1Samuel 20

1 David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and said, “What have I done? What is my crime, and how have I wronged your father so that he’s determined to kill me? ^{a20:1 Lit. seeks my life}ISV — 1Samuel 20:1

2 Jonathan ^{b20:2 Lit. He} told him, “Far from it! You won’t die. Look, my father never does anything, great or small, without telling me; ^{c20:2 Lit. revealing it in my ear} so why should my father hide this thing from me? It’s not like that!”ISV — 1Samuel 20:2

3 David again took an oath: “Your father certainly knows that I’ve found favor with you, and so he told himself, ^{d20:3 The Heb. lacks to 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.”ISV — 1Samuel 20:3

4 Jonathan told David, “Whatever you say, I’ll do.”ISV — 1Samuel 20:4

5 David told Jonathan, “Look, the New Moon is tomorrow, and I’m expected to sit down with the king to eat. Let me go so I can hide in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. ^{e20:5 Lit. until the third evening}ISV — 1Samuel 20:5

6 If your father actually notices that I’m not there, ^{f20:6 The Heb. lacks that I’m not there} then you are to say, ‘David urgently requested that I allow him to run to his hometown of Bethlehem because the yearly sacrifice for the entire family was taking place there.’ISV — 1Samuel 20:6

7 If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant will be safe. ^{g20:7 Lit. there will be peace for your servant} But if he actually gets angry, you will know that his intentions are evil. ^{h20:7 Lit. that evil has been determined by him}ISV — 1Samuel 20:7

8 Now, show gracious kindness to your servant because you have entered into a sacred covenant ^{i20:8 Lit. a covenant of the LORD} with your servant. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself—why should you bring me to your father?”ISV — 1Samuel 20:8

9 “Nonsense!” Jonathan replied. “If I actually knew that my father intended evil against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?”ISV — 1Samuel 20:9

10 Then David told Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”ISV — 1Samuel 20:10

11 Then Jonathan told David, “Come, let’s go into the field.” So the two of them went into the field.ISV — 1Samuel 20:11

12 Jonathan told David, “The LORD God of Israel is my witness ^{j20:12 The Heb. lacks is my witness} that I’ll carefully question my father by tomorrow or the next day. And if the response ^{k20:12 Lit. it} is favorable for David, will I not then send word ^{l20:12 The Heb. lacks word} to you and let you know? ^{m20:12 Lit. reveal in your ear}ISV — 1Samuel 20:12

13 But if my father intends to harm you, may the LORD strike me dead ^{n20:13 Lit. may the LORD do to Jonathan and more also; This oath would have been accompanied by some symbolic action such as simulating the plunge of a knife into one’s heart.} if I don’t let you know and send you away so you may go safely. May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.ISV — 1Samuel 20:13

14 If I remain alive, don’t fail to show me the LORD’s gracious love so that I don’t die.ISV — 1Samuel 20:14

15 And don’t stop showing your gracious love to my family forever, not even when the LORD eliminates each of David’s enemies from the surface of the earth.”ISV — 1Samuel 20:15

16 Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David: “May the LORD punish any violation of this covenant by the hand of David’s enemies.” ^{o20:16 Lit. may the LORD seek from the hand of David’s enemies}ISV — 1Samuel 20:16

17 Jonathan made David vow again out of his love for him, because he loved him as himself.ISV — 1Samuel 20:17

18 Jonathan told him, “Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you will be missed because your seat is empty.ISV — 1Samuel 20:18

19 On the third day go down quickly and come to the place where you hid earlier. ^{p20:19 Lit. on the day of the event} Remain beside the rock at Ezel.ISV — 1Samuel 20:19

20 I’ll shoot three arrows to the side of the rock ^{q20:20 The Heb. lacks of the rock} as though I were shooting at a target.ISV — 1Samuel 20:20

21 Then I’ll send a servant, ^{r20:21 Or boy} saying, ^{s20:21 The Heb. lacks saying} ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the servant, ^{t20:21 Or boy} ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come out because it’s safe for you, and, as surely as the LORD lives, there is no danger. ^{u20:21 Lit. thing}ISV — 1Samuel 20:21

