1 Samuel 20 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Samuel 20 ▼
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1 David fled from the pastures at Ramah, came to Jonathan, and asked, |What have I done? What crime am I guilty of? What sin have I committed against your father that he's trying to kill me?| 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 Jonathan answered, |That's unthinkable! You're not going to die! My father does nothing without telling me, whether it's important or not. Why should my father hide this from me? It's just not that way.| 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 But David took an oath, saying, |Your father certainly knows that you support me, so he said [to himself], 'Jonathan must not know about this. It will bring him distress.' But I solemnly swear, as the LORD and you live, I'm only one step away from 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 Jonathan said to David, |I'll do whatever you say.| 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 David replied, |Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival, when I should sit and eat at the king's [table]. But let me go and hide in the countryside for two more nights. 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 really misses me, tell him, 'David repeatedly begged me to let him run to Bethlehem, his hometown, because his relatives are offering the annual sacrifice there.' 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 he says, 'Good!' then I will be safe. But if he gets really angry, then you'll know for sure that he has decided to harm me. 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 Now, be kind to me. After all, you forced me into an agreement with the LORD. If I have committed any crime, kill me yourself. Why bother taking 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 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.| 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 Then David asked, |Who will tell me whether or not your father gives you a harsh answer?| 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 Jonathan said, |Let's go out into the country.| So they went out into the country. 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 |As the LORD God of Israel [is my witness],| Jonathan continued, |I'll find out in the next two or three days how my father feels about you. If he does feel kindly toward you, then I will send someone to 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 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. 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 But as long as I live, [promise me that you will] show me kindness because of the LORD. And even when I 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 never stop being kind to my family. The Lord will wipe each of David's enemies off 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 At that time, if Jonathan's name is cut off from David's family, then may the LORD punish David's house.| 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 Once again Jonathan swore an oath to David because of his love for David. He loved David as much as [he loved] himself. 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 |Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival,| Jonathan told him, |and you will be missed when your seat is 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 The day after tomorrow you will be missed even more. So go to the place where you hid on that other occasion, and stay by the rock. 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 I will shoot three arrows from beside it toward 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 Then I will send out a boy and say, 'Go, find the arrows.' Now, if I tell the boy, 'Look, the arrows are next to you; get them,' then come [back with me]. You will be safe, and there will be no trouble. I swear it, as the LORD 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 I tell the boy, 'The arrows are next to you,' then go, because the LORD 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 We have made a promise to each other, and the LORD is [a witness] between you and me 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 So David hid in the countryside. When the New Moon Festival came, King Saul sat down to eat the festival meal. 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 He sat in his usual seat by the wall, while Jonathan stood. Abner sat beside Saul, but David's place was 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 Saul didn't say anything that day, thinking, |Something has happened to him so that he's unclean. He must be unclean.| 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 But on the second day of the month, David's place was still empty. Saul asked his son Jonathan, |Why hasn't Jesse's son come to the meal either yesterday or today?| 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 Jonathan answered Saul, |David repeatedly begged me [to let him 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 David said to me 'Please let me go. Our relatives will offer a sacrifice in the city, and my brother ordered me to be there. If you will permit it, please let me go to see my brothers.' This is why he hasn't come to your banquet.| 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 Then Saul got angry with Jonathan. |Son of a crooked and rebellious woman!| he called Jonathan. |I know you've sided with Jesse's son. You have no shame. [You act] as if you are your mother's son but not mine. 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 As long as Jesse's son lives on earth, neither you nor your right to be king is secure. Now, send some men to bring him to me. He's a dead man!| 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 Jonathan asked his father, |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 Saul raised his spear to strike him. Then Jonathan knew his father was determined 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 Jonathan got up from the table very angry and ate nothing that second day of the month. He was worried sick about David because Jonathan had been humiliated by his own father. 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 In the morning Jonathan went out to the country to the place he and David had agreed on. Jonathan had a young boy 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 |Run,| he told the boy, |please find the arrows I shoot.| The boy ran, and Jonathan shot the arrow over 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 When the boy reached the place where Jonathan's arrow [had landed], Jonathan called after him, |The arrows are next to you!| 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 Jonathan added, |Quick! Hurry up! Don't stand there!| Jonathan's young servant gathered the arrows and came 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 The boy had no idea what was going on, but Jonathan and David understood. 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 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy. He told the boy, |Take them back into town.| 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 When the boy had left, David came out from the south side [of the rock] and quickly bowed down three times with his face touching the ground. Then they kissed each other and cried together, but David cried the loudest. 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 |Go in peace!| Jonathan told David. |We have both taken an oath in the LORD's name, saying, 'The LORD will be [a witness] between me and you and between my descendants and your descendants forever.' | So David left, 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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