1 Samuel 20

1And David went in flight from Naioth in Ramah and came to Jonathan and said, What have I done? What is my crime and my sin against your father that he is attempting to take my life?

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?

1And David fleeth from Naioth in Ramah, and cometh, and saith before Jonathan, `What have I done? what <FI>is<Fi> mine iniquity? and what my sin before thy father, that he is seeking my life?'

2And he said to him, Far be the thought: you will not be put to death: see, my father does nothing, great or small, without giving me word of it: would he keep this secret from me? It is not so.

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.

2And he saith to him, `Far be it! thou dost not die; lo, my father doth not do anything great or small and doth not uncover mine ear; and wherefore doth my father hide from me this thing? this <FI>thing<Fi> is not.'

3But David took his oath again and said, Your father sees that I am dear to you; so he says to himself, Let Jonathan have no idea of this, for it will be a grief to him; but as the Lord is living, and as your soul is living, there is only a step between me and death.

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.

3And David sweareth again, and saith, `Thy father hath certainly known that I have found grace in thine eyes, and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved; and yet, Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, but--as a step between me and death.'

4Then Jonathan said to David, Whatever your desire is, I will do it for you.

4And Jonathan said to David, What thy soul may say, I will even do it for thee.

4And Jonathan saith to David, `What doth thy soul say? --and I do it for thee.'

5And David said to Jonathan, Tomorrow is the new moon, and I will not be seated with the king at his table: but let me go to a safe place in the country till the evening.

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.

5And David saith unto Jonathan, `Lo, the new moon <FI>is<Fi> to-morrow; and I do certainly sit with the king to eat; and thou hast sent me away, and I have been hidden in a field till the third evening;

6And if your father takes note of the fact that I am away, say, David made a request to me for himself that he might go to Beth-lehem, to his town: for it is the time when his family make their offering year by year.

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.

6if thy father at all look after me, and thou hast said, David asked earnestly of me to run to Beth-Lehem his city, for a sacrifice of the days <FI>is<Fi> there for all the family.

7If he says, It is well, your servant will be at peace: but if he is angry, then it will be clear to you that he has an evil purpose in mind against me.

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.

7If thus he say: Good; peace <FI>is<Fi> for thy servant; and if it be very displeasing to him--know that the evil hath been determined by him;

8So, then, be kind to your servant; for you have been united with your servant in an agreement made before the Lord: but if there is any wrongdoing in me, put me to death yourself; why take me to your father?

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?

8and thou hast done kindness, to thy servant, for into a covenant of Jehovah thou hast brought thy servant with thee; --and if there is in me iniquity, put thou me to death; and unto thy father, why is this--thou dost bring me in?'

9And Jonathan said, Do not have such a thought: for if I saw that my father was designing evil against you, would I not give you word of it?

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?

9And Jonathan saith, `Far be it from thee! for I certainly do not know that the evil hath been determined by my father to come upon thee, and I do not declare it to thee.'

10Then David said to Jonathan, Who will give me word if your father gives you a rough answer?

10Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?

10And David saith unto Jonathan, `Who doth declare to me? or what <FI>if<Fi> thy father doth answer thee sharply?'

11And Jonathan said to David, Come, let us go out into the country. And the two of them went out together into the open country.

11And Jonathan said to David, Come and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.

11And Jonathan saith unto David, `Come, and we go out into the field;' and they go out both of them into the field.

12And Jonathan said to David, May the Lord, the God of Israel, be witness; when I have had a chance of talking to my father, about this time tomorrow, if his feelings to David are good, will I not send and give you the news?

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,

12And Jonathan saith unto David, `Jehovah, God of Israel--when I search my father, about <FI>this<Fi> time to-morrow <FI>or<Fi> the third <FI>day<Fi> , and lo, good <FI>is<Fi> towards David, and I do not then send unto thee, and have uncovered thine ear--

13May the Lord's punishment be on Jonathan, if it is my father's pleasure to do you evil and I do not give you word of it and send you away so that you may go in peace: and may the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father.

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.

13thus doth Jehovah do to Jonathan, and thus doth He add; when the evil concerning thee is good to my father, then I have uncovered thine ear, and sent thee away, and thou hast gone in peace, and Jehovah is with thee, as he was with my father;

14And may you, while I am still living, O may you be kind to me, as the Lord is kind, and keep me from death!

