1 Samuel 20
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
World English Bible
1And 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?'
1David 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?”
2And he said unto him: 'Far from it; thou shalt not die; behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.'
2He 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.”
3And David swore moreover, and said: 'Thy father knoweth well that I have found favour 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.'
3David 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.”
4Then said Jonathan unto David: 'What doth thy soul desire, that I should do it for thee?'
4Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you.”
5And David said unto Jonathan: 'Behold, to-morrow is the new moon, when I should sit with the king to eat; so let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
5David 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.
6If thy father miss me at all, then say: David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
6If 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.’
7If he say thus: It is well; thy servant shall have peace; but if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him.
7If he says, ‘It is well,’ your servant shall have peace; but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.
8Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee; but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?'
8Therefore 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?”
9And Jonathan said: 'Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
9Jonathan 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?”
10Then said David to Jonathan: 'Who shall tell me if perchance thy father answer thee roughly?'
10Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?”
11And Jonathan said unto David: 'Come and let us go out into the field.' And they went out both of them into the field.
11Jonathan said to David, “Come! Let’s go out into the field.” They both went out into the field.
12And Jonathan said unto David: 'The LORD, the God of Israel — when I have sounded my father about this time to-morrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee?
12Jonathan 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?
13The LORD do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace; and the LORD be with thee, as He hath been with my father.
13The 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.
14And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not;
14You shall not only show me the loving kindness of the LORD while I still live, that I not die;
15but 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.'
15but 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.”
16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David: 'The LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.'
16So Jonathan made a covenant with David’s house, saying, “The LORD will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”
17And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
17Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had for him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18And Jonathan said unto him: 'To-morrow is the new moon; and thou wilt be missed, thy seat will be empty.
18Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.
19And in the third day thou shalt hide thyself well, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself in the day of work, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.
19When 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.
20And I will shoot three arrows to the side-ward, as though I shot at a mark.
20I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark.
21And, behold, I will send the lad: Go, find the arrows. If I say unto the lad: Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take them, and come; for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as the LORD liveth.
21Behold, 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.
22But if I say thus unto the boy: Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way; for the LORD hath sent thee away.
22But if I say this to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go your way, for the LORD has sent you away.
23And as touching the matter which I and thou have spoken of, behold, the LORD is between me and thee for ever.'
23Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever.”
24So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to the meal to eat.
24So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon had come, the king sat himself down to eat food.
25And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side; but David's place was empty.
25The 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.
26Nevertheless Saul spoke not any thing that day; for he thought: 'Something hath befallen him, he is unclean; surely he is not clean.'
26Nevertheless Saul didn’t say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean.”
27And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, which was the second day, that David's place was empty; and Saul said unto Jonathan his son: 'Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to the meal, neither yesterday, nor to-day?'
27On 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?”
28And Jonathan answered Saul: 'David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem;
28Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem.
29and he said: Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me; and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he is not come unto the king's table.'
29He 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.”
30Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him: 'Thou son of perverse rebellion, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and unto the shame of thy mother's nakedness?
30Then 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?
31For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the earth, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he deserveth to die.'
31For 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!”
32And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him: 'Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he done?'
32Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
33And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to put David to death.
33Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.
34So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, and because his father had put him to shame.
34So 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.
35And 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.
35In the morning, Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him.
36And he said unto his lad: 'Run, find now the arrows which I shoot.' And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
36He said to his boy, “Run, find now the arrows which I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
37And 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?'
37When 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?”
38And Jonathan cried after the lad: 'Make speed, hasten, stay not.' And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
38Jonathan cried after the boy, “Go fast! Hurry! Don’t delay!” Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39But the lad knew not any thing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
39But the boy didn’t know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said unto him: 'Go, carry them to the city.'
40Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”
41And 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 down three times; and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
41As 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.
42And Jonathan said to David: 'Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying: The LORD shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed, for ever.' (21-1) And he arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.
42Jonathan 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.
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