1 Samuel 20 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

1 Samuel 20 (WEBP)

[1] David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”
[2] He said to him, “Far from it; you will not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me. Why would my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.”
[3] David swore moreover, and said, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, ‘Don’t let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved;’ but truly as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”
[4] Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you.”
[5] David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.
[6] If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem, his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’
[7] If he says, ‘It is well,’ your servant shall have peace; but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.
[8] Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you; but if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”
[9] Jonathan said, “Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn’t I tell you that?”
[10] Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?”
[11] Jonathan said to David, “Come! Let’s go out into the field.” They both went out into the field.
[12] Jonathan said to David, “By Yahweh, the God of Israel, when I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, won’t I then send to you and disclose it to you?
[13] Yahweh do so to Jonathan and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in peace. May Yahweh be with you as he has been with my father.
[14] You shall not only show me the loving kindness of Yahweh while I still live, that I not die;
[15] but you shall also not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when Yahweh has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the surface of the earth.”
[16] So Jonathan made a covenant with David’s house, saying, “Yahweh will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”
[17] Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
[18] Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.
[19] When you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and remain by the stone Ezel.
[20] I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark.
[21] Behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows!’ If I tell the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you. Take them;’ then come, for there is peace to you and no danger, as Yahweh lives.
[22] But if I say this to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go your way, for Yahweh has sent you away.
[23] Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, Yahweh is between you and me forever.”
[24] So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon had come, the king sat himself down to eat food.
[25] The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.
[26] Nevertheless Saul didn’t say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean.”
[27] On the next day after the new moon, the second day, David’s place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why didn’t the son of Jesse come to eat, either yesterday, or today?”
[28] Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem.
[29] He said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city. My brother has commanded me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go away and see my brothers.’ Therefore he has not come to the king’s table.”
[30] Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse rebellious woman, don’t I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?
[31] For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you will not be established, nor will your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die!”
[32] Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
[33] Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.
[34] So Jonathan arose 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 treated him shamefully.
[35] In the morning, Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him.
[36] He said to his boy, “Run, find now the arrows which I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
[37] When the boy had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the boy, and said, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?”
[38] Jonathan cried after the boy, “Go fast! Hurry! Don’t delay!” Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
[39] But the boy didn’t know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
[40] Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”
[41] As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another and wept with one another, and David wept the most.
[42] Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have both sworn in Yahweh’s name, saying, ‘Yahweh is between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’ ” He arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

