1 Samuel 20:13 But if my father intends to bring evil on you, then may the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if I do not tell you and send you on your way in safety. May the LORD be with you, just as He has been with my father.

Bible > 1 Samuel > Chapter 20 > Verse 13

◄ 1 Samuel 20:13 ►

New International Version
But if my father intends to harm you, may the LORD deal with Jonathan, be it ever so severely, if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.

New Living Translation
But if he is angry and wants you killed, may the LORD strike me and even kill me if I don’t warn you so you can escape and live. May the LORD be with you as he used to be with my father.

English Standard Version
But should it please my father to do you harm, the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. May the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.

Berean Standard Bible
But if my father intends to bring evil on you, then may the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if I do not tell you and send you on your way in safety. May the LORD be with you, just as He has been with my father.

King James Bible
The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

New King James Version
may the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the LORD be with you as He has been with my father.

New American Standard Bible
If it pleases my father to do you harm, may the LORD do so to me and more so, if I fail to inform you and send you away, so that you may go in safety. And may the LORD be with you as He has been with my father.

NASB 1995
“If it please my father to do you harm, may the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And may the LORD be with you as He has been with my father.

NASB 1977
“If it please my father to do you harm, may the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And may the LORD be with you as He has been with my father.

Legacy Standard Bible
If it please my father to do you harm, may Yahweh do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not reveal it in your ear and send you away, that you may go in peace. And may Yahweh be with you as He has been with my father.

Amplified Bible
But if it pleases my father to do you harm, may the LORD do so to Jonathan, and more if I do not let you know about it and send you away, so that you may go in safety. And may the LORD be with you as He has been with my father.

Christian Standard Bible
If my father intends to bring evil on you, may the LORD punish Jonathan and do so severely if I do not tell you and send you away so you may leave safely. May the LORD be with you, just as he was with my father.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If my father intends to bring evil on you, may God punish Jonathan and do so severely if I do not tell you and send you away so you may go in peace. May the LORD be with you, just as He was with my father.

American Standard Version
Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and Jehovah be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

Contemporary English Version
But if he wants to harm you, I promise to tell you and help you escape. And I ask the LORD to punish me severely if I don't keep my promise. I pray that the LORD will bless you, just as he used to bless my father.

English Revised Version
The LORD do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If my father plans to harm you and I fail to tell you and send you away safely, may the LORD harm me even more. May the LORD be with you as he used to be with my father.

Good News Translation
If he intends to harm you, may the LORD strike me dead if I don't let you know about it and get you safely away. May the LORD be with you as he was with my father!

International Standard Version
But if my father intends to harm you, may the LORD strike me dead if I don't let you know and send you away so you may go safely. May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.

Majority Standard Bible
But if my father intends to bring evil on you, then may the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if I do not tell you and send you on your way in safety. May the LORD be with you, just as He has been with my father.

NET Bible
But if my father intends to do you harm, may the LORD do all this and more to Jonathan, if I don't let you know and send word to you so you can go safely on your way. May the LORD be with you, as he was with my father.

New Heart English Bible
But should it please my father to do you harm, God do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not let you know and send you away, that you may go in safety. And may the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.

Webster's Bible Translation
The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it shall please my father to do thee evil, then I will show it to thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

World English Bible
Yahweh do so to Jonathan and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in peace. May Yahweh be with you as he has been with my father.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
thus YHWH does to Jonathan, and thus He adds; when the evil concerning you is good to my father, then I have uncovered your ear, and sent you away, and you have gone in peace, and YHWH is with you, as he was with my father;

Young's Literal Translation
thus doth Jehovah do to Jonathan, and thus doth He add; when the evil concerning thee is good to my father, then I have uncovered thine ear, and sent thee away, and thou hast gone in peace, and Jehovah is with thee, as he was with my father;

Smith's Literal Translation
Thus shall Jehovah do to Jonathan, and thus shall he add; for it shall be good to my father with evil to thee, and I uncovered thine ear and sent thee away, and thou wentest in peace: and Jehovah will be with thee as he was with my father.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
May the Lord do so and so to Jonathan and add still more. But if my father shall continue in malice against thee, I will discover it to thy ear, and will send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace, and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

Catholic Public Domain Version
may the Lord do these things to Jonathan, and may he add these other things. But if my father will have persevered in malice against you, I will reveal it to your ear, and I will send you away, so that you may go in peace, and so that the Lord may be with you, just as he was with my father.

New American Bible
Should it please my father to bring any harm upon you, may the LORD do thus to Jonathan and more, if I do not inform you of it and send you on your way in peace. May the LORD be with you even as he was with my father.

New Revised Standard Version
But if my father intends to do you harm, the LORD do so to Jonathan, and more also, if I do not disclose it to you, and send you away, so that you may go in safety. May the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan; but if it please my father to do you harm, then I will disclose it to you, and send you away that you may go in peace; and the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Thus LORD JEHOVAH shall do to Jonathan and thus he will add to him, that if I am informed of evil against you from my father, I shall reveal it to you and I shall send you, and you shall go in peace, and LORD JEHOVAH will be with you as he ever was with my father

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
The LORD do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace; and the LORD be with thee, as He hath been with my father.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
God do so to Jonathan and more also: as I shall also report the evil to thee, and make it known to thee, and I will let thee go; and thou shalt depart in peace, and the Lord shall be with thee, as he was with my father.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jonathan and David Renew Their Covenant
…12and Jonathan said, “By the LORD, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you? 13But if my father intends to bring evil on you, then may the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if I do not tell you and send you on your way in safety. May the LORD be with you, just as He has been with my father. 14And as long as I live, treat me with the LORD’s loving devotion, that I may not die,…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

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 18:3
Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

1 Samuel 23:17
saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.”

1 Samuel 24:21-22
So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.” / So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

1 Samuel 25:30
When the LORD has done for my lord all the good He promised, and when He has appointed you ruler over Israel,

2 Samuel 9:1
Then David asked, “Is there anyone left from the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for the sake of Jonathan?”