14And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of Jehovah, that I die not,

14and not only while I am alive dost thou do with me the kindness of Jehovah, and I die not,

15And let not your mercy ever be cut off from my family, even when the Lord has sent destruction on all David's haters, cutting them off from the face of the earth.

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.

15but thou dost not cut off thy kindness from my house unto the age, nor in Jehovah's cutting off the enemies of David, each one from off the face of the ground.'

16And if it comes about that the name of Jonathan is cut off from the family of David, the Lord will make David responsible.

16And Jonathan made [a covenant] with the house of David, [saying,] Let Jehovah even require [it] at the hand of David's enemies!

16And Jonathan covenanteth with the house of David, and Jehovah hath sought <FI>it<Fi> from the hand of the enemies of David;

17And Jonathan again took an oath to David, because of his love for him: for David was as dear to him as his very soul.

17And Jonathan caused David to swear again, by the love he had for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

17and Jonathan addeth to cause David to swear, because he loveth him, for with the love of his own soul he hath loved him.

18Then Jonathan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon: and it will be seen that you are not present, for there will be no one in your seat.

18And Jonathan said to him, To-morrow is the new moon; and thou wilt be missed, for thy seat will be empty;

18And Jonathan saith to him, `To-morrow <FI>is<Fi> new moon, and thou hast been looked after, for thy seat is looked after;

19And on the third day it will be specially noted, and you will go to the place where you took cover when the other business was in hand, waiting by the hill over there.

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.

19and on the third day thou dost certainly come down, and hast come in unto the place where thou wast hidden in the day of the work, and hast remained near the stone Ezel.

20And on the third day I will send arrows from my bow against its side as if at a mark.

20And I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.

20`And I shoot three of the arrows at the side, sending out for myself at a mark;

21And I will send my boy to have a look for the arrow. And if I say to him, See, the arrow is on this side of you; take it up! then you may come; for there is peace for you and no evil, by the living Lord.

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.

21and lo, I send the youth: Go, find the arrows. If I at all say to the youth, Lo, the arrows <FI>are<Fi> on this side of thee--take them, --then come thou, for peace <FI>is<Fi> for thee, and there is nothing; Jehovah liveth.

22But if I say to the boy, See, the arrow has gone past you: then go on your way, for the Lord has sent you away.

22But if I say thus to the youth: Behold, the arrows are beyond thee, — go thy way; for Jehovah sends thee away.

22And if thus I say to the young man, Lo, the arrows <FI>are<Fi> beyond thee, --go, for Jehovah hath sent thee away;

23As for what you and I were talking of, the Lord is between you and me for ever.

23And as to the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between me and thee for ever.

23as to the thing which we have spoken, I and thou, lo, Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> between me and thee--unto the age.'

24So David went to a secret place in the country: and when the new moon came, the king took his place at the feast.

24And David hid himself in the field; and it was the new moon, and the king sat at table to eat.

24And David is hidden in the field, and it is the new moon, and the king sitteth down by the food to eat,

25And the king took his seat, as at other times, by the wall: and Jonathan was in front, and Abner was seated by Saul's side, but there was no one in David's seat.

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.

25and the king sitteth on his seat, as time by time, on a seat by the wall, and Jonathan riseth, and Abner sitteth at the side of Saul, and David's place is looked after.

26But Saul said nothing that day, for his thought was, Something has taken place making him unclean; it is clear that he is not clean.

26And Saul said nothing that day; for he thought, Something has befallen [him], that he is not clean: surely he is not clean.

26And Saul hath not spoken anything on that day, for he said, `It <FI>is<Fi> an accident; he is not clean--surely not clean.'

27And on the day after the new moon, that is, the second day, there was still no one in David's seat: and Saul said to his son Jonathan, Why has the son of Jesse not come to the feast yesterday or today?

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?

27And it cometh to pass on the second morrow of the new moon, that David's place is looked after, and Saul saith unto Jonathan his son, `Wherefore hath the son of Jesse not come in, either yesterday or to-day, unto the food?'

28And answering Saul, Jonathan said, He made a request to me that he might go to Beth-lehem,

28And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me [to go] to Bethlehem,

28And Jonathan answereth Saul, `David hath been earnestly asked of me unto Beth-Lehem,

29Saying, Our family is making an offering in the town, and my brothers have given me orders to be there: so now, if I have grace in your eyes, let me go away and see my brothers. This is why he has not come