1 Samuel 20 (KJVS)

[1] 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 () (8675) () 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 (), 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 .
[4] Then said () Jonathan unto David , Whatsoever thy soul desireth (), I will even do () [it] for thee.
[5] And David said () unto Jonathan , Behold, to morrow [is] the new moon , and I should not fail () to sit () with the king at meat (): but let me go (), that I may hide () myself in the field unto the third [day] at even .
[6] If thy father at all () miss () me, then say (), David earnestly () asked () [leave] of me that he might run () to Bethlehem his city : for [there is] a yearly sacrifice there for all the family .
[7] If he say () thus, [It is] well ; thy servant shall have peace : but if he be very () wroth (), [then] be sure () that evil is determined () by him.
[8] 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 be in me iniquity , slay () me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring () me to thy father ?
[9] And Jonathan said (), Far be it from thee : for if I knew () certainly () that evil were determined () by my father to come () upon thee, then would not I tell () it thee?
[10] Then said () David to Jonathan , Who shall tell () me? or what [if] thy father answer () thee roughly ?
[11] And Jonathan said () unto David , Come (), and let us go out () into the field . And they went out () both of them into the field .
[12] And Jonathan said () unto David , O LORD God of Israel , when I have sounded () my father about to morrow any time , [or] the third [day], and, behold, [if there be] good () toward David , and I then send () not unto thee, and shew () it thee;
[13] The LORD do () so and much more () to Jonathan : but if it please () my father [to do] thee evil , then I will shew () it thee, and send thee away (), that thou mayest go () in peace : and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father .
[14] And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew () me the kindness of the LORD , that I die () not:
[15] But [also] thou shalt not cut off () thy kindness from my house for ever : no, not when the LORD hath cut off () the enemies () of David every one from the face of the earth .
[16] So Jonathan made () [a covenant] with the house of David , [saying], Let the LORD even require () [it] at the hand of David’s enemies ().
[17] And Jonathan caused David to swear () again (), because he loved him: for he loved () him as he loved his own soul .
[18] Then Jonathan said () to David , To morrow [is] the new moon : and thou shalt be missed (), because thy seat will be empty ().
[19] And [when] thou hast stayed three days (), [then] thou shalt go down () quickly , and come () to the place where thou didst hide () thyself when the business was [in hand], and shalt remain () by the stone Ezel .
[20] And I will shoot () three arrows on the side [thereof], as though I shot () at a mark .
[21] And, behold, I will send () a lad , [saying], Go (), find out () the arrows . If I expressly () say () unto the lad , Behold, the arrows [are] on this side of thee, take () them; then come () thou: for [there is] peace to thee, and no hurt ; [as] the LORD liveth .
[22] But if I say () thus unto the young man , Behold, the arrows [are] beyond thee; go thy way (): for the LORD hath sent thee away ().
[23] And [as touching] the matter which thou and I have spoken () of, behold, the LORD [be] between thee and me for ever .
[24] So David hid () himself in the field : and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down () to eat () meat .
[25] And the king sat () upon his seat , as at other times , [even] upon a seat by the wall : and Jonathan arose (), and Abner sat () by Saul’s side , and David’s place was empty ().
[26] Nevertheless Saul spake () not any thing that day : for he thought (), Something hath befallen him, he [is] not clean ; surely he [is] not clean .
[27] And it came to pass on the morrow , [which was] the second [day] of the month , that David’s place was empty (): and Saul said () unto Jonathan his son , Wherefore cometh () not the son of Jesse to meat , neither yesterday , nor to day ?
[28] And Jonathan answered () Saul , David earnestly () asked () [leave] of me [to go] to Bethlehem :
[29] And he said (), Let me go (), I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city ; and my brother , he hath commanded () me [to be there]: and now, if I have found () favour in thine eyes , let me get away (), I pray thee, and see () my brethren . Therefore he cometh () not unto the king’s table .
[30] Then Saul’s anger was kindled () against Jonathan , and he said () unto him, Thou son of the perverse () rebellious [woman], do not I know () that thou hast chosen () the son of Jesse to thine own confusion , and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness ?
[31] For as long as the son of Jesse liveth () upon the ground , thou shalt not be established (), nor thy kingdom . Wherefore now send () and fetch () him unto me, for he shall surely die .
[32] And Jonathan answered () Saul his father , and said () unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain ()? what hath he done ()?
[33] And Saul cast () a javelin at him to smite () him: whereby Jonathan knew () that it was determined of his father to slay () David .
[34] So Jonathan arose () from the table in fierce anger , and did eat () no meat the second day of the month : for he was grieved () for David , because his father had done him shame ().
[35] And it came to pass in the morning , that Jonathan went out () into the field at the time appointed with David , and a little lad with him.
[36] And he said () unto his lad , Run (), find out () now the arrows which I shoot (). [And] as the lad ran (), he shot () an arrow beyond () him.
[37] And when the lad was come () to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot (), Jonathan cried () after the lad , and said (), [Is] not the arrow beyond thee?
[38] And Jonathan cried () after the lad , Make speed , haste (), stay () not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up () the arrows () , and came () to his master .
[39] But the lad knew () not any thing : only Jonathan and David knew () the matter .
[40] And Jonathan gave () his artillery unto his lad , and said () unto him, Go (), carry () [them] to the city .
[41] [And] as soon as the lad was gone (), David arose () out of [a place] toward the south , and fell () on his face to the ground , and bowed () himself three times : and they kissed () one another , and wept () one with another , until David exceeded ().
[42] And Jonathan said () to David , Go () in peace , forasmuch as we have sworn () both of us in the name of the LORD , saying (), The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever . And he arose () and departed (): and Jonathan went () into the city .

