1 Samuel 18:1
in 1 Samuel 18After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
KJV
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 18
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Was knit with the soul of David - The same forcible phrase occurs of Jacob’s love for Benjamin (marginal reference). Jonathan’s truly heroic character is shown in this generous love of David, and admiration of his great deed.
This site's exposition
the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together
on 1 Samuel 18:1-4
Jonathan is heir to Saul’s throne, and his love falls on the man Samuel has anointed to take it. He gives David his robe, tunic, sword, bow and belt, the king’s son handing over the tokens of a throne. The covenant sworn here holds through 20:14 to 15 and beyond.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Gregory of NeocaesareaADDRESS OF THANKSGIVING TO ORIGEN 6.85-87 · Written before 270.
proposed
Jonathan was not knit to David as a whole, but his "soul," the higher parts, which are not cut off when the apparent and visible elements have been cut off from a person and which will not be coerced by any means, for they never …
The Medieval Church1 voice
(1 Kings 18). And it happened as Saul completed speaking to David, etc. When the Savior, through the apostles, completed spreading the gifts of his incarnation by preaching in Judea, many indeed, having heard the word, believed. But the more perfect ones among these, overflowing …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
None had so much reason to dislike David as Jonathan had, because he was to put him by the crown, yet none regards him more. Those that are governed in their love by principles of wisdom and grace will not suffer their affections to be alienated by any secular regards or considerations: the greater thoughts will swallow up and overrule the less.
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David--They were nearly of an age. The prince had taken little interest in David as a minstrel; but his heroism and modest, manly bearing, his piety and high endowments, kindled the flame not of admiration only, but of affection, in the congenial mind of Jonathan.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
When he had made an end of speaking - These first five verses are omitted by the Septuagint. See the notes on the preceding chapter, 1 Samuel 17 (note). Jonathan loved him as his own soul - The most intimate friendship subsisted between them; and they loved each other with pure hearts fervently. No love was lost between them; each was worthy of the other. They had a friendship which could not be affected with changes or chances, and which exemplified all that the ancients have said on the subject; Την φιλιαν ισοτητα ειναι, και μιαν ψυχην, τον φιλον ἑτερον αυτον; “Friendship produces an entire sameness; it is one soul in two bodies: a friend is another self.”
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֗י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כְּכַלֹּתוֹ֙ | kekhaloto | when finished he | H3615 → | 208 times |
| לְדַבֵּ֣ר | ledaber | to speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| שָׁא֔וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| וְנֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ | venefesh | and [the] self of | H5315 → | 754 times |
| יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן | yehonatan | Jonathan | H3083 → | 81 times |
| נִקְשְׁרָ֖ה | niksherah | it was bound | H7194 → | 44 times |
| בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ | benefesh | with [the] self of | H5315 → | 754 times |
| דָּוִ֑ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וַיֶּאֱהָבֵ֥הוּ | vaiyeehavov | and he loved him | H157 → | 211 times |
| יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן | yehonatan | Jonathan | H3083 → | 81 times |
| כְּנַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ | kenafsho | like own self his | H5315 → | 754 times |
וַיְהִ֗יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
כְּכַלֹּתוֹ֙when finished he
kekhalotoH3615 →208 times
לְדַבֵּ֣רto speak
ledaberH1696 →1141 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
שָׁא֔וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
וְנֶ֙פֶשׁ֙and [the] self of
venefeshH5315 →754 times
יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ןJonathan
yehonatanH3083 →81 times
נִקְשְׁרָ֖הit was bound
niksherahH7194 →44 times
בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁwith [the] self of
benefeshH5315 →754 times
דָּוִ֑דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
וַיֶּאֱהָבֵ֥הוּand he loved him
vaiyeehavovH157 →211 times
יְהוֹנָתָ֖ןJonathan
yehonatanH3083 →81 times
כְּנַפְשֽׁוֹ׃like own self his
kenafshoH5315 →754 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 18:24A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
it leads to
- Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
- John 15:13–15
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
- Proverbs 27:9
Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.
- 2 Samuel 1:26
I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 19:4–5
Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David; he has not sinned against you. In fact, his actions have…
- Proverbs 17:17
Through
Colossians 2:2that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ,
it leads to
- Colossians 1:27
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
- Colossians 4:8
I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about us, and that he may encourage your hearts.
- Ephesians 6:22
I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about us, and that he may encourage your hearts.
- Colossians 1:27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this verse
On this chapter
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonUnited MonarchyDavidSecond king of united Israel, shepherd-turned-monarch, ancestor of the Messiah, and traditional author of many Psalms.
- PersonUnited monarchySaulIsrael's first king, head and shoulders above the people; began in humility, ended in rejection — sparing what God devoted, consul…
- PersonEarly monarchyJonathanSon of King Saul who climbed a cliff to rout a garrison on the conviction that nothing restrains Jehovah; cut a covenant of steadf…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Gregory of Neocaesarea, ADDRESS OF THANKSGIVING TO ORIGEN 6.85-87; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.