1 Samuel 17:55-18:5

English Standard Version

⁵⁵ As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, ^(A)the commander of the army, “Abner, ^(B)whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, ^(C)“As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” ⁵⁶ And the king said, “Inquire whose son the boy is.” ⁵⁷ And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul ^(D)with the head of the Philistine in his hand. ⁵⁸ And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, ^(E)“I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

David and Jonathan's Friendship

18 As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan ^(F)loved him as his own soul. ² And Saul took him that day ^(G)and would not let him return to his father's house. ³ Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because ^(H)he loved him as his own soul. ⁴ And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. ⁵ And David went out ^(I)and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.