Berean Study Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

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.

2And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house.

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

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

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

4And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his 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.

5So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.

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.

6As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.

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.

7And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

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

8And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”

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?"

9And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

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

10The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear,

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 hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.

11Saul hurled the spear for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David escaped from his presence twice.

12So Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.

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

13Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,

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.

14and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.

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

15When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.

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

16But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was leading them out to battle and back.

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

17Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

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."

18And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?”

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 it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of 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.

20Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.

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

21“I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be 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 ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, 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.'"

23But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”

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?"

24And the servants told Saul what David had said.

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

25Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’ ” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.

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.

26When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,

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

27David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.

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 that his daughter Michal loved David,

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

29he grew even more afraid of David. So from then on Saul was David’s enemy.

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

30Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers, so that his name was highly esteemed.

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.

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