Lectionary Calendar
Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Complete Jewish Bible

1 Samuel 20:17

Y'honatan had David swear it again, because of the love he had for him — he loved him as he loved himself.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Alliances;   Oath;   Thompson Chain Reference - Constancy;   Friendship;   Friendship-Friendlessness;   Social Duties;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Love to Man;   Oaths;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jonathan;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Covenant;   Friend, Friendship;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jonathan;   Nob;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Friend, Friendship;   Jonathan;   Mercy, Merciful;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jonathan ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Jonathan;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Alliances;   New Moon;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Feasts;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Oath;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Jonathan, Jehonathan;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Jonathan once again swore to David in his love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.
Hebrew Names Version
Yonatan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
King James Version
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Lexham English Bible
And Jonathan again made David swear an oath, because he loved him; for with the love of his soul he loved him.
English Standard Version
And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
New Century Version
And Jonathan asked David to repeat his promise of love for him, because he loved David as much as he loved himself.
New English Translation
Jonathan once again took an oath with David, because he loved him. In fact Jonathan loved him as much as he did his own life.
Amplified Bible
Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, for Jonathan loved him as himself.
New American Standard Bible
And Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And againe Ionathan sware vnto Dauid, because he loued him (for he loued him as his owne soule)
Legacy Standard Bible
And Jonathan made David swear again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Contemporary English Version
Jonathan thought as much of David as he did of himself, so he asked David to promise once more that he would be a loyal friend.
Darby Translation
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, by the love he had for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Easy-to-Read Version
Jonathan loved David as himself, and because of this love, he asked David to repeat this agreement for himself.
George Lamsa Translation
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Good News Translation
Once again Jonathan made David promise to love him, for Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself.
Literal Translation
And Jonathan again made David swear, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Ionathas proceaded further, and sware vnto Dauid (he loued him so well: for he loued him euen es his owne soule)
American Standard Version
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Bible in Basic English
And Jonathan again took an oath to David, because of his love for him: for David was as dear to him as his very soul.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Ionathan sware againe vnto Dauid, because he loued him (For he loued him as his owne soule)
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
King James Version (1611)
And Ionathan caused Dauid to sweare againe, because he loued him: for he loued him as he loued his owne soule.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Jonathan swore yet again to David, because he loved the soul of him that loved him.
English Revised Version
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Berean Standard Bible
And Jonathan had David reaffirm his vow out of love for him, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Jonathas addide to swere stedfastli to Dauid, for he louyde Dauid; for he louyde so Dauid, as his owne soule.
Young's Literal Translation
and Jonathan addeth to cause David to swear, because he loveth him, for with the love of his own soul he hath loved him.
Update Bible Version
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
World English Bible
Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
New King James Version
Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
New Living Translation
And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.
New Life Bible
Jonathan made David promise again, by his love for him. For he loved him as he loved his own life.
New Revised Standard
Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him; for he loved him as he loved his own life.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And again Jonathan sware unto David, by his love to him, - for, as he loved his own soul, so loved he him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jonathan swore again to David, because he loved him: for he loved him as his own soul.
Revised Standard Version
And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life.

Contextual Overview

9 Y'honatan said, "Heaven forbid! If I ever were to learn that my father had definitely decided to do you harm, wouldn't I tell you?" 10 Then David asked Y'honatan, "Who will tell me in the event your father gives you a harsh answer?" 11 Y'honatan said to David, "Come, let's go out in the countryside." They went out, both of them, to the countryside. 12 Y'honatan said to David, " Adonai , the God of Isra'el [is witness]: after I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, then, if things look good for David, I will send and let you know. 13 But if my father intends to do you harm, may Adonai do as much and more to me if I don't let you know and send you away, so that you can go in peace. And may Adonai be with you, just as he used to be with my father. 14 However, you are to show me Adonai 's kindness not only while I am alive, so that I do not die; 15 but also, after Adonai has eliminated every one of David's enemies from the face of the earth, you are to continue showing kindness to my family forever." 16 Thus Y'honatan made a covenant with the family of David, adding, "May Adonai seek its fulfillment even through David's enemies." 17 Y'honatan had David swear it again, because of the love he had for him — he loved him as he loved himself. 18 Y'honatan said to him, "Tomorrow is Rosh-Hodesh, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

because he loved him: or, by his love toward him

for he loved: 1 Samuel 18:1, 1 Samuel 18:3, Deuteronomy 13:6, 2 Samuel 1:26, Proverbs 18:24

Reciprocal: Genesis 21:23 - swear Genesis 24:3 - swear Genesis 26:31 - sware Joshua 2:12 - swear 2 Samuel 21:7 - because Proverbs 17:17 - General Jeremiah 40:9 - sware

Cross-References

Genesis 20:7
Therefore, return the man's wife to him now. He is a prophet, and he will pray for you, so that you will live. But if you don't return her, know that you will certainly die — you and all who belong to you."
Genesis 20:9
Then Avimelekh called Avraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you to cause you to bring on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done things to me that are just not done."
Genesis 20:10
Avimelekh went on, asking Avraham, "Whatever could have caused you to do such a thing?"
Genesis 20:11
Avraham replied, "It was because I thought, ‘There could not possibly be any fear of God in this place, so they will kill me in order to get my wife.'
Genesis 20:12
But she actually is also my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother, and so she became my wife.
Genesis 29:31
Adonai saw that Le'ah was unloved, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless.
Ezra 6:10
so that they can offer sacrifices with a fragrant aroma to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
Proverbs 15:8
Adonai detests the sacrifices of the wicked but delights in the prayers of the upright.
Proverbs 15:29
Adonai is far from the wicked, but he listens to the prayer of the righteous.
Isaiah 45:11
Thus says Adonai , the Holy One of Isra'el, his Maker: "You ask for signs concerning my children? You give orders concerning the work of my hands?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Jonathan caused David to swear again,.... Or Jonathan added to make David swears u; having sworn himself to make a covenant of friendship with David and his family, he moved and insisted on it, that David should swear to keep covenant with him, and his family:

because he loved him; it was not so much for the good and safety of his offspring that he made this motion, and was so desirous of renewing and enlarging his covenant with David, as it was his strong love and affection for him; being on that account desirous that there might be the strictest friendship imaginable retained between the two families; or he made him swear by his love to him, as some understand it, which is not so likely; the former sense is better, for he himself sware by the Lord, 1 Samuel 20:12;

for he loved him as his own soul; or "with the love of his soul" w; with the most cordial affection, with a truly hearty and sincere love, see 1 Samuel 18:1.

u ויסף "et addidit", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; so the Tigurine version. w אהבת נפשו "secundum dilectionem animae suae", Pagninus; "amore sui ipsius", Junius & Tremellius.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile