1 Samuel 20:9
New International Version
“Never!” Jonathan said. “If I had the least inkling that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you?”

New Living Translation
“Never!” Jonathan exclaimed. “You know that if I had the slightest notion my father was planning to kill you, I would tell you at once.”

English Standard Version
And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you?”

Berean Standard Bible
“Never!” Jonathan replied. “If I ever found out that my father had evil intentions against you, would I not tell you?”

King James Bible
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

New King James Version
But Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?”

New American Standard Bible
Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I in fact learn that my father has decided to inflict harm on you, would I not inform you?”

NASB 1995
Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?”

NASB 1977
And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?”

Legacy Standard Bible
And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed come to know that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?”

Amplified Bible
Jonathan said, “Far be it from [happening to] you! In fact, if I indeed learn that my father has decided to harm you, would I not tell you about it?”

Christian Standard Bible
“No! ” Jonathan responded. “If I ever find out my father has evil intentions against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“No!” Jonathan responded. “If I ever find out my father has evil intentions against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?”

American Standard Version
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Jonathan said: “God forbid it to you, because if I will know that evil is determined from the presence of my father, I shall come to you and I shall show you!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Jonathan said, That be far from thee: for if I surely know that evil is determined by my father to come upon thee, although it should not be against thy cities, I will tell thee.

Contemporary English Version
"Don't worry," Jonathan said. "If I find out that my father wants to kill you, I'll certainly let you know."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jonathan said: Far be this from thee: for if I should certainly know that evil is determined by my father against thee, I could do no otherwise than tell thee.

English Revised Version
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jonathan answered, "That's unthinkable! If I knew for sure that my father had decided to harm you, I would have told you about it."

Good News Translation
"Don't even think such a thing!" Jonathan answered. "If I knew for sure that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn't I tell you?"

International Standard Version
"Nonsense!" Jonathan replied. "If I actually knew that my father intended evil against you, wouldn't I tell you about it?"

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Jonathan said: 'Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

Literal Standard Version
And Jonathan says, “Far be it from you! For I certainly do not know that the evil has been determined by my father to come on you, and I do not declare it to you.”

Majority Standard Bible
“Never!” Jonathan replied. “If I ever found out that my father had evil intentions against you, would I not tell you?”

New American Bible
But Jonathan answered: “Not I! If ever I find out that my father is determined to harm you, I will certainly let you know.”

NET Bible
Jonathan said, "Far be it from you to suggest this! If I were at all aware that my father had decided to harm you, wouldn't I tell you about it?"

New Revised Standard Version
Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that it was decided by my father that evil should come upon you, would I not tell you?”

New Heart English Bible
Jonathan said, "Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn't I tell you that?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil is determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

World English Bible
Jonathan said, “Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn’t I tell you that?”

Young's Literal Translation
And Jonathan saith, 'Far be it from thee! for I certainly do not know that the evil hath been determined by my father to come upon thee, and I do not declare it to thee.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jonathan Helps David
8Therefore deal faithfully with your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?” 9“Never!” Jonathan replied. “If I ever found out that my father had evil intentions against you, would I not tell you?”

Cross References
1 Samuel 19:3
I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, so I can ask about you. And if I find out anything, I will tell you."

1 Samuel 20:8
Therefore deal faithfully with your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?"

1 Samuel 20:10
Then David asked Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?"


Treasury of Scripture

And Jonathan said, Far be it from you: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then would not I tell it you?

then would

1 Samuel 20:38,42
And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master…

1 Samuel 19:2
But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:

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1 Samuel 20
1. David consults with Jonathan for his safety
11. Jonathan and David renew their covenant by oath
18. Jonathan's token to David
23. Saul, missing David, seeks to kill Jonathan
35. Jonathan affectionately takes his leave of David














(9) Far be it from thee.--Vulg., absit hoc a te. This strong expression bears emphatic testimony to Jonathan's implicit belief in his loved friend's stainless loyalty. He indignantly refuses to take his life, or even to allow that life to be touched by his father. The sentences here are broken ones; the next one following is left, in the Hebrew, incomplete. They betoken the agitation and deep feeling of the chivalrous, indignant speaker.

Verse 9. - Far be it, the word rendered God forbid in ver. 2. It indignantly rejects the idea of David having committed any crime. The rest of the verse is an incomplete sentence: "If I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, and did not tell thee -" These broken sentences have great force in the original, as signs of intense feeling (comp. Luke 19:42). We must complete the sentence mentally in some such way as the Syriac: "then Jehovah do so to me, and more also."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Never!”
חָלִ֣ילָה (ḥā·lî·lāh)
Interjection | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2486: For, a profaned thing, far be it!

Jonathan
יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן (yə·hō·w·nā·ṯān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3083: Jonathan -- 'the LORD has given', the name of a number of Israelites

replied.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

I ever found out
יָדֹ֣עַ (yā·ḏō·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 3045: To know

my father
אָבִי֙ (’ā·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1: Father

has evil
הָרָעָ֜ה (hā·rā·‘āh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

intentions
כָלְתָ֨ה (ḵā·lə·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3615: To be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, or spent

against you,
עָלֶ֔יךָ (‘ā·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

would I not
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

tell you?”
אַגִּ֥יד (’ag·gîḏ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous


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OT History: 1 Samuel 20:9 Jonathan said Far be it from you (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 20:8
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