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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>1 Samuel 20 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/1_samuel/20.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/1_samuel/20-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > 1 Samuel 20</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../1_samuel/19.htm" title="1 Samuel 19">◄</a> 1 Samuel 20 <a href="../1_samuel/21.htm" title="1 Samuel 21">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/1_samuel/20.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">David and Jonathan’s Discussion</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>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?<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:1 Lit. seeks my life">a</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Jonathan<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:2 Lit. He">b</a></span> told him, “Far from it! You won’t die. Look, my father never does anything, great or small, without telling me;<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:2 Lit. revealing it in my ear">c</a></span> so why should my father hide this thing from me? It’s not like that!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>David again took an oath: “Your father certainly knows that I’ve found favor with you, and so he told himself,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:3 The Heb. lacks to himself">d</a></span> ‘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.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Jonathan told David, “Whatever you say, I’ll do.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>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.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:5 Lit. until the third evening">e</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>If your father actually notices that I’m not there,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:6 The Heb. lacks that I’m not there">f</a></span> 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.’ <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant will be safe.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:7 Lit. there will be peace for your servant">g</a></span> But if he actually gets angry, you will know that his intentions are evil.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:7 Lit. that evil has been determined by him">h</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Now, show gracious kindness to your servant because you have entered into a sacred covenant<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:8 Lit. a covenant of the LORD">i</a></span> with your servant. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself—why should you bring me to your father?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>“Nonsense!” Jonathan replied. “If I actually knew that my father intended evil against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Then David told Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”</p> <p class="heading">David and Jonathan Make a Covenant</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Then Jonathan told David, “Come, let’s go into the field.” So the two of them went into the field. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Jonathan told David, “The LORD God of Israel is my witness<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:12 The Heb. lacks is my witness">j</a></span> that I’ll carefully question my father by tomorrow or the next day. And if the response<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:12 Lit. it">k</a></span> is favorable for David, will I not then send word<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:12 The Heb. lacks word">l</a></span> to you and let you know?<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:12 Lit. reveal in your ear">m</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>But if my father intends to harm you, may the LORD strike me dead<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:13 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.">n</a></span> 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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>If I remain alive, don’t fail to show me the LORD’s gracious love so that I don’t die. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>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.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>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.”<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:16 Lit. may the LORD seek from the hand of David’s enemies">o</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Jonathan made David vow again out of his love for him, because he loved him as himself.</p> <p class="heading">Jonathan’s Signal to David</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Jonathan told him, “Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you will be missed because your seat is empty. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>On the third day go down quickly and come to the place where you hid earlier.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:19 Lit. on the day of the event">p</a></span> Remain beside the rock at Ezel. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>I’ll shoot three arrows to the side of the rock<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:20 The Heb. lacks of the rock">q</a></span> as though I were shooting at a target. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Then I’ll send a servant,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:21 Or boy">r</a></span> saying,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:21 The Heb. lacks saying">s</a></span> ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the servant,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:21 Or boy">t</a></span> ‘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.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:21 Lit. thing">u</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>But if I say this to the young man: ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the LORD has sent you away. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>As for the matter about which you and I spoke, remember that<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:23 Or look,">v</a></span> the LORD is a witness<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:23 The Heb. lacks a witness ">w</a></span> between us forever.”</p> <p class="heading">Jonathan Intercedes for David</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>David hid in the field. When the New Moon arrived, the king sat down to eat. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Saul didn’t say anything that day because he told himself,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:26 The Heb. lacks to himself">x</a></span> “Something has happened; he’s unclean; surely he’s not clean.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>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?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Jonathan answered Saul, “David urgently requested that I let him go to Bethlehem. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>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,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:29 Lit. if I have found favor in your eyes">y</a></span> please let me get away so I can see my brothers.’ That’s the reason he didn’t come to the king’s table.”