1 Samuel 20 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

David and Jonathan’s Covenant

1 Then David ^H1732 fled ^H1272 from Naioth ^H5121 in Ramah ^H7414, and he came ^H935 and said ^H559 [fn]to Jonathan ^H3083, “What ^H4100 have I done ^H6213? What ^H4100 is my guilt ^H5771? And what ^H4100 is my sin ^H2403 before ^H6440 your father ^H1, that he is seeking ^H1245 my life ^H5315?”

2 He said ^H559 to him, “Far ^H2486 from it, you shall not die ^H4191! Behold ^H2009, my father ^H1 does ^H6213 nothing ^H3808 H1697 either great ^H1419 or ^H176 small ^H6996 [fn]without ^H3808 informing ^H1540 H241 me. So why ^H4069 would my father ^H1 hide ^H5641 this ^H2088 thing ^H1697 from me? It is not so ^H2088!” 3 Yet David ^H1732 vowed ^H7650 again ^H5750, [fn]saying ^H559, “Your father ^H1 is ^H3045 well ^H3045 aware ^H3045 that I have found ^H4672 favor ^H2580 in your sight ^H5869, and he has said ^H559, ‘Jonathan ^H3083 is not to know ^H3045 this ^H2088, otherwise ^H6435 he will be worried ^H6087.’ But indeed ^H199 as the LORD ^H3068 lives ^H2416 and as your soul ^H5315 lives ^H2416, there is [fn]just a step ^H6587 between ^H996 me and death ^H4194.” 4 Then Jonathan ^H3083 said ^H559 to David ^H1732, “Whatever ^H4100 [fn]you say ^H559, I will do ^H6213 for you.” 5 So David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Jonathan ^H3083, “Behold ^H2009, tomorrow ^H4279 is the new ^H2320 moon ^H2320, and I am obligated ^H3427 to sit ^H3427 down ^H3427 to eat ^H398 with the king ^H4428. But let ^H7971 me go ^H7971 so that I may hide ^H5641 myself in the field ^H7704 until ^H5704 the third ^H7992 evening ^H6153. 6 If ^H518 your father ^H1 misses ^H6485 me at ^H6485 all ^H6485, then say ^H559, ‘David ^H1732 earnestly ^H7592 requested ^H7592 leave of me to run ^H7323 to Bethlehem ^H1035, his city ^H5892, because ^H3588 it is the yearly ^H3117 sacrifice ^H2077 there ^H8033 for the whole ^H3605 family ^H4940.’ 7 If ^H518 he [fn]says ^H559, ‘That is good ^H2896,’ your servant ^H5650 will be safe ^H7965; but if ^H518 he is ^H2734 very ^H2734 angry ^H2734, be ^H3045 aware ^H3045 that he has decided ^H3615 on evil ^H7451. 8 So deal ^H6213 kindly ^H2617 with your servant ^H5650, for you have brought ^H935 your servant ^H5650 into a covenant ^H1285 of the LORD ^H3068 with you. But if ^H518 [fn]I am guilty ^H5771 of ^H5771 wrongdoing ^H5771, kill ^H4191 me yourself ^H859; for why ^H4100 then ^H2088 should you bring ^H935 me to your father ^H1?” 9 Jonathan ^H3083 said ^H559, “Far ^H2486 be it from you! For if ^H518 I in ^H3045 fact ^H3045 learn ^H3045 that my father ^H1 has decided ^H3615 [fn]to inflict ^H935 harm ^H7451 on you, would I not inform ^H5046 you?” 10 Then David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Jonathan ^H3083, “Who ^H4310 will inform ^H5046 me [fn]if ^H176 H4100 your father ^H1 answers ^H6030 you harshly ^H7186?” 11 Jonathan ^H3083 said ^H559 to David ^H1732, “Come ^H1980, and let’s go ^H3318 out ^H3318 to the field ^H7704.” So both ^H8147 of them went ^H3318 out ^H3318 to the field ^H7704.

