New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

1After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.

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.

2From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home.

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

3And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.

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

4Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and 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.

5Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. So Saul made him a commander over the men of war, an appointment that was welcomed by the people and Saul’s officers alike.

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.

6When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals.

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.

7This was their song: “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”

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

8This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!”

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 from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

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

10The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand,

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 suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped 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 then afraid of David, for the LORD was with David and had turned away from Saul.

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

13Finally, Saul sent him away and appointed him commander over 1,000 men, and David faithfully led his troops into battle.

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.

14David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him.

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

15When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him.

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

16But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle. David Marries Saul’s Daughter

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

17One day Saul said to David, “I am ready to give you my older daughter, Merab, as your wife. But first you must prove yourself to be a real warrior by fighting the LORD’s battles.” For Saul thought, “I’ll send him out against the Philistines and let them kill him rather than doing it myself.”

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."

18“Who am I, and what is my family in Israel that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” David exclaimed. “My father’s family is nothing!”

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?"

19So when the time came for Saul to give his daughter Merab in marriage to David, he gave her instead to Adriel, a man from Meholah.

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.

20In the meantime, Saul’s daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and Saul was delighted when he heard about it.

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

21“Here’s another chance to see him killed by the Philistines!” Saul said to himself. But to David he said, “Today you have a second chance to become 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."

22Then Saul told his men to say to David, “The king really likes you, and so do we. Why don’t you accept the king’s offer and become his 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.'"

23When Saul’s men said these things to David, he replied, “How can a poor man from a humble family afford the bride price for the daughter of a king?”

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?"

24When Saul’s men reported this back to the king,

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

25he told them, “Tell David that all I want for the bride price is 100 Philistine foreskins! Vengeance on my enemies is all I really want.” But what Saul had in mind was that David would be killed in the fight.

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.

26David was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired,

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

27he and his men went out and killed 200 Philistines. Then David fulfilled the king’s requirement by presenting all their foreskins to him. So Saul gave his daughter Michal to David to be 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.

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

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

29Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life.

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

30Every time the commanders of the Philistines attacked, David was more successful against them than all the rest of Saul’s officers. So David’s name became very famous.

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.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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