1 Samuel 20:3
But David again vowed, "Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, 'Jonathan must not know of this, or he will be grieved.' As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death."
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

sware

Deuteronomy 6:13
Fear the LORD your God, serve Him, and take your oaths using only His name.

Jeremiah 4:2
and if you can swear, 'As surely as the LORD lives, ' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory."

Hebrews 6:16
Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.

but truly

1 Samuel 25:26
Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and avenging yourself with your own hand. May your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be like Nabal.

1 Samuel 27:1
David, however, said to himself, "One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand."

2 Samuel 15:21
But Ittai answered the king, "As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be!"

2 Kings 2:2, 4, 6
and Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel." But Elisha replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. . . .

as thy soul

1 Samuel 1:26
"Please, my lord, " said Hannah, "as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.

1 Samuel 17:55
As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" "As surely as you live, O king, " Abner replied, "I do not know."

Jeremiah 38:16
But King Zedekiah swore to Jeremiah secretly, "As surely as the LORD lives, who has given us this life, I will not kill you or hand you over to these men who are seeking your life."

but a step

1 Samuel 27:1
David, however, said to himself, "One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand."

Deuteronomy 28:66
So your life will hang in doubt before you, and you will be afraid night and day, never certain of survival.

Psalm 116:3
The ropes of death entangled me, and the anguish of Sheol overcame me; I was confronted by trouble and sorrow.

1 Corinthians 15:30, 31
And why do we endanger ourselves every hour? . . .

2 Corinthians 1:9, 10
Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead. . . .

Parallel Verses
New American Standard Bible
Yet David vowed again, saying, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.' But truly as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death."

King James Bible
And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But David said, "Your father certainly knows that you have come to look favorably on me. He has said, 'Jonathan must not know of this, or else he will be grieved.'" David also swore, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death."

International Standard Version
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."

NET Bible
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!"
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