And Jonathan had David reaffirm his vow out of love for him, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.
Parallel translations
- WEB Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
- KJV And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
- NKJV Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
- NASB And Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life.
- NLT And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jonathan has David swear again by his love for him, for he loved David as his own soul.
Overview
The depth of Jonathan's love is stressed: he loved David as himself. This selfless devotion fulfills the command to love one's neighbor as oneself and stands as one of Scripture's finest pictures of true friendship. Jonathan's love, free of envy or self-interest, reflects the self-giving love perfected in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Prov 18:24A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
- 1 Sam 18:3Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
- 1 Sam 18:1After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
- 2 Sam 1:26I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
- Deut 13:6If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 20:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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