1 Samuel 18:1-4
New English Translation
Saul Comes to Fear David
18 When David[a] had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan and David became bound together in close friendship.[b] Jonathan loved David as much as he did his own life.[c] 2 Saul retained David[d] on that day and did not allow him to return to his father’s house. 3 Jonathan made a covenant with David, for he loved him as much as he did his own life.[e] 4 Jonathan 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.
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- 1 Samuel 18:1 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 1 Samuel 18:1 tn Heb “the soul of Jonathan was bound with the soul of David.”
- 1 Samuel 18:1 tn Heb “like his [own] soul.”sn On the nature of Jonathan’s love for David, see J. A. Thompson, “The Significance of the Verb Love in the David-Jonathan Narratives in 1 Samuel,” VT 24 (1974): 334-38.
- 1 Samuel 18:2 tn Heb “him”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 1 Samuel 18:3 tn Heb “like his [own] soul.”
1 Samuel 18:1-4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Jonathan’s Covenant with David
18 When David[a] had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.(A) 2 Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house.(B) 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul. 4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that he was wearing and gave it to David and his armor and even his sword and his bow and his belt.
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- 18.1 Heb he
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