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1 Samuel 17:55-18:5
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
1 Samuel 17:55-18:5
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
David Presented to Saul. 55 As Saul watched David go out to meet the Philistine, he asked his general Abner, “Abner, whose son is that young man?” Abner replied, “On your life, O king, I have no idea.”(A) 56 And the king said, “Find out whose son the lad is.” 57 So when David returned from slaying the Philistine, Abner escorted him into Saul’s presence. David was still holding the Philistine’s head. 58 Saul then asked him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David replied, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”
Chapter 18
David and Jonathan. 1 By the time David finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan’s life became bound up with David’s life; he loved him as his very self.(B) 2 Saul retained David on that day and did not allow him to return to his father’s house.(C) 3 Jonathan and David made a covenant, because Jonathan loved him as his very self. 4 Jonathan took off[a] the cloak he was wearing and handed it over to David, along with his military dress, even his sword, bow, and belt.(D) 5 David then carried out successfully every mission on which Saul sent him. So Saul put him in charge of his soldiers; this met with the approval of the whole army, even Saul’s officers.
Footnotes
- 18:4 Jonathan took off: with the details in this verse, the narrator identifies David as Jonathan’s replacement and Saul’s heir to the throne. Cf. 23:17 and Gn 41:39–43.
1 Samuel 17:55-18:5
New King James Version
1 Samuel 17:55-18:5
New King James Version
55 When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to (A)Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, (B)whose son is this youth?”
And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.”
56 So the king said, “Inquire whose son this young man is.”
57 Then, as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul (C)with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?”
So David answered, (D)“I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
Saul Resents David
18 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, (E)the [a]soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, (F)and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, (G)and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a (H)covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and [b]behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 18:1 life of Jonathan was bound up with the life of
- 1 Samuel 18:5 Or prospered
1 Samuel 17:55-18:5
English Standard Version
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.
1 Samuel 17:55-18:5
New International Version
1 Samuel 17:55-18:5
New International Version
55 As Saul watched David(A) going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Abner,(B) whose son is that young man?”
Abner replied, “As surely as you live, Your Majesty, I don’t know.”
56 The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is.”
57 As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head.
58 “Whose son are you, young man?” Saul asked him.
David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse(C) of Bethlehem.”
Saul’s Growing Fear of David
18 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan(D) became one in spirit with David, and he loved(E) him as himself.(F) 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant(G) with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe(H) he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.(I)
5 Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful(J) that Saul gave him a high rank in the army.(K) This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.