1 Samuel 20
Darby Translation
1And David fled from Naioth by 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 seeks my life?
2And he said to him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, and not apprise me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
3And David swore again and again, and said, Thy father certainly knows that I have found favour in thy sight: and he has thought, Jonathan shall not know this, lest he be grieved; but truly [as] Jehovah liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
4And Jonathan said to David, What thy soul may say, I will even do it for thee.
5And David said to Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is 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 until the third evening.
6If thy father should actually 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.
7If he say thus, It is well, — thy servant shall have peace; but if he be very wroth, be sure that evil is determined by him.
8Deal kindly then with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovah with thee; but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
9And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for, if I knew with certainty that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, would I not tell it thee?
10Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?
11And Jonathan said to David, Come and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
12And Jonathan said to David, Jehovah, God of Israel, when I sound my father about this time to-morrow, [or] the next day, and behold, there be good toward David, and I then send not to thee, and apprise thee of it,
13Jehovah do so and much more to Jonathan. Should it please my father [to do] thee evil, then I will apprise thee of it, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace; and Jehovah be with thee, as he has been with my father.
14And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of Jehovah, that I die not,
15but thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever, no, not when Jehovah cuts off the enemies of David, every one from the face of the earth.
16And Jonathan made [a covenant] with the house of David, [saying,] Let Jehovah even require [it] at the hand of David's enemies!
17And Jonathan caused David to swear again, by the love he had for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18And Jonathan said to him, To-morrow is the new moon; and thou wilt be missed, for thy seat will be empty;
19but on the third day thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself on the day of the business, and abide by the stone Ezel.
20And I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.
21And behold, I will send the lad, [saying,] Go, find the arrows. If I expressly say to the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come, for there is peace for thee, and it is nothing; [as] Jehovah liveth.
22But if I say thus to the youth: Behold, the arrows are beyond thee, — go thy way; for Jehovah sends thee away.
23And as to the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between me and thee for ever.
24And David hid himself in the field; and it was the new moon, and the king sat at table to eat.
25And the king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.
26And Saul said nothing that day; for he thought, Something has befallen [him], that he is not clean: surely he is not clean.
27And it came to pass the next day after the new moon, the second [day of the month], as David's place was empty, that Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has not the son of Jesse come to table, neither yesterday nor to-day?
28And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me [to go] to Bethlehem,
29and said, Let me go, I pray thee; for we have a family sacrifice in the city; and my brother himself has commanded me [to be there]; and now, if I have found favour in thy sight, let me go away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. He has therefore not come to the king's table.
30And Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, Son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame and to the shame of thy mother's nakedness?
31For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon earth, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. And now send and fetch him to me, for he must die.
32And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, Why should he be put to death? what has he done?
33Then Saul cast the spear at him to smite him; and Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to put David to death.
34And Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no meat the second day of the new moon; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
35And it came to pass in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field, to the place agreed on with David, and a little lad with him.
36And he said to his lad, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot. The lad ran, and he shot the arrow beyond him.
37And when the lad came to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad and said, Is not the arrow away beyond thee?
38And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not! And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39And the lad knew nothing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, Go, carry them to the city.
41The lad went, and David arose from the side of 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.
42And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have both of us sworn in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah 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.
Reina-Valera 1909
1Y DAVID huyó de Najoth que es en Rama, y vínose delante de Jonathán, y dijo: ¿Qué he hecho yo? ¿cuál es mi maldad, ó cuál mi pecado contra tu padre, que él busca mi vida?
2Y él le dijo: En ninguna manera; no morirás. He aquí que mi padre ninguna cosa hará, grande ni pequeña, que no me la descubra: ¿por qué pues me encubrirá mi padre este negocio? No será así.
3Y David volvió á jurar, diciendo: Tu padre sabe claramente que yo he hallado gracia delante de tus ojos, y dirá: No sepa esto Jonathán, porque no tenga pesar: y ciertamente, vive Jehová y vive tu alma, que apenas hay un paso entre mí y la muerte.
4Y Jonathán dijo á David: ¿Qué discurre tu alma, y harélo por ti?
5Y David respondió á Jonathán: He aquí que mañana será nueva luna, y yo acostumbro sentarme con el rey á comer: mas tú dejarás que me esconda en el campo hasta la tarde del tercer día.
6Si tu padre hiciere mención de mí, dirás: Rogóme mucho que lo dejase ir presto á Beth-lehem su ciudad, porque todos los de su linaje tienen allá sacrificio aniversario.
7Si él dijere, Bien está, paz tendrá tu siervo; mas si se enojare, sabe que la malicia es en él consumada.
8Harás pues misericordia con tu siervo, ya que has traído tu siervo á alianza de Jehová contigo: y si maldad hay en mí mátame tú, que no hay necesidad de llevarme hasta tu padre.
9Y Jonathán le dijo: Nunca tal te suceda; antes bien, si yo entendiera ser consumada la malicia de mi padre, para venir sobre ti, ¿no había yo de descubrírtelo?
10Dijo entonces David á Jonathán: ¿Quién me dará aviso? ó ¿qué si tu padre te respondiere ásperamente?
11Y Jonathán dijo á David: Ven, salgamos al campo. Y salieron ambos al campo.
12Entonces dijo Jonathán á David: Oh Jehová Dios de Israel, cuando habré yo preguntado á mi padre mañana á esta hora, ó después de mañana, y él apareciere bien para con David, si entonces no enviare á ti, y te lo descubriere,
13Jehová haga así á Jonathán, y esto añada. Mas si á mi padre pareciere bien hacerte mal, también te lo descubriré, y te enviaré, y te irás en paz: y sea Jehová contigo, como fué con mi padre.
