1 Samuel 20 Parallel Bible

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	SLT Smith's Literal Translation	ESV English Standard Version	NIV New International Version
1	And David will flee from Naioth in Ramah, and he will come and say before Jonathan, What did I? and what mine iniquity? and what my sin before thy father that he seeks my soul?	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 he will say to him, Far be it; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will not do a word great or a word small, and not disclose mine ear: and wherefore will my father hide from me this word? this is not.	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 will yet swear and say, Knowing, thy father knew that I found grace in thine eyes; and he will say, Jonathan shall not know this, lest he shall be grieved: but yet Jehovah lives and thy soul lives, for but a step 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 will say to David, What thy soul will say, and I will do for thee.	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 will say to Jonathan, Behold, the new moon to-morrow, and I sitting, shall sit down with the king to eat: and thou sentest me away and I was hid in the field till the evening of the third.	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 reviewing, thy father shall review me, and thou saidst, Asking, David asked of me to run to the House of Bread, his city; for a sacrifice of days there to all the 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 thus he shall say, Good; peace to thy servant; and if kindling, it shall kindle to him, know that evil was finished with 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	And do thou mercy with thy servant; for into a covenant of Jehovah thou didst bring thy servant with thee: and if there is iniquity in me, do thou kill me; and wherefore wilt thou bring me even to thy 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 will say, Far be it to thee: that if knowing, I shall know that evil was finished with my father to come upon thee, shall I not announce it to thee?	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 will say to Jonathan, Who shall announce to me? or what if thy father shall answer thee 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	And Jonathan will say to David, Come, and we will go forth to the field. And they two went forth to 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 will say to David, Jehovah, God of Israel when I shall search out my father about this time to-morrow, the third day, and behold, good to David, and I shall not then send to thee, and uncover thine ear.	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	Thus shall Jehovah do to Jonathan, and thus shall he add; for it shall be good to my father with evil to thee, and I uncovered thine ear and sent thee away, and thou wentest in peace: and Jehovah will be with thee 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	And not only while yet I live and wilt thou not do the mercy of Jehovah with me, and I shall 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 thou shalt not cut off thy mercy from my house, even forever: and not in Jehovah's cutting off the enemies of David a man 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 will cut out with the house of David, and Jehovah sought out from 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	And Jonathan will add to cause David to swear in his loving him; as loving his 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 will say to him, To-morrow the new moon: and thou wert reviewed, for thy seat will be reviewed.	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 the third day thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide there in the day of the work, and thou shalt sit by the stone of rolling:	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 of the side, to send to me for a mark.	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 behold, I will send the boy: Go find the arrows. If saying, I say to the boy, Behold, the arrows from thee, and behold, take it: and come, for peace to thee, and not a word; Jehovah 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	And if saying thus to the young man, Behold, the arrows from thee, and forward; go: for Jehovah sent thee 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 the word which we spake, I and thou, behold, Jehovah between me and between thee 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 will hide in the field: and it will be the new moon, and the king will sit down to the bread 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 will sit upon his seat as from time to time, to a seat of the wall: and Jonathan will rise, and Abner will sit by Saul's side, and David's seat will be reviewed.	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 spake not anything in that day, for he said, It is an accident; he is not clean; for he 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 on the morrow, of the month the second, and David's place will be reviewed: and Saul will say to Jonathan his son, Wherefore came not the son of Jesse also yesterday, also this day to the bread?	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 will answer to Saul, Asking, David asked of me even for the House of Bread:	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 will say, Send me away now, for a sacrifice of the family to us in the city; and my brother he commanded me: and now if I found grace in thine eyes, I will slip away now and see my brethren. For this he came not 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 Saul's anger will kindle against Jonathan, and he will say to him, Son of crooked rebelliousness, did I not know that thou choosest to the son of Jesse to thy shame and to the shame of thy mother's nakedness?	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 which the son of Jesse lives upon the earth, thou shalt not stand, and thy kingdom. And now send and take him to me, for he is the 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 will answer Saul his father and say to him, Wherefore shall he die? What did he?	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 will lift up his spear against him to strike him, and Jonathan will know that it was finished from 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 will rise from the table in the heat of wrath, and he will not eat bread in the day of the month the second, for he was grieved for David because his father reproached 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	And it will be in the morning, and Jonathan will go forth to the field to the appointment, David and a small 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	And he will say to the boy, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot The boy ran, and he shot the arrows 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 will go even to the place of the arrows which Jonathan shot, and Jonathan will call after the boy and say, Is not the arrow from thee and forward?	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 will call after the boy, Be quick, hasten, thou shalt not stand. And Jonathan's boy will take up the arrows and come to his lord.	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 knew not anything: but Jonathan and David knew the word.	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 will give his utensils to the boy that is to him, and he will say to him, Go, bring into 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 went, and David rose from the south side, and fell upon his face to the earth, and they will worship three times, and they will kiss each his friend, and they will weep, each with his friend, till David magnified.	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 will say to David, Go for peace, for we sware, we two, in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will be between me and between thee, and between my seed and between thy seed, even forever. The original Julia E. Smith Bible records the following as a verse reference for 1 Sam 21:1 And he will rise and go: and Jonathan came 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.
	Read Smith's Literal Translation Public domain.	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