Context 8Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. But if there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father? 9Jonathan said, Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it? 10Then David said to Jonathan, Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly? 11Jonathan said to David, Come, and let us go out into the field. So both of them went out to the field. 12Then 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 there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and make it known to you? 13If it please my father to do you harm, may the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And may the LORD be with you as He has been with my father. 14If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the LORD, that I may not die? 15You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth. 16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, May the LORD require it at the hands of Davids enemies. 17Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life. 18Then Jonathan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty. 19When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on that eventful day, and you shall remain by the stone Ezel. 20I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target. 21And behold, I will send the lad, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I specifically say to the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them, then come; for there is safety for you and no harm, as the LORD lives. 22But if I say to the youth, Behold, the arrows are beyond you, go, for the LORD has sent you away. 23As for the agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever. 24So David hid in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. 25The king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan rose up and Abner sat down by Sauls side, but Davids place was empty. 26Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is not clean. 27It came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that Davids place was empty; so Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today? 28Jonathan then answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem, 29for he said, Please let me go, since our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. And now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me get away that I may see my brothers. For this reason he has not come to the kings table. Saul Is Angry with Jonathan 30Then Sauls anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mothers nakedness? 31For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die. 32But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, Why should he be put to death? What has he done? 33Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down; so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death. 34Then Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him. 35Now it came about in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little lad was with him. 36He said to his lad, Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot. As the lad was running, he shot an arrow past him. 37When the lad reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, Is not the arrow beyond you? 38And Jonathan called after the lad, Hurry, be quick, do not stay! And Jonathans lad picked up the arrow and came to his master. 39But the lad was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter. 40Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, Go, bring them to the city. 41When the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but David wept the more. 42Jonathan said to David, Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD will be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever. Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city. Parallel Verses American Standard VersionTherefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovah with thee: but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father? Douay-Rheims Bible Deal mercifully then with thy servant: for thou hast brought me thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee. But if there be any iniquity in me, do thou kill me, and bring me not in to thy father. Darby Bible Translation Deal kindly then with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovah with thee; but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father? English Revised Version Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father? Webster's Bible Translation Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there is in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldst thou bring me to thy father? World English Bible Therefore deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you: but if there be in me iniquity, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?" Young's Literal Translation and thou hast done kindness, to thy servant, for into a covenant of Jehovah thou hast brought thy servant with thee; -- and if there is in me iniquity, put thou me to death; and unto thy father, why is this -- thou dost bring me in?' Library Jonathan, the Pattern of Friendship'And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? 2. And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. 3. And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture A Word for the Persecuted How to Make Use of Christ for Steadfastness, in a Time when Truth is Oppressed and Borne Down. Samuel Links 1 Samuel 20:8 NIV • 1 Samuel 20:8 NLT • 1 Samuel 20:8 ESV • 1 Samuel 20:8 NASB • 1 Samuel 20:8 KJV • 1 Samuel 20:8 Bible Apps • 1 Samuel 20:8 Parallel • Bible Hub |