14Y si yo viviere, harás conmigo misericordia de Jehová; mas si fuere muerto,
15No quitarás perpetuamente tu misericordia de mi casa. Cuando desarraigare Jehová uno por uno los enemigos de David de la tierra, aun á Jonathán quite de su casa, si te faltare.
16Así hizo Jonathán alianza con la casa de David, diciendo: Requiéralo Jehová de la mano de los enemigos de David.
17Y tornó Jonathán á jurar á David, porque le amaba, porque le amaba como á su alma.
18Díjole luego Jonathán: Mañana es nueva luna, y tú serás echado de menos, porque tu asiento estará vacío.
19Estarás pues tres días, y luego descenderás, y vendrás al lugar donde estabas escondido el día de trabajo, y esperarás junto á la piedra de Ezel;
20Y yo tiraré tres saetas hacia aquel lado, como ejercitándome al blanco.
21Y luego enviaré el criado diciéndole: Ve, busca las saetas. Y si dijere al mozo: He allí las saetas más acá de ti, tómalas: tú vendrás, porque paz tienes, y nada hay de mal, vive Jehová.
22Mas si yo dijere al mozo así: He allí las saetas más allá de ti: vete, porque Jehová te ha enviado.
23Y cuanto á las palabras que yo y tú hemos hablado, sea Jehová entre mí y ti para siempre.
24David pues se escondió en el campo, y venida que fué la nueva luna, sentóse el rey á comer pan.
25Y el rey se sentó en su silla, como solía, en el asiento junto á la pared, y Jonathán se levantó, y sentóse Abner al lado de Saúl, y el lugar de David estaba vacío.
26Mas aquel día Saúl no dijo nada, porque se decía: Habrále acontecido algo, y no está limpio; no estará purificado.
27El día siguiente, el segundo día de la nueva luna, aconteció también que el asiento de David estaba vacío. Y Saúl dijo á Jonathán su hijo: ¿Por qué no ha venido á comer el hijo de Isaí hoy ni ayer?
28Y Jonathán respondió á Saúl: David me pidió encarecidamente le dejase ir hasta Beth-lehem.
29Y dijo: Ruégote que me dejes ir, porque tenemos sacrificio los de nuestro linaje en la ciudad, y mi hermano mismo me lo ha mandado; por tanto, si he hallado gracia en tus ojos, haré una escapada ahora, y visitaré á mis hermanos. Por esto pues no ha venido á la mesa del rey.
30Entonces Saúl se enardeció contra Jonathán, y díjole: Hijo de la perversa y rebelde, ¿no sé yo que tú has elegido al hijo de Isaí para confusión tuya, y para confusión de la vergüenza de tu madre?
31Porque todo el tiempo que el hijo de Isaí viviere sobre la tierra, ni tú serás firme, ni tu reino. Envía pues ahora, y tráemelo, porque ha de morir.
32Y Jonathán respondió á su padre Saúl, y díjole: ¿Por qué morirá? ¿qué ha hecho?
33Entonces Saúl le arrojó una lanza por herirlo: de donde entendió Jonathán que su padre estaba determinado á matar á David.
34Y levantóse Jonathán de la mesa con exaltada ira, y no comió pan el segundo día de la nueva luna: porque tenía dolor á causa de David, porque su padre le había afrentado.
35Al otro día de mañana, salió Jonathán al campo, al tiempo aplazado con David, y un mozo pequeño con él.
36Y dijo á su mozo: Corre y busca las saetas que yo tirare. Y como el muchacho iba corriendo, él tiraba la saeta que pasara más allá de él.
37Y llegando el muchacho adonde estaba la saeta que Jonathán había tirado, Jonathán dió voces tras el muchacho, diciendo: ¿No está la saeta más allá de ti?
38Y tornó á gritar Jonathán tras el muchacho: Date priesa, aligera, no te pares. Y el muchacho de Jonathán cogió las saetas, y vínose á su señor.
39Empero ninguna cosa entendió el muchacho: solamente Jonathán y David entendían el negocio.
40Luego dió Jonathán sus armas á su muchacho, y díjole: Vete y llévalas á la ciudad.
41Y luego que el muchacho se hubo ido, se levantó David de la parte del mediodía, é inclinóse tres veces postrándose hasta la tierra: y besándose el uno al otro, lloraron el uno con el otro, aunque David lloró más.
42Y Jonathán dijo á David: Vete en paz, que ambos hemos jurado por el nombre de Jehová, diciendo: Jehová sea entre mí y ti, entre mi simiente y la simiente tuya, para siempre. Y él se levantó y fuése: y Jonathán se entró en la ciudad.
King James Version
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?
2And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do 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.
3And 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.
4Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.
5And 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.
6If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
7If 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.
8Therefore 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?
9And 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?
10Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee 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.
12And 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;
13The 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.
14And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:
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.
16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.
17And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
19And 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.
20And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
21And, 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.
22But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.
23And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.
24So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
25And 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.
26Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
27And 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?
28And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem:
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 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.
30Then 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?
31For 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.
32And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
33And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
34So 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.
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.
36And 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.
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?
38And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto 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 himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
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 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.
World English Bible
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?”
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.”
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 Jonathan said to David, “Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you.”
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 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 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 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?”
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 David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?”
11Jonathan said to David, “Come! Let’s go out into the field.” They both went out into the field.
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 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.
14You shall not only show me the loving kindness of the LORD while I still live, that I not die;
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 David’s house, saying, “The LORD will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”
17Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had for him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.
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.
20I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark.
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 this to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go your way, for the LORD has sent you away.
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. When the new moon had come, the king sat himself down to eat food.
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 didn’t say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean.”
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?”
28Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem.
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 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 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!”
32Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
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 ate no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully.
35In the morning, Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him.
36He said to his boy, “Run, find now the arrows which I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
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?”
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 boy didn’t know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”
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.
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.