12 Then Jonathan ^H3083 said ^H559 to David ^H1732, “The LORD ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478, is my witness! When ^H3588 I have sounded ^H2713 out ^H2713 my father ^H1 about this time ^H6256 tomorrow ^H4279 or the third ^H7992 day, behold ^H2009, if he has a good ^H2895 feeling toward ^H413 [fn]you, shall I not then ^H227 send ^H7971 word to you and [fn]inform ^H1540 H241 you? 13 If ^H3588 it pleases ^H3190 my father ^H1 to do you harm ^H7451, may the LORD ^H3068 do ^H6213 so ^H3541 to [fn]me ^H3083 and more ^H3254 so ^H3541, if I fail to [fn]inform ^H1540 H241 you and send ^H7971 you away ^H7971, so that you may go ^H1980 in safety ^H7965. And may the LORD ^H3068 be with you as He has been ^H1961 with my father ^H1. 14 And if ^H518 I am still ^H5750 alive ^H2416, will you not show ^H6213 me the faithfulness ^H2617 of the LORD ^H3068, so that I do not die ^H4191? 15 And you shall never ^{H3808 H5704 H5769} cut ^H3772 off ^H3772 your loyalty ^H2617 to my house ^H1004, not even when the LORD ^H3068 cuts ^H3772 off ^H3772 every ^H376 one ^H376 of the enemies ^H340 of David ^H1732 from the face ^H6440 of the earth ^H127.” 16 So Jonathan ^H3083 made ^H3772 a covenant with the house ^H1004 of David ^H1732, saying, “May the LORD ^H3068 demand ^H1245 it from the hands ^H3027 of David’s ^H1732 enemies ^H340.” 17 And Jonathan ^H3083 made David ^H1732 vow ^H7650 again ^H3254 because of his love ^H160 for him, because ^H3588 he loved ^H157 him as he loved ^H157 his own life ^H5315.

18 Then Jonathan ^H3083 said ^H559 to him, “Tomorrow ^H4279 is the new ^H2320 moon ^H2320, and you will be missed ^H6485 since ^H3588 your seat ^H4186 will be ^H6485 empty ^H6485. 19 When you have stayed ^H8027 for three ^H8027 days ^H8027, you shall go ^H3381 down ^H3381 quickly ^H3966 and come ^H935 to the place ^H4725 where ^H834 H8033 you hid ^H5641 yourself on that eventful ^H4639 day ^H3117, and you shall remain ^H3427 beside ^H681 the stone ^H68 Ezel ^H237. 20 And I will shoot ^H3384 three ^H7969 arrows ^H2671 to the side ^H6654, as though I shot ^H7971 at a target ^H4307. 21 Then behold ^H2009, I will send ^H7971 the boy ^H5288, telling him, ‘Go ^H1980, find ^H4672 the arrows ^H2671.’ If ^H518 I specifically ^H559 say ^H559 to the boy ^H5288, ‘Behold ^H2009, the arrows ^H2671 are on this ^H2008 side ^H2008 of you, get ^H3947 them,’ then come ^H935, because ^H3588 it is safe ^H7965 for you and there is nothing ^H369 H1697 to harm you, as the LORD ^H3068 lives ^H2416. 22 But if ^H518 I [fn]say ^H559 to the youth ^H5958, ‘Behold ^H2009, the arrows ^H2671 are beyond ^H4480 H1973 you,’ go ^H1980, because ^H3588 the LORD ^H3068 has sent ^H7971 you away ^H7971. 23 As for the [fn]agreement ^H1697 of which ^H834 you and I have spoken ^H1696, behold ^H2009, the LORD ^H3068 is between ^H996 you and me forever ^H5704 H5769.”

24 So David ^H1732 hid ^H5641 himself in the field ^H7704; and when the new ^H2320 moon ^H2320 came ^H1961, the king ^H4428 sat ^H3427 down ^H3427 to eat ^H398 food ^H3899. 25 Now the king ^H4428 sat ^H3427 on his seat ^H4186 as usual ^H6471, the seat ^H4186 by the wall ^H7023; then Jonathan ^H3083 stood ^H6965 up ^H6965 and Abner ^H74 sat ^H3427 down ^H3427 by Saul’s ^H7586 side ^H6654; but David’s ^H1732 place ^H4725 was ^H6485 empty ^H6485. 26 Nevertheless Saul ^H7586 did not say ^H1696 anything ^H3972 that day ^H3117, because ^H3588 he thought ^H559, “It must have been an [fn]accident ^H4745; he is not clean ^H2889, undoubtedly ^H3588 he is not clean ^H2889.” 27 But it came ^H1961 about ^H1961 the next ^H4283 day ^H4283, the second ^H8145 day of the new ^H2320 moon ^H2320, that David’s ^H1732 place ^H4725 was ^H6485 empty ^H6485 again; so Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 to his son ^H1121 Jonathan ^H3083, “Why ^H4069 has the son ^H1121 of Jesse ^H3448 not come ^H935 to the meal ^H3899, either ^H1571 yesterday ^H8543 or ^H1571 today ^H3117?” 28 And Jonathan ^H3083 answered ^H6030 Saul ^H7586, “David ^H1732 earnestly ^H7592 requested ^H7592 leave ^H7592 of me to go to Bethlehem ^H1035. 29 He said ^H559, ‘Please ^H4994 let ^H7971 me go ^H7971, because ^H3588 our family ^H4940 has a sacrifice ^H2077 in the city ^H5892, and my brother ^H251 has ordered ^H6680 me to attend. So now ^H6258, if ^H518 I have found ^H4672 favor ^H2580 in your sight ^H5869, please ^H4994 let me slip ^H4422 away ^H4422 so that I may see ^H7200 my brothers ^H251.’ For ^H5921 this ^H5921 H3651 reason ^H5921 H3651 he has not come ^H935 to the king’s ^H4428 table ^H7979.”