Young’s Literal Translation

1 Samuel 20 (YLT)

[1] And David fleeth from Naioth in Ramah, and cometh, and saith before Jonathan, ‘What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what my sin before thy father, that he is seeking my life?’
[2] And he saith to him, ‘Far be it! thou dost not die; lo, my father doth not do anything great or small and doth not uncover mine ear; and wherefore doth my father hide from me this thing? this thing is not.’
[3] And David sweareth again, and saith, ‘Thy father hath certainly known that I have found grace in thine eyes, and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved; and yet, Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, but-as a step between me and death.’
[4] And Jonathan saith to David, ‘What doth thy soul say?-and I do it for thee.’
[5] And David saith unto Jonathan, ‘Lo, the new moon is to-morrow; and I do certainly sit with the king to eat; and thou hast sent me away, and I have been hidden in a field till the third evening;
[6] if thy father at all look after me, and thou hast said, David asked earnestly of me to run to Beth-Lehem his city, for a sacrifice of the days is there for all the family.
[7] If thus he say: Good; peace is for thy servant; and if it be very displeasing to him-know that the evil hath been determined by him;
[8] 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?’
[9] And Jonathan saith, ‘Far be it from thee! for I certainly do not know that the evil hath been determined by my father to come upon thee, and I do not declare it to thee.’
[10] And David saith unto Jonathan, ‘Who doth declare to me? or what if thy father doth answer thee sharply?’
[11] And Jonathan saith unto David, ‘Come, and we go out into the field;’ and they go out both of them into the field.
[12] And Jonathan saith unto David, ‘Jehovah, God of Israel-when I search my father, about this time to-morrow or the third day, and lo, good is towards David, and I do not then send unto thee, and have uncovered thine ear-
[13] thus doth Jehovah do to Jonathan, and thus doth He add; when the evil concerning thee is good to my father, then I have uncovered thine ear, and sent thee away, and thou hast gone in peace, and Jehovah is with thee, as he was with my father;
[14] and not only while I am alive dost thou do with me the kindness of Jehovah, and I die not,
[15] but thou dost not cut off thy kindness from my house unto the age, nor in Jehovah’s cutting off the enemies of David, each one from off the face of the ground.’
[16] And Jonathan covenanteth with the house of David, and Jehovah hath sought it from the hand of the enemies of David;
[17] and Jonathan addeth to cause David to swear, because he loveth him, for with the love of his own soul he hath loved him.
[18] And Jonathan saith to him, ‘To-morrow is new moon, and thou hast been looked after, for thy seat is looked after;
[19] and on the third day thou dost certainly come down, and hast come in unto the place where thou wast hidden in the day of the work, and hast remained near the stone Ezel.
[20] ‘And I shoot three of the arrows at the side, sending out for myself at a mark;
[21] and lo, I send the youth: Go, find the arrows. If I at all say to the youth, Lo, the arrows are on this side of thee-take them,-then come thou, for peace is for thee, and there is nothing; Jehovah liveth.
[22] And if thus I say to the young man, Lo, the arrows are beyond thee,-go, for Jehovah hath sent thee away;
[23] as to the thing which we have spoken, I and thou, lo, Jehovah is between me and thee-unto the age.’
[24] And David is hidden in the field, and it is the new moon, and the king sitteth down by the food to eat,
[25] and the king sitteth on his seat, as time by time, on a seat by the wall, and Jonathan riseth, and Abner sitteth at the side of Saul, and David’s place is looked after.
[26] And Saul hath not spoken anything on that day, for he said, ‘It is an accident; he is not clean-surely not clean.’
[27] And it cometh to pass on the second morrow of the new moon, that David’s place is looked after, and Saul saith unto Jonathan his son, ‘Wherefore hath the son of Jesse not come in, either yesterday or to-day, unto the food?’
[28] And Jonathan answereth Saul, ‘David hath been earnestly asked of me unto Beth-Lehem,
[29] and he saith, Send me away, I pray thee, for a family sacrifice we have in the city, and my brother himself hath given command to me, and now, if I have found grace in thine eyes, let me go away, I pray thee, and see my brethren; therefore he hath not come unto the table of the king.’
[30] And the anger of Saul burneth against Jonathan, and he saith to him, ‘Son of a perverse rebellious woman! have I not known that thou art fixing on the son of Jesse to thy shame, and to the shame of the nakedness of thy mother?
[31] for all the days that the son of Jesse liveth on the ground thou art not established, thou and thy kingdom; and now, send and bring him unto me, for he is a son of death.’
[32] And Jonathan answereth Saul his father, and saith unto him, ‘Why is he put to death? what hath he done?’
[33] And Saul casteth the javelin at him to smite him, and Jonathan knoweth that it hath been determined by his father to put David to death.
[34] And Jonathan riseth from the table in the heat of anger, and hath not eaten food on the second day of the new moon, for he hath been grieved for David, for his father put him to shame.
[35] And it cometh to pass in the morning, that Jonathan goeth out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little youth is with him.
[36] And he saith to his youth, ‘Run, find, I pray thee, the arrows which I am shooting;’ the youth is running, and he hath shot the arrow, causing it to pass over him.
[37] And the youth cometh unto the place of the arrow which Jonathan hath shot, and Jonathan calleth after the youth, and saith, ‘Is not the arrow beyond thee?’
[38] and Jonathan calleth after the youth, ‘Speed, haste, stand not;’ and Jonathan’s youth gathereth the arrows, and cometh unto his lord.
[39] And the youth hath not known anything, only Jonathan and David knew the word.
[40] And Jonathan giveth his weapons unto the youth whom he hath, and saith to him, ‘Go, carry into the city.’
[41] The youth hath gone, and David hath risen from Ezel, at the south, and falleth on his face to the earth, and boweth himself three times, and they kiss one another, and they weep one with another, till David exerted himself;
[42] and Jonathan saith to David, ‘Go in peace, in that we have sworn-we two-in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah is between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed-unto the age;’ and he riseth and goeth; and Jonathan hath gone in to the city.