Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now there was long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker.
- BSB Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
- NKJV Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
- NASB Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David became steadily stronger, while the house of Saul became steadily weaker.
- NLT That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.
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
The war between the houses of Saul and David drags on, with David steadily growing stronger. The verse summarizes the shifting balance toward David.
Overview
This summary statement captures the trajectory of the entire conflict: David's house grows stronger while Saul's grows weaker. The gradual triumph reflects the certainty of God's promise to establish David's throne, accomplished not in a single stroke but over time. It assures readers that the Lord's purposes prevail steadily even through prolonged struggle, pointing toward the unshakable kingdom of the Son of David.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- 1 Kgs 14:30And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.
- Prov 4:18–19But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
- 2 Sam 2:17And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
- Job 8:7Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
- Job 17:9The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
- Ps 84:7They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
- Eph 6:12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
- Matt 10:35–36For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
- 1 Kgs 15:32And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
- 1 Kgs 15:16And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
- Esth 6:13And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.
- Gal 5:17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
- Gen 3:15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
- Dan 2:44–45And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
- Dan 2:34–35Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
- Ps 45:3–5Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
- Rev 6:2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 3:1 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.