1 Samuel 18:1
ESV
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
NIV
After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.
NASB
Now it came about, when he had finished speaking to Saul, that Jonathan committed himself to David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
CSB
When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan was bound to David in close friendship, and loved him as much as he loved himself.
NLT
After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.
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.
NKJV
Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
What does 1 Samuel 18:1 mean?
The original text of these books did not include chapter or verse divisions. This passage continues uninterrupted from where the previous chapter left off. After David killed Goliath, Abner, the commander of Saul's army, brought the young man and the head of the Philistine champion to King Saul. David told Saul about his father (1 Samuel 17:57–58).Chapter 18 describes how David's life changes from that point forward. As soon as that conversation with the king ends, David meets Saul's son Jonathan. Jonathan quickly develops an intense, loyal friendship towards David. The feeling is mutual. The description of their souls being knit together and Jonathan loving David as his own soul is a poetic attempt to describe their mutual affection and commitment to each other.
This is not a romantic relationship. Men in some times and places feel uncomfortable with these descriptions of male friends sharing such a bond. Yet this language wasn't unusual in Middle Eastern culture during this era. Deep, intimate, non-sexual connections between men, especially those who survive danger and battle together, have always been a source of intense loyalty. The description does not imply that David and Jonathan had a sexual relationship. Nor would the original readers have suspected it to.