2 Samuel 15:25-26
Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again. / But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”

2 Samuel 16:12
Perhaps the LORD will see my affliction and repay me with good for the cursing I receive today.”

2 Samuel 20:9
“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.

2 Kings 2:2
and Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

2 Kings 6:31
He announced, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders through this day!”

Psalm 89:3-4
You said, “I have made a covenant with My chosen one, I have sworn to David My servant: / ‘I will establish your offspring forever and build up your throne for all generations.’” Selah

Psalm 132:11
The LORD swore an oath to David, a promise He will not revoke: “One of your descendants I will place on your throne.

Jeremiah 33:17
For this is what the LORD says: David will never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel,

Matthew 5:37
Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.

Treasury of Scripture

The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do you evil, then I will show it you, and send you away, that you may go in peace: and the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.

The Lord do

1 Samuel 3:17
And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

1 Samuel 25:22
So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

Ruth 1:17
Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

the Lord be

1 Samuel 17:37
David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

Joshua 1:5
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

1 Chronicles 22:11,16
Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee…

he hath been with my father

1 Samuel 10:7
And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.

1 Samuel 11:6-13
And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly…

2 Samuel 7:15
But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

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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

Berean Study Bible

But if my father intends to harm you
This phrase reveals the deep concern Jonathan has for David's safety. The Hebrew root for "harm" (רָעַע, ra'a) implies not just physical harm but also moral and spiritual wrongdoing. Jonathan's loyalty to David over his own father, King Saul, underscores the biblical principle of prioritizing righteousness and God's will over familial ties when they conflict. Historically, this reflects the tension in Saul's court and the dangerous political climate David navigated.

may the LORD deal with Jonathan
Here, Jonathan invokes a solemn oath, calling upon the LORD (YHWH) to hold him accountable. The Hebrew word for "deal" (עָשָׂה, asah) suggests an active, purposeful action by God. This reflects the seriousness with which oaths were taken in ancient Israel, where invoking God's name was a binding commitment. Jonathan's willingness to face divine retribution highlights his integrity and the sacredness of his promise to David.

be it ever so severely
This phrase emphasizes the gravity of Jonathan's oath. The Hebrew idiom used here (כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה, koh ya'aseh) is a common biblical expression for invoking a curse upon oneself if a promise is broken. It underscores the depth of Jonathan's commitment and the seriousness with which he views his covenant with David, reflecting the high value placed on faithfulness and truth in biblical ethics.

if I do not let you know and send you away safely
Jonathan promises to inform David of any danger and ensure his safety. The Hebrew word for "safely" (שָׁלוֹם, shalom) encompasses peace, completeness, and welfare. This reflects the biblical theme of God's providence and protection over His chosen ones. Jonathan's role as a protector foreshadows the peace and security that God promises to those who trust in Him.

May the LORD be with you
This blessing invokes God's presence and favor upon David. The Hebrew concept of God "being with" someone (עִמָּנוּ, immanu) signifies divine support and guidance. This reflects the biblical assurance that God is with His people, guiding and sustaining them through trials. Jonathan's blessing acknowledges David's future as God's anointed king, affirming God's ongoing presence in his life.

as He has been with my father
Jonathan references God's past relationship with Saul, acknowledging the divine favor Saul once enjoyed. This comparison serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the conditional nature of His blessings, dependent on obedience and faithfulness. It also highlights the tragic decline of Saul's kingship due to disobedience, contrasting with the hope of David's future reign under God's guidance.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

But if
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

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

intends
יֵיטִ֨ב (yê·ṭiḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasing

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

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

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

then may the LORD
יְהוָ֨ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

punish
כֹּֽה־ (kōh-)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

me,
לִֽיהוֹנָתָ֜ן (lî·hō·w·nā·ṯān)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3083: Jonathan -- 'the LORD has given', the name of a number of Israelites

and ever so
וְכֹ֣ה (wə·ḵōh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

severely,
יֹסִ֗יף (yō·sîp̄)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3254: To add, augment

if I do not tell
וְגָלִ֙יתִי֙ (wə·ḡā·lî·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1540: To denude, to exile, to reveal

you
אָזְנֶ֔ךָ (’ā·zə·ne·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 241: Broadness, the ear

and send you on your way
וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֖יךָ (wə·šil·laḥ·tî·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

in safety.
לְשָׁל֑וֹם (lə·šā·lō·wm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7965: Safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace

May the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

be
וִיהִ֤י (wî·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

with you,
עִמָּ֔ךְ (‘im·māḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

just as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

He has been
הָיָ֖ה (hā·yāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

with
עִם־ (‘im-)
Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

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

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OT History: 1 Samuel 20:13 Yahweh do so to Jonathan and more (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)