1 Samuel 20 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Samuel 20 ▼
swipe to see more →
ISV
Intl. Standard Version
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
+Add
1 David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and said, |What have I done? What is my crime, and how have I wronged your father so that he's determined 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 told him, |Far from it! You won't die. Look, my father never does anything, great or small, without telling me; so why should my father hide this thing from me? It's not like that!| 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 David again took an oath: |Your father certainly knows that I've found favor with you, and so he told himself, 'Jonathan must not know this so he won't be upset.' But as certainly as the LORD is alive and living, and as certainly as I'm alive and living, too, there is only a step between me and 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 told David, |Whatever you say, I'll do.| 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 told Jonathan, |Look, the New Moon is tomorrow, and I'm expected to sit down with the king to eat. Let me go so I can hide in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. 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 actually notices that I'm not there, then you are to say, 'David urgently requested that I allow him to run to his hometown of Bethlehem because the yearly sacrifice for the entire family was taking place 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 your servant will be safe. But if he actually gets angry, you will know that his intentions are evil. 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, show gracious kindness to your servant because you have entered into a sacred covenant with your servant. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself—why should you 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 |Nonsense!| Jonathan replied. |If I actually knew that my father intended evil against you, wouldn't I tell 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 told Jonathan, |Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?| 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 Then Jonathan told David, |Come, let's go into the field.| So the two of them went 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 Jonathan told David, |The LORD God of Israel is my witness that I'll carefully question my father by tomorrow or the next day. And if the response is favorable for David, will I not then send word to you and let you know? 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 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. 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 If I remain alive, don't fail to show me the LORD's gracious love so that I don't 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 don't stop showing your gracious love to my family forever, not even when the LORD eliminates each of David's enemies from the surface 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 Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David: |May the LORD punish any violation of this covenant by the hand of David's enemies.| 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 Jonathan made David vow again out of his love for him, because he loved him as 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 Jonathan told him, |Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you will be missed because 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 On the third day go down quickly and come to the place where you hid earlier. Remain beside the rock at 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 I'll shoot three arrows to the side of the rock as though I were shooting 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 Then I'll send a servant, saying, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I specifically say to the servant, 'Look, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,' then come out because it's safe for you, and, as surely as the LORD lives, there is no danger. 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 say this to the young man: 'Look, the arrows are beyond you,' then go, for 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 As for the matter about which you and I spoke, remember that the LORD is a witness between us 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 David hid in the field. When the New Moon arrived, the king sat down 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 The king sat down at his place as before, in the seat by the wall. Jonathan stood while Abner sat next to 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 because he told himself, |Something has happened; he's unclean; surely he's 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 But the next day, on the second day of the New Moon, David's place was empty, and so Saul told his son Jonathan, |Why didn't Jesse's son come to the festival, 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 urgently requested that I 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 He said, 'Please let me go because our family has a sacrifice in the town, and my brother has ordered me to come. Now, if it's acceptable to you, please let me get away so I can see my brothers.' That's the reason he didn't come to the king's table.| 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 Saul flew into a rage and told Jonathan, |You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don't I know that you have chosen Jesse's son to your shame and to the shame of your mother who bore you? 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 the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established! Now send someone and bring David 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 Saul, |Why should he be killed? What did he do?| 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 Then Saul threw the spear that was beside him to strike Jonathan down. So Jonathan realized that 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 So on the second day of the New Moon Jonathan angrily got up from the table without eating because he was upset about David, and because his father had humiliated him. 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, accompanied by a servant, went out to the field for the appointment with David. 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 Jonathan told his servant, |Run, find the arrows that I'm shooting.| As the servant ran, Jonathan shot the 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 The servant came to the place where Jonathan had shot it, and Jonathan called out to him, |The arrow is beyond you, isn't it?| 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 called out to the servant, |Hurry, be quick, don't stand around.| Jonathan's servant picked up the arrow and brought it 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 servant was not aware of anything. Only Jonathan and David understood what had happened. 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 equipment to the servant who was with him and told him, |Go, take these things 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 servant went. Then David came out from the south side of the rock, fell on his face, and bowed down three times. The men kissed each other, and both of them cried, but David even 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 Jonathan told David, |Go in peace since both of us swore in the name of the LORD: 'May the LORD be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.'| Then David got up and left, while Jonathan went to 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.
Previous chapter
Top of Page
Top of Page