| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 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. | 1After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. |
| 2Saul retained David on that day and did not allow him to return to his father's house. | 2From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. |
| 3Jonathan made a covenant with David, for he loved him as much as he did his own life. | 3And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 7The women who were playing the music sang, "Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his tens of thousands!" | 7As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and 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 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?" |
| 9So Saul was keeping an eye on David from that day onward. | 9And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David. |
| 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 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 threw the spear, thinking, "I'll nail David to the wall!" But David escaped from him on two different occasions. | 11and he hurled it, saying to himself, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David eluded 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 departed from Saul. |
| 13Saul removed David from his presence and made him a commanding officer. David led the army out to battle and back. | 13So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. |
| 14Now David achieved success in all he did, for the LORD was with him. | 14In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him. |
| 15When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him. | 15When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of 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 led them in their campaigns. |
| 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 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!" |
| 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?" | 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?" |
| 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. | 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 Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. When they told Saul about this, it pleased him. | 20Now Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. |
| 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 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." |
| 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." | 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.'" |
| 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!" | 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." |
| 24When Saul's servants reported what David had said, | 24When Saul's servants told him what David had said, |
| 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.) | 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. |
| 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 attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, |
| 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 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. |
| 28When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, | 28When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, |
| 29Saul became even more afraid of him. Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on. | 29Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days. |
| 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. | 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. |
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