| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1When David finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan became a close friend to David, and Jonathan loved him as himself. | 1When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan committed himself to David, and loved him as much as he loved himself. |
| 2Saul took David that day and did not let him 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 because he loved him as he loved himself. | 3Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as much as himself. |
| 4Jonathan took off the robe that he had on and gave it to David, along with his coat, his sword, his bow, and 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. |
| 5David went out and was successful everywhere Saul sent him, and Saul put him in charge of the troops. This pleased the entire army, as well as Saul's officials. | 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 David returned from defeating the Philistine, as they were entering the city, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul, singing and dancing as they joyously played tambourines and lyres. | 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. |
| 7As the women sang and played, they said, "Saul has struck down his thousands but David his ten thousands." | 7As they celebrated, the women sang: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands. |
| 8Saul was very angry and he did not like what the women sang. He told himself, "They have attributed tens of thousands to David, but to me they have attributed thousands. What else can he have but 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?" |
| 9From then on Saul kept his eye on David. | 9So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward. |
| 10The next day, while David was playing the lyre as he had before, the evil spirit from the LORD attacked Saul, and he began to rave inside the house with a spear in his 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, |
| 11Saul hurled it, thinking, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David escaped from him twice. | 11and he threw it, thinking, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David got away from him twice. |
| 12Now Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him and 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 an officer over a division of soldiers. So David led the troops in battle. | 13Therefore, Saul reassigned David and made him commander over 1,000 men. David led the troops |
| 14David was successful in all that 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 that David was highly successful, he feared him. | 15When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded him. |
| 16But all Israel and Judah loved David because he led them in battle. | 16But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was leading their troops. |
| 17Saul told David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I'll give her to you as a wife. Just be an excellent soldier for me and fight the LORD's battles." Now Saul told himself, "I won't harm him myself. Instead, I'll let the Philistines harm him." | 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 told 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?" | 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?" |
| 19And when the time came to give Saul's daughter Merab to David, she was given as a wife to Adriel of Meholah. | 19When it was time to give Saul's daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife. |
| 20Saul's daughter Michal loved David. Saul was informed of this and he liked the idea. | 20Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David, and when it was reported to Saul, it pleased him. |
| 21Saul told himself, "I'll give her to him and she can be a snare to him and the Philistines will harm him." So Saul told David, "For a second time you can be my son-in-law today." | 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." |
| 22Saul commanded his officials, "Speak with David privately and say, 'Look, the king delights in you, and all his officials love you. 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.'" |
| 23Saul's officials delivered this message to David, and he asked, "Is becoming the king's son-in-law an unimportant thing to you? I'm a poor and unimportant 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." |
| 24Saul's officials reported to him: "This is what David said." | 24The servants reported back to Saul, "These are the words David spoke." |
| 25Saul said, "This is what you are to tell David, 'The king desires no bride price except 100 Philistine foreskins to take vengeance on the king's enemies.'" Now Saul thought he would cause David to die at 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. |
| 26When his officials delivered this message to David, David decided it would be a good thing to become the king's son-in-law. Before the time was up, | 26When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, |
| 27David got up, went out with his men, and struck down 200 Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and gave them all to the king so he could become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife. | 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. |
| 28As Saul continued to observe, he realized that the LORD was with David and that Saul's daughter Michal loved him. | 28Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, |
| 29Then Saul was even more afraid of David, and Saul was David's enemy from that time on. | 29and he became even more afraid of David. As a result, Saul was David's enemy from then on. |
| 30The Philistine commanders would go out to fight and whenever they did, David was more successful than any of Saul's other leaders. 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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