22 But if I say this to the young man: ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the LORD has sent you away.ISV — 1Samuel 20:22

23 As for the matter about which you and I spoke, remember that ^{v20:23 Or look,} the LORD is a witness ^{w20:23 The Heb. lacks a witness} between us forever.”ISV — 1Samuel 20:23

24 David hid in the field. When the New Moon arrived, the king sat down to eat.ISV — 1Samuel 20:24

25 The king sat down at his place as before, in the seat by the wall. Jonathan stood while Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty.ISV — 1Samuel 20:25

26 Saul didn’t say anything that day because he told himself, ^{x20:26 The Heb. lacks to himself} “Something has happened; he’s unclean; surely he’s not clean.”ISV — 1Samuel 20:26

27 But the next day, on the second day of the New Moon, David’s place was empty, and so Saul told his son Jonathan, “Why didn’t Jesse’s son come to the festival, either yesterday or today?”ISV — 1Samuel 20:27

28 Jonathan answered Saul, “David urgently requested that I let him go to Bethlehem.ISV — 1Samuel 20:28

29 He said, ‘Please let me go because our family has a sacrifice in the town, and my brother has ordered me to come. Now, if it’s acceptable to you, ^{y20:29 Lit. if I have found favor in your eyes} please let me get away so I can see my brothers.’ That’s the reason he didn’t come to the king’s table.”ISV — 1Samuel 20:29

30 Saul flew into a rage and told Jonathan, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have chosen Jesse’s son to your shame and to the shame of your mother who bore you? ^{z20:30 Lit. to the shame of your mother’s nakedness}ISV — 1Samuel 20:30

31 As long as ^{aa20:31 Lit. all the days that} Jesse’s son lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established! Now send someone and bring David ^{bb20:31 Lit. him} to me. He’s a dead man!”ISV — 1Samuel 20:31

32 Jonathan asked his father Saul, “Why should he be killed? What did he do?”ISV — 1Samuel 20:32

33 Then Saul threw the spear that was beside him to strike Jonathan ^{cc20:33 Lit. him} down. So Jonathan realized that his father was determined to kill David.ISV — 1Samuel 20:33

34 So on the second day of the New Moon Jonathan angrily got up from the table without eating because he was upset about David, and because his father had humiliated him.ISV — 1Samuel 20:34

35 In the morning Jonathan, accompanied by a servant, ^{dd20:35 Lit. young man} went out to the field for the appointment with David.ISV — 1Samuel 20:35

36 Jonathan ^{ee20:36 Lit. He} told his servant, ^{ff20:36 Lit. young man} “Run, find the arrows that I’m shooting.” As the servant ^{gg20:36 Lit. young man} ran, Jonathan ^{hh20:36 Lit. he} shot the arrow beyond him.ISV — 1Samuel 20:36

37 The servant ^{ii20:37 Lit. young man} came to the place where Jonathan had shot it, and Jonathan called out to him, ^{jj20:37 Lit. young man} “The arrow is beyond you, isn’t it?”ISV — 1Samuel 20:37

38 Jonathan called out to the servant, ^{kk20:38 Lit. young man} “Hurry, be quick, don’t stand around.” Jonathan’s servant ^{ll20:38 Lit. young man} picked up the arrow and brought it to his master.ISV — 1Samuel 20:38

39 The servant was not aware of anything. Only Jonathan and David understood what had happened. ^{mm20:39 Lit. the matter}ISV — 1Samuel 20:39

40 Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the servant ^{nn20:40 Lit. young man} who was with him and told him, “Go, take these things to the city.”ISV — 1Samuel 20:40

41 The servant ^{oo20:41 Lit. young man} went. Then David came out from the south side of the rock, ^{pp20:41 The Heb. lacks of the rock} fell on his face, and bowed down three times. The men kissed each other, and both of them cried, but David even more.ISV — 1Samuel 20:41

42 Jonathan told David, “Go in peace since both of us swore in the name of the LORD: ‘May the LORD be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.’” ^{qq20:42 This sentence is 21:1 in MT} Then David ^{rr20:42 Lit. he} got up and left, while Jonathan went to the city.ISV — 1Samuel 20:42