1 Samuel 20 Parallel Bible

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	NLT New Living Translation	ESV English Standard Version	NIV New International Version
1	David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan. “What have I done?” he exclaimed. “What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so 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	“That’s not true!” Jonathan protested. “You’re not going to die. He always tells me everything he’s going to do, even the little things. I know my father wouldn’t hide something like this from me. It just isn’t 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	Then David took an oath before Jonathan and said, “Your father knows perfectly well about our friendship, so he has said to himself, ‘I won’t tell Jonathan—why should I hurt him?’ But I swear to you that I am only a step away from death! I swear it by the LORD and by your own soul!”	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	“Tell me what I can do to help you,” Jonathan exclaimed.	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 we celebrate the new moon festival. I’ve always eaten with the king on this occasion, but tomorrow I’ll hide in the field and stay there until the evening of the third day.	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 asks where I am, tell him I asked permission to go home to Bethlehem for an annual family sacrifice.	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, ‘Fine!’ you will know all is well. But if he is angry and loses his temper, you will know he is determined to kill 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	Show me this loyalty as my sworn friend—for we made a solemn pact before the LORD—or kill me yourself if I have sinned against your father. But please don’t betray me to him!”	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	“Never!” Jonathan exclaimed. “You know that if I had the slightest notion my father was planning to kill you, I would tell you at once.”	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, “How will I know whether or not your father is angry?”	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	“Come out to the field with me,” Jonathan replied. And they went out there together.	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	Then Jonathan told David, “I promise by the LORD, the God of Israel, that by this time tomorrow, or the next day at the latest, I will talk to my father and let you know at once how he feels about you. If he speaks favorably about you, I will 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 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.	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 may you treat me with the faithful love of the LORD as long as I live. But if 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	treat my family with this faithful love, even when the LORD destroys all your 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	So Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, saying, “May the LORD destroy all your 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	And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David 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	Then Jonathan said, “Tomorrow we celebrate the new moon festival. You will be missed when your place at the table 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, toward evening, go to the place where you hid before, and wait there by the stone pile.	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 come out and shoot three arrows to the side of the stone pile 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 will send a boy to bring the arrows back. If you hear me tell him, ‘They’re on this side,’ then you will know, as surely as the LORD lives, that all is well, and there is no trouble.	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 him, ‘Go farther—the arrows are still ahead of you,’ then it will mean that you must leave immediately, for the LORD is sending 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 may the LORD make us keep our promises to each other, for he has witnessed them.”	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 himself in the field, and when the new moon festival began, 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	He sat at his usual place against the wall, with Jonathan sitting opposite him and Abner beside him. 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 about it that day, for he said to himself, “Something must have made David ceremonially 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 when David’s place was empty again the next day, Saul asked Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse been here for 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 replied, “David earnestly asked me if he could 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, for we are having a family sacrifice. My brother demanded that I be there. So please let me get away to see my brothers.’ That’s why he isn’t here at 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 boiled with rage at Jonathan. “You stupid son of a whore!” he swore at him. “Do you think I don’t know that you want him to be king in your place, shaming yourself and 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	As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you’ll never be king. Now go and get him so I can kill him!”	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	“But why should he be put to death?” Jonathan asked his father. “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 hurled his spear at Jonathan, intending to kill him. So at last Jonathan realized that his father was really 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 left the table in fierce anger and refused to eat on that second day of the festival, for he was crushed by his father’s shameful behavior toward 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, as agreed, Jonathan went out into the field and took a young boy with him to gather his arrows.	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	“Start running,” he told the boy, “so you can find the arrows as I shoot them.” So the boy ran, and Jonathan 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	When the boy had almost reached the arrow, Jonathan shouted, “The arrow is still ahead of 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	Hurry, hurry, don’t wait.” So the boy quickly gathered up the arrows and ran 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	He, of course, suspected nothing; only Jonathan and David understood the signal.	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 bow and arrows to the boy and told him to take them back to 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	As soon as the boy was gone, David came out from where he had been hiding near the stone pile. Then David bowed three times to Jonathan with his face to the ground. Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said good-bye, 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	At last Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the LORD’s name. The LORD is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever.” Then David left, and Jonathan returned to the town.	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.
	Read New Living Translation Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.	Read English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.	Read New International Version Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.

1 Samuel 20 Parallel Bible Translations