1 Samuel 20
1 Then David fled from the dwellings at Ramah, and came before Jonathan and said, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"
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 shall not die. Look, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so."
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 And David answered and said, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, '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."
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 the LORD 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 do for you."
Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you.”
5 So David said to Jonathan, "Look, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. Instead, let me go so that I may hide myself in the field until evening.
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 missed me at all, then say, 'David urgently requested of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city, for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.'
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 be angry, then know that evil is determined by him.
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 the LORD with you: but if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your 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 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?"
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 harshly?"
Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?”
11 Jonathan said to David, "Come, and let us go out into the field." They both went out into the field.
Jonathan said to David, “Come! Let’s go out into the field.” They both went out into the field.
12 Jonathan said to David, "The LORD, the God of Israel, is witness. When I have studied my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, look, if there is good toward David, shall I not then send to you, and disclose it to you?
Jonathan said to David, “By the LORD, 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 But should it please my father to do you harm, God do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not let you know and send you away, that you may go in safety. And may the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.
The LORD 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 the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.
14 And if I am still alive, deal loyally with me. But if I die,
You shall not only show me the loving kindness of the LORD while I still live, that I not die;
15 do not cut off your loyalty from my house forever. And when the LORD cuts off the enemies of David, each one from the face of the earth,
but you shall also not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the LORD has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the surface of the earth.”
16 if the name of Jonathan be cut off from the house of David, then may the LORD require it at the hand of the enemies of David."
So Jonathan made a covenant with David’s house, saying, “The LORD will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”
17 And Jonathan swore to David again, because he loved him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
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, "Tomorrow is the new moon: and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.
Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.
19 On the third day you should go down quickly, and come to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and stay by that mound.
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 And as for me, on the third day I will shoot arrows to its side, aiming it toward a target.
I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark.
21 Look, I will send the boy, saying, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I tell the boy, 'Look, the arrow is on this side of you. Take it;' then come; for there is peace to you and no hurt, as the LORD lives.
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 the LORD lives.
22 But if I say this to the boy, 'Look, the arrow is beyond you;' then go your way; for the LORD has sent you away.
But if I say this to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go your way, for the LORD has sent you away.
23 Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, look, the LORD is a witness between you and me forever."
Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever.”
24 So David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon had come, the king sat at the table to eat.
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 sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul's side: but David's place was empty.
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 did not say anything that day: for he thought, "Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean."
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 It happened on the next day after the new moon, the second day, that David's place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why hasn't the son of Jesse come to the table, either yesterday or today?"
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, and said, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.
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. And as for me, my brothers have ordered 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."
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 flared up at Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a rebellious slave girl, don't I know that you are the companion of the son of Jesse, to your own disgrace, and to the disgrace of your mother's nakedness?
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, your kingdom will not be established. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die."
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 But Jonathan answered Saul, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"
Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
33 Then Saul raised his spear at him to strike him, and Jonathan realized that this evil from his father to kill David was determined.
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 sprang up 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 dishonored him.
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 It happened in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him.
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 the boy, "Run, find now the arrows which I shoot." And as the boy ran, he shot an arrow, causing it to pass beyond, toward the city.
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 called after the youth, and said, "Isn't the arrow beyond you?"
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. Do not delay." Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
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 did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
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."
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 from beside the mound, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another, and wept one with another, and David wept the most.
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 Then Jonathan said, "Go in peace, because we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, 'The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants, forever.'" He arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.
Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have both sworn in the LORD’s name, saying, ‘The LORD is between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” He arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.
