| NET Bible | International Standard 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. | 1When David finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan became a close friend to David, and Jonathan loved him as himself. |
| 2Saul retained David on that day and did not allow him to return to his father's house. | 2Saul took David that day 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 he loved 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 that he had on and gave it to David, along with his coat, 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 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 7The women who were playing the music sang, "Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his tens of thousands!" | 7As the women sang and played, they said, "Saul has struck down his thousands but David his ten 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 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?" |
| 9So Saul was keeping an eye on David from that day onward. | 9From then on Saul kept his 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, 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. |
| 11and Saul threw the spear, thinking, "I'll nail David to the wall!" But David escaped from him on two different occasions. | 11Saul hurled it, thinking, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David escaped from him twice. |
| 12So Saul feared David, because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. | 12Now Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him and 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. | 13Saul removed David from his presence and made him an officer over a division of soldiers. So David led the troops in battle. |
| 14Now David achieved success in all he did, for the LORD was with him. | 14David was successful in all that he did, for the LORD was with him. |
| 15When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him. | 15When Saul saw that David was highly successful, he feared 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 battle. |
| 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 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." |
| 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?" | 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?" |
| 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. | 19And when the time came to give Saul's daughter Merab to David, she was given as a wife to Adriel of Meholah. |
| 20Now Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. When they told Saul about this, it pleased him. | 20Saul's daughter Michal loved David. Saul was informed of this and he liked the idea. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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 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.'" |
| 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 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." |
| 24When Saul's servants reported what David had said, | 24Saul's officials reported to him: "This is what David 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 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. |
| 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 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, |
| 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 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. |
| 28When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, | 28As Saul continued to observe, he realized that the LORD was with David and that Saul's daughter Michal loved him. |
| 29Saul became even more afraid of him. Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on. | 29Then Saul was even more afraid of David, and Saul was David's enemy from that time 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. | 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. |
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