1 Samuel 20 Parallel Bible

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	BLB Berean Literal Bible	ESV English Standard Version	NIV New International Version
1	And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and he came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before the face of your father, that he is seeking my life?”	Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”	Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to kill me?”
2	And Jonathan said to him, “Far be it! You shall not die! Behold, my father will not do a thing great or a thing small without first telling me. And why should my father hide from me this thing? This is not so.”	And he said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. And why should my father hide this from me? It is not so.”	“Never!” Jonathan replied. “You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without letting me know. Why would he hide this from me? It isn’t so!”
3	And David took an oath again and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly as YHWH lives, and as your soul lives, but a step is between me and between death.”	But David vowed again, saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”	But David took an oath and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.’ Yet as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.”
4	And Jonathan said to David, “What your soul says, I will do for you.”	Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”	Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.”
5	And David said to Jonathan, “Indeed, the New Moon is tomorrow, and I shall surely sit with the king to eat. Let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third evening.	David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening.	So David said, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon feast, and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow.
6	If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David urgently requested from me to run to Bethlehem his city, for a yearly sacrifice is there for all of the clan.’	If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the clan.’	If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David earnestly asked my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because an annual sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.’
7	If thus he says: ‘Good,’ your servant will be safe. But if he is enraged, then be sure that evil is determined by him.	If he says, ‘Good!’ it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry, then know that harm is determined by him.	If he says, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper, you can be sure that he is determined to harm me.
8	Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for into a covenant of YHWH you have brought your servant with you. And if there is in me iniquity, kill me yourself; and for what is this that you should bring me to your father?”	Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. But if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”	As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant with you before the LORD. If I am guilty, then kill me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?”
9	And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you, for if I ever found out that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, would I not tell you?”	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?”	“Never!” Jonathan said. “If I had the least inkling that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you?”
10	And David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me? Or what if your father answers you roughly?”	Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?”	David asked, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”
11	And Jonathan said to David, “Come and let us go out into the field.” And the two of them went out into the field.	And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So they both went out into the field.	“Come,” Jonathan said, “let’s go out into the field.” So they went there together.
12	And Jonathan said to David, “By YHWH, God of Israel—when I have sounded out my father by this time tomorrow or the third, and behold, there is good toward David, then will I not send to you and tell you.	And Jonathan said to David, “The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you?	Then Jonathan said to David, “I swear by the LORD, the God of Israel, that I will surely sound out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know?
13	And may YHWH do to Jonathan, and thus may he add, if the evil upon you is good unto my father, and I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And YHWH be with you as He has been with my father.	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.	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.
14	And not only while I still live, will you show me loving devotion of YHWH, that I may not die.	If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the LORD, that I may not die;	But show me unfailing kindness like the LORD’s kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed,
15	And you shall not cut off your loving devotion from my house even to forever, not even when YHWH has cut off each man of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”	and do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”	and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family—not even when the LORD has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”
16	And Jonathan cut with the house of David: “And may YHWH seek it at the hand of the enemies of David.”	And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD take vengeance on David’s enemies.”	So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD call David’s enemies to account.”
17	And Jonathan added for David to vow out of love for him, for with the love of his own soul he loved him.	And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.	And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.
18	And Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be found empty.	Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.	Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon feast. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty.
19	And on the third day quickly go down, and come to the place where you hid yourself there on the day of the deed, and remain by the stone of Ezel.	On the third day go down quickly to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand, and remain beside the stone heap.	The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel.
20	And I will shoot three arrows to the side, sending them out as though at a target.	And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.	I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target.
21	And there I will send a boy: ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I expressly say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are here on this side and away from you, take them and come,’ then there is safety for you and there will be no matter, as YHWH lives.	And behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,’ then you are to come, for, as the LORD lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger.	Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,’ then come, because, as surely as the LORD lives, you are safe; there is no danger.
22	But if thus I say to the young man: ‘Behold, the arrows are away from you and further beyond,’ then you must go, for YHWH has sent you away.	But if I say to the youth, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the LORD has sent you away.	But if I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then you must go, because the LORD has sent you away.
23	And as for the matter that we have spoken of—I and you—behold, YHWH is between me and between you even to forever.”	And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever.”	And about the matter you and I discussed—remember, the LORD is witness between you and me forever.”
24	And David hid in the field; and the New Moon had come, and the king sat down by the food to eat.	So David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.	So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon feast came, the king sat down to eat.
25	And the king sat on his seat, as time by time, on a seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat at the side of Saul, and the place of David was found empty.	The king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.	He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan, and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty.
26	And Saul did not say anything on that day, for he said, “Something has happened to that he is not clean; he surely is not clean.”	Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean; surely he is not clean.”	Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.”
27	And it came to pass on the next day, the second of the New Moon, that the place of David was found empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has not the son of Jesse come either yesterday or today to eat?”	But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”	But the next day, the second day of the month, David’s place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”
28	And Jonathan answered Saul, “David urgently requested from me to go to Bethlehem,	Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.	Jonathan answered, “David earnestly asked me for permission to go to Bethlehem.
29	and he said, ‘Let me go, please, for our clan has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother himself has commanded to me. And if I have found favor in your eyes, may I go away, please, and see my brothers.’ Upon thus he has not come to the table of the king.”	He said, ‘Let me go, for our clan holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”	He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away to see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.”
30	And the anger of Saul was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your shame, and to the shame of the nakedness of your mother?	Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?	Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you?
31	For all the days that the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you and your kingdom shall not be established. And now send and bring him to me, for he is a son of death.”	For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.”	As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!”
32	And Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?”	Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”	“Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” Jonathan asked his father.
33	And Saul cast a spear at him to kill him, and Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David.	But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.	But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David.
34	And Jonathan arose from the table in the heat of anger, and he ate no food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved for David because his father had treated him shamefully.	And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him.	Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the feast he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David.
35	And it came to pass in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David, and a small boy was with him.	In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him a little boy.	In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him,
36	And he said to his boy, “Run, find now the arrows that I shoot.” The boy ran, and he shot an arrow beyond him.	And he said to his boy, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.	and he said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
37	And the boy had come to the place where the arrow was that Jonathan had shot, and Jonathan cried out after the boy and said, “Is not the arrow from you and beyond?”	And when the boy came to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?”	When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?”
38	And Jonathan cried out after the boy, “Hurry, hurry; do not delay.” And the boy of Jonathan gathered up the arrows and came back to his master.	And Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry! Be quick! Do not stay!” So Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master.	Then he shouted, “Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!” The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master.
39	And the boy did not know anything; only Jonathan and David knew of the matter.	But the boy knew nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.	(The boy knew nothing about all this; only Jonathan and David knew.)
40	And Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy who was to him, and he said to him, “Go, bring them to the city.”	And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, “Go and carry them to the city.”	Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said, “Go, carry them back to town.”
41	The boy had gone, and David arose from the side at the south, and he fell on his nostrils to the ground, and he bowed down three times. And they kissed one another, and they wept one with another. But David did so more.	And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most.	After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most.
42	And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since the two of us have sworn in the name of YHWH, saying, ‘May YHWH be between me and between you and between my seed and between your seed, even to forever.’” And he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.	Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.	Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.
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1 Samuel 20 Parallel Bible Translations