1 Samuel 20

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?”Cross-references: 1Sam 12:3 · 1Sam 19:19 · 1Sam 23:26 · 1Sam 24:9 · 1Sam 24:11 · 1Sam 24:17 · +6 more

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.”Cross-references: Gen 44:7 · Josh 22:29 · Josh 24:16 · 1Sam 9:15 · 1Sam 14:45 · 1Sam 20:12 · +5 more

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 Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”Cross-references: Deut 6:13 · Deut 28:66 · 1Sam 1:26 · 1Sam 17:55 · 1Sam 25:26 · 1Sam 27:1 · +10 more

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.Cross-references: Num 10:10 · Num 28:11 · 1Sam 19:2 · 1Sam 20:6 · 1Sam 20:19 · 2Ki 4:23 · +6 more

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.’Cross-references: Deut 12:5 · 1Sam 9:12 · 1Sam 16:2 · 1Sam 17:58 · John 7:42

7If he says, ‘It is well,’ your servant shall have peace; but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.Cross-references: Deut 1:23 · 1Sam 20:9 · 1Sam 25:17 · 2Sam 17:4 · Esth 7:7

8Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you; but if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”Cross-references: Gen 24:49 · Gen 47:29 · Josh 2:14 · Josh 22:22 · Ruth 1:8 · 1Sam 18:3 · +8 more

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?”Cross-references: 1Sam 19:2 · 1Sam 20:38 · 1Sam 20:42

10Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?”Cross-references: Gen 42:7 · Gen 42:30 · 1Sam 20:30 · 1Sam 25:10 · 1Sam 25:14 · 1Sam 25:17 · +2 more

11Jonathan said to David, “Come! Let’s go out into the field.” They both went out into the field.

12Jonathan said to David, “By Yahweh, 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?Cross-references: Josh 22:22 · Job 31:4 · Ps 17:3 · Ps 139:1 · Prov 20:5 · Prov 25:2

13Yahweh 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 Yahweh be with you as he has been with my father.Cross-references: Josh 1:5 · Ruth 1:17 · 1Sam 3:17 · 1Sam 10:7 · 1Sam 11:6 · 1Sam 14:47 · +12 more

14You shall not only show me the loving kindness of Yahweh while I still live, that I not die;Cross-references: 2Sam 9:3 · Eph 5:1

15but you shall also not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when Yahweh has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the surface of the earth.”Cross-references: 1Sam 24:21 · 2Sam 9:1 · 2Sam 21:7

16So Jonathan made a covenant with David’s house, saying, “Yahweh will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”Cross-references: Gen 15:18 · 1Sam 18:3 · 1Sam 25:22 · 1Sam 31:2 · 2Sam 4:7 · 2Sam 21:8

17Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had for him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.Cross-references: Deut 13:6 · 1Sam 18:1 · 1Sam 18:3 · 2Sam 1:26 · Prov 18:24

18Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.Cross-references: 1Sam 20:5 · 1Sam 20:25

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.Cross-references: 1Sam 19:2 · 1Sam 20:5

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 Yahweh lives.Cross-references: Jer 4:2 · Jer 5:2 · Jer 12:16 · Amos 8:14

22But if I say this to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go your way, for Yahweh has sent you away.Cross-references: 1Sam 20:37

23Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, Yahweh is between you and me forever.”Cross-references: Gen 16:5 · Gen 31:50 · 1Sam 20:14 · 1Sam 20:42

24So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon had come, the king sat himself down to eat food.Cross-references: Ps 50:16 · Prov 4:17 · Prov 15:17 · Prov 17:1 · Prov 21:3 · Prov 21:27 · +3 more

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.Cross-references: Judg 16:20 · 1Sam 20:18

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.”Cross-references: Lev 7:20 · Lev 11:24 · Lev 11:27 · Lev 11:31 · Lev 11:40 · Lev 15:5 · +4 more

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?”Cross-references: 1Sam 18:11 · 1Sam 19:9 · 1Sam 19:15 · 1Sam 22:7 · 1Sam 22:13 · 1Sam 25:10 · +3 more

28Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem.Cross-references: 1Sam 20:6

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.”Cross-references: 1Sam 17:28

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?Cross-references: Job 5:2 · Prov 14:29 · Prov 15:2 · Prov 19:12 · Prov 19:19 · Prov 21:24 · +6 more

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!”Cross-references: 1Sam 19:6 · 1Sam 19:11 · 1Sam 20:8 · 1Sam 26:16 · 2Sam 19:28 · Ps 79:11

32Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”Cross-references: Gen 31:36 · 1Sam 18:11 · 1Sam 19:5 · 1Sam 19:10 · 1Sam 20:7 · Prov 22:24 · +8 more

33Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.Cross-references: 1Sam 18:11 · 1Sam 19:10 · 1Sam 20:7

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.Cross-references: Eccl 7:20 · Mark 3:5 · Eph 4:26

35In the morning, Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him.Cross-references: 1Sam 20:19 · 2Sam 20:5

36He said to his boy, “Run, find now the arrows which I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.Cross-references: 1Sam 20:20

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?”Cross-references: 1Sam 20:22

38Jonathan cried after the boy, “Go fast! Hurry! Don’t delay!” Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.Cross-references: Ps 55:6 · Prov 6:4 · Matt 24:16 · Mark 13:14 · Luke 17:31

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.Cross-references: Gen 29:11 · Gen 29:13 · Gen 43:28 · Gen 45:15 · 1Sam 10:1 · 1Sam 18:3 · +5 more

42Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have both sworn in Yahweh’s name, saying, ‘Yahweh is between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” He arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.Cross-references: Num 6:26 · 1Sam 1:17 · 1Sam 20:15 · 1Sam 20:22 · 1Sam 23:18 · Luke 7:50 · +1 more