops. |
| 17Then Saul said to David, "Here's my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior for me and fight the battles of the LORD." For Saul thought, "There's no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!" | 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, "My hand doesn't need to be against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him." |
| 18David said to Saul, "Who am I? Who are my relatives or the clan of my father in Israel that I should become the king's son-in-law?" | 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?" |
| 19When the time came for Merab, Saul's daughter, to be given to David, she instead was given in marriage to Adriel, who was from Meholah. | 19When it was time to give Saul's daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife. |
| 20Now Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. When they told Saul about this, it pleased him. | 20Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David, and when it was reported to Saul, it pleased him. |
| 21Saul said, "I will give her to him so that she may become a snare to him and the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David, "Today is the second time for you to become my son-in-law." | 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." |
| 22Then Saul instructed his servants, "Tell David secretly, 'The king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you. So now become the king's son-in-law." | 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.'" |
| 23So Saul's servants spoke these words privately to David. David replied, "Is becoming the king's son-in-law something insignificant to you? I'm just a poor and lightly-esteemed man!" | 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 man who is common." |
| 24When Saul's servants reported what David had said, | 24The servants reported back to Saul, "These are the words David spoke." |
| 25Saul replied, "Here is what you should say to David: 'There is nothing that the king wants as a price for the bride except a hundred Philistine foreskins, so that he can be avenged of his enemies.'" (Now Saul was thinking that he could kill David by the hand of the Philistines.) | 25Then Saul replied, "Say this to David: 'The king desires no other bride-price except 100 Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.'" Actually, Saul intended to cause David's death at the hands of the Philistines. |
| 26So his servants told David these things and David agreed to become the king's son-in-law. Now the specified time had not yet expired | 26When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, |
| 27when David, along with his men, went out and struck down two hundred Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and presented all of them to the king so he could become the king's son-in-law. Saul then gave him his daughter Michal in marriage. | 27David and his men went out and killed 200 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. |
| 28When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, | 28Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, |
| 29Saul became even more afraid of him. Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on. | 29and he became even more afraid of David. As a result, Saul was David's enemy from then on. |
| 30Then the leaders of the Philistines would march out, and as often as they did so, David achieved more success than all of Saul's servants. His name was held in high esteem. | 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. |
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