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Sunday, December 21st, 2025
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

1 Samuel 20:17

Jonathan loved David as himself, and because of this love, he asked David to repeat this agreement for 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.
Complete Jewish Bible
Y'honatan had David swear it again, because of the love he had for him — he loved him as he loved himself.
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.
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 Jonathan answered, "No, never! If I learn that my father plans to hurt you, I will warn you." 10 David said, "Who will warn me if your father says bad things to you?" 11 Then Jonathan said, "Come, let's go out into the field." So Jonathan and David went together into the field. 12 Jonathan said to David, "I make this promise before the Lord , the God of Israel. I promise that I will learn how my father feels about you. I will learn if he feels good about you or not. Then, in three days, I will send a message to you in the field. 13 If my father wants to hurt you, I will let you know. I will let you leave in safety. May the Lord punish me if I don't do this. May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father. 14As long as I live, show me the same kindness the Lord does. And if I die, never stop showing this kindness to my family. Be faithful to us, even when the Lord destroys all your enemies from the earth." 16 So Jonathan made this agreement with David and his family, and he asked the Lord to hold them responsible for keeping it. 17 Jonathan loved David as himself, and because of this love, he asked David to repeat this agreement for himself. 18 Jonathan said to David, "Tomorrow is the New Moon celebration. Your seat will be empty, so my father will see that you are gone. 19 On the third day go to the same place you hid when this trouble began. Wait by that hill.

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
So give Abraham his wife again. He is a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you don't give Sarah back to him, I promise that you will die. And all your family will die with you."
Genesis 20:9
Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "Why have you done this to us? What wrong did I do to you? Why did you lie and say that she was your sister? You brought great trouble to my kingdom. You should not have done this to me.
Genesis 20:10
What were you afraid of? Why did you do this to me?"
Genesis 20:11
Then Abraham said, "I thought no one in this place respected God. I thought someone would kill me to get Sarah.
Genesis 20:12
She is my wife, but she is also my sister. She is the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother.
Genesis 29:31
The Lord saw that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, so he made it possible for Leah to have children. But Rachel did not have any children.
Ezra 6:10
Give them to the Jewish priests so that they may offer sacrifices that please the God of heaven. Give these things so that the priests may pray for me and my sons.
Proverbs 15:8
The Lord hates the offerings of the wicked, but he is happy to hear the prayers of those who live right.
Proverbs 15:29
The Lord is far away from the wicked, but he always hears the prayers of those who do what is right.
Isaiah 45:11
The Lord God is the Holy One of Israel. He created Israel, and he says, "My children, you asked me to show you a sign. You told me to show you what I have done.

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.


 
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