Saul Is Angry with Jonathan

30 Then Saul’s ^H7586 anger ^H639 burned ^H2734 against Jonathan ^H3083, and he said ^H559 to him, “You son ^H1121 of a perverse ^H5753, rebellious ^H4780 woman! Do I not know ^H3045 that you are choosing ^H977 the son ^H1121 of Jesse ^H3448 to your own shame ^H1322, and to the shame ^H1322 of your mother’s ^H517 nakedness ^H6172?

31 For, [fn]as ^H3605 H3117 long ^H3605 H3117 as the son ^H1121 of Jesse ^H3448 lives ^H2421 on the earth ^H127, neither ^H3808 you nor ^H3808 your kingdom ^H4438 will be established ^H3559. Now ^H6258 then, send ^H7971 men and bring ^H3947 him to me, for he is [fn]doomed ^H1121 to die ^H4194!” 32 But Jonathan ^H3083 replied ^H6030 to his father ^H1 Saul ^H7586 and said ^H559 to him, “Why ^H4100 must he be put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191? What ^H4100 has he done ^H6213?” 33 Then Saul ^H7586 hurled ^H2904 his spear ^H2595 at him to strike ^H5221 and ^H5221 kill ^H5221 him; so Jonathan ^H3083 knew ^H3045 that his father ^H1 had decided ^H3615 to put ^H4191 David ^H1732 to ^H4191 death ^H4191. 34 Then Jonathan ^H3083 got ^H6965 up ^H6965 from the table ^H7979 in the heat ^H2750 of anger ^H639, and did not eat ^H398 food ^H3899 on the second ^H8145 day ^H3117 of the new ^H2320 moon ^H2320, because ^H3588 he was worried ^H6087 about ^H413 David ^H1732 since ^H3588 his father ^H1 had insulted ^H3637 him.

35 Now it came ^H1961 about ^H1961 in the morning ^H1242 that Jonathan ^H3083 went ^H3318 out ^H3318 to the field ^H7704 at the time ^H4150 agreed ^H4150 upon ^H4150 with David ^H1732, and a little ^H6996 boy ^H5288 was with him. 36 He said ^H559 to his boy ^H5288, “Run ^H7323, find ^H4672 now ^H4994 the arrows ^H2671 which ^H834 I am about to shoot ^H3384.” The boy ^H5288 ran ^H7323, and he shot ^H3384 [fn]an arrow ^H2678 past ^H5674 him. 37 When the boy ^H5288 reached ^H935 the location ^H4725 of the arrow ^H2678 which ^H834 Jonathan ^H3083 had shot ^H3384, Jonathan ^H3083 called ^H7121 after ^H310 the boy ^H5288 and said ^H559, “Is the arrow ^H2678 not beyond ^H4480 H1973 you?” 38 Then Jonathan ^H3083 called ^H7121 after ^H310 the boy ^H5288, “Hurry ^H4120, be quick ^H2363, do not stay ^H5975!” And Jonathan’s ^H3083 boy ^H5288 picked ^H3950 up ^H3950 the arrow ^H2678 and came ^H935 to his master ^H113. 39 But the boy ^H5288 was ^H3045 not aware ^H3045 of anything ^H3972; only ^H389 Jonathan ^H3083 and David ^H1732 knew ^H3045 about the matter ^H1697. 40 Then Jonathan ^H3083 gave ^H5414 his weapons ^H3627 to his boy ^H5288 and said ^H559 to him, “Go ^H1980, bring ^H935 them to the city ^H5892.” 41 When the boy ^H5288 was gone ^H935, David ^H1732 got ^H6965 up ^H6965 from the south ^H5045 side ^H681, then he fell ^H5307 on his face ^H639 to the ground ^H776 and bowed ^H2331 three ^H7969 times ^H6471. And they kissed ^H5401 each ^H376 other ^H7453 and wept ^H1058 together ^H376 H7453, until ^H5704 David ^H1732 wept immeasurably ^H1431. 42 Then Jonathan ^H3083 said ^H559 to David ^H1732, “Go ^H1980 [fn]in safety ^H7965, since ^H834 we have sworn ^H7650 to each ^H8147 other ^H8147 in the name ^H8034 of the LORD ^H3068, saying ^H559, ‘The LORD ^H3068 will be between ^H996 me and you, and between ^H996 my [fn]descendants ^H2233 and your [fn]descendants ^H2233 forever ^H5704 H5769.’” [fn]So David set ^H6965 out ^H6965 and went ^H1980 on his way, while Jonathan ^H3083 went ^H935 into the city ^H5892.