</p> <p class="heading">Saul’s Anger toward Jonathan</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>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?<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:30 Lit. to the shame of your mother’s nakedness">z</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>As long as<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:31 Lit. all the days that">aa</a></span> Jesse’s son lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established! Now send someone and bring David<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:31 Lit. him">bb</a></span> to me. He’s a dead man!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>Jonathan asked his father Saul, “Why should he be killed? What did he do?” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>Then Saul threw the spear that was beside him to strike Jonathan<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:33 Lit. him">cc</a></span> down. So Jonathan realized that his father was determined to kill David. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>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.</p> <p class="heading">Jonathan Warns David</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>In the morning Jonathan, accompanied by a servant,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:35 Lit. young man">dd</a></span> went out to the field for the appointment with David. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>Jonathan<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:36 Lit. He">ee</a></span> told his servant,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:36 Lit. young man">ff</a></span> “Run, find the arrows that I’m shooting.” As the servant<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:36 Lit. young man">gg</a></span> ran, Jonathan<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:36 Lit. he">hh</a></span> shot the arrow beyond him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>The servant<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:37 Lit. young man">ii</a></span> came to the place where Jonathan had shot it, and Jonathan called out to him,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:37 Lit. young man">jj</a></span> “The arrow is beyond you, isn’t it?” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>Jonathan called out to the servant,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:38 Lit. young man">kk</a></span> “Hurry, be quick, don’t stand around.” Jonathan’s servant<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:38 Lit. young man">ll</a></span> picked up the arrow and brought it to his master. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>The servant was not aware of anything. Only Jonathan and David understood what had happened.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:39 Lit. the matter">mm</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the servant<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:40 Lit. young man">nn</a></span> who was with him and told him, “Go, take these things to the city.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span>The servant<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:41 Lit. young man">oo</a></span> went. Then David came out from the south side of the rock,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:41 The Heb. lacks of the rock ">pp</a></span> fell on his face, and bowed down three times. The men kissed each other, and both of them cried, but David even more. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/20-42.htm"><b>42</b></a></span>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.’”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:42 This sentence is 21:1 in MT">qq</a></span> Then David<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="20:42 Lit. he">rr</a></span> got up and left, while Jonathan went to the city.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 20:1 Lit. <i>seeks my life</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 20:2 Lit. <i>He</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 20:2 Lit. <i>revealing it in my ear</i><br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 20:3 The Heb. lacks <i>to himself</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 20:5 Lit. <i>until the third evening</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 20:6 The Heb. lacks <i>that I’m not there</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 20:7 Lit. <i>there will be peace for your servant</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 20:7 Lit. <i>that evil has been determined by him</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 20:8 Lit. <i>a covenant of the LORD</i><br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 20:12 The Heb. lacks <i>is my witness</i><br /><span class="fnb">k</span> 20:12 Lit. <i>it</i><br /><span class="fnb">l</span> 20:12 The Heb. lacks <i>word</i><br /><span class="fnb">m</span> 20:12 Lit. <i>reveal in your ear</i><br /><span class="fnb">n</span> 20:13 Lit. <i>may the LORD do to Jonathan and more also</i>; This oath would have been accompanied by some symbolic action such as simulating the plunge of a knife into one’s heart.<br /><span class="fnb">o</span> 20:16 Lit. <i>may the LORD seek from the hand of David’s enemies</i><br /><span class="fnb">p</span> 20:19 Lit. <i>on the day of the event</i><br /><span class="fnb">q</span> 20:20 The Heb. lacks <i>of the rock</i><br /><span class="fnb">r</span> 20:21 Or <i>boy</i><br /><span class="fnb">s</span> 20:21 The Heb. lacks <i>saying</i><br /><span class="fnb">t</span> 20:21 Or <i>boy</i><br /><span class="fnb">u</span> 20:21 Lit. <i>thing</i><br /><span class="fnb">v</span> 20:23 Or <i>look,</i><br /><span class="fnb">w</span> 20:23 The Heb. lacks <i>a witness</i><br /><span class="fnb">x</span> 20:26 The Heb. lacks <i>to himself</i><br /><span class="fnb">y</span> 20:29 Lit. <i>if I have found favor in your eyes</i><br /><span class="fnb">z</span> 20:30 Lit. <i>to the shame of your mother’s nakedness</i><br /><span class="fnb">aa</span> 20:31 Lit. <i>all the days that</i><br /><span class="fnb">bb</span> 20:31 Lit. <i>him</i><br /><span class="fnb">cc</span> 20:33 Lit.<i> him</i><br /><span class="fnb">dd</span> 20:35 Lit. <i>young man</i><br /><span class="fnb">ee</span> 20:36 Lit. <i>He</i><br /><span class="fnb">ff</span> 20:36 Lit. <i>young man</i><br /><span class="fnb">gg</span> 20:36 Lit. <i>young man</i><br /><span class="fnb">hh</span> 20:36 Lit. <i>he</i><br /><span class="fnb">ii</span> 20:37 Lit. <i>young man</i><br /><span class="fnb">jj</span> 20:37 Lit. <i>young man</i><br /><span class="fnb">kk</span> 20:38 Lit. <i>young man</i><br /><span class="fnb">ll</span> 20:38 Lit. <i>young man</i><br /><span class="fnb">mm</span> 20:39 Lit. <i>the matter</i><br /><span class="fnb">nn</span> 20:40 Lit. <i>young man</i><br /><span class="fnb">oo</span> 20:41 Lit. <i>young man</i><br /><span class="fnb">pp</span> 20:41 The Heb. lacks <i>of the rock</i><br /><span class="fnb">qq</span> 20:42 This sentence is 21:1 in MT<br /><span class="fnb">rr</span> 20:42 Lit. <i>he</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../1_samuel/19.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="1 Samuel 19"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="1 Samuel 19" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../1_samuel/21.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="1 Samuel 21"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="1 Samuel 21" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/1_samuel/20-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 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