1 Samuel 20 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Samuel 20 ▼
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1 David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, |What have I done? What is my offense? How have I sinned before your father? For 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 Jonathan said to him, |By no means are you going to die! My father does nothing large or small without making me aware of it. Why would my father hide this matter from me? It just won't happen!| 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 Taking an oath, David again said, |Your father is very much aware of the fact that I have found favor with you, and he has thought, 'Don't let Jonathan know about this, or he will be upset.' But as surely as the LORD lives and you live, there is about one 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 replied to David, |Tell me what I can 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 David said to Jonathan, |Tomorrow is the new moon, and I am certainly expected to join the king for a meal. You must send me away so I can hide in the field until the third evening from now. 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 happens to miss me, you should say, 'David urgently requested me to let him go to his city Bethlehem, for there is an annual sacrifice there for his entire family.' 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 should then say, 'That's fine,' then your servant is safe. But if he becomes very angry, be assured 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 You must be loyal to your servant, for you have made a covenant with your servant in the LORD's name. If I am guilty, you yourself kill me! 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 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?| 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 David said to 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 Jonathan said to David, |Come on. Let's go out to the field.| When the two of them had gone 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 Jonathan said to David, |The LORD God of Israel is my witness. I will feel out my father about this time the day after tomorrow. If he is favorably inclined toward 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 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. 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 While I am still alive, extend to me the loyalty of the LORD, or else I will 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 Don't ever cut off your loyalty to my family, not even when the LORD has cut off every one of David's enemies 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 called David's enemies to account.| So Jonathan made a covenant with the house 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 Jonathan once again took an oath with David, because he loved him. In fact Jonathan loved him as much as he did his own life. 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 said to him, |Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, for your seat will be 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 you should go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself the day this all started. Stay near the stone 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 will shoot three arrows near it, 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 When I send a boy after them, I will say, |Go and find the arrows.| If I say to the boy, 'Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them,' then come back. For as surely as the LORD lives, you will be safe and there will no problem. 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 to the boy, |Look, the arrows are on the other side of you,' get away. For in that case 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 With regard to the matter that you and I discussed, the LORD is the 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 So David hid in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat down to eat his 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 The king sat down in his usual place by the wall, with Jonathan opposite him and Abner at his side. But David's place was vacant. 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 However, Saul said nothing about it that day, for he thought, |Something has happened to make him ceremonially unclean. Yes, 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 the next morning, the second day of the new moon, David's place was still vacant. So Saul said to his son Jonathan, |Why has Jesse's son not come to the meal 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 replied to Saul, |David urgently requested that he be allowed 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 He said, 'Permit me to go, for we are having a family sacrifice in the city, and my brother urged me to be there. So now, if I have found favor with you, let me go to see my brothers.' For that reason he has not 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 became angry with Jonathan and said to him, |You stupid traitor! Don't I realize that to your own disgrace and to the disgrace of your mother's nakedness you have chosen this son of Jesse? 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 as long as this son of Jesse is alive on the earth, you and your kingdom will not be established. Now, send some men and bring him to me. For he is as good as dead!| 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 responded to his father Saul, |Why should he be put to death? 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 Then Saul threw his spear at Jonathan in order to strike him down. So Jonathan was convinced that his father had decided 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 enraged. He did not eat any food on that second day of the new moon, for he was upset that his father had humiliated David. 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 The next morning Jonathan, along with a young servant, went out to the field to meet 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 He said to his servant, |Run, find the arrows that I am about to shoot.| 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 When the servant came to the place where Jonathan had shot the arrow, Jonathan called out to the servant, |Isn't the arrow further beyond 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 called out to the servant, |Hurry! Go faster! Don't delay!| Jonathan's servant retrieved the arrow 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 (Now the servant did not understand any of this. Only Jonathan and David knew what was going on.) 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. He said to him, |Go, take these things back 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 When the servant had left, David got up from beside the mound, knelt with his face to the ground, and bowed three times. Then they kissed each other and they both wept, especially David. 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 said to David, |Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn together in the name of the LORD saying, 'The LORD will be between me and you and between my descendants and your descendants forever.'| Then David got up and left, while Jonathan went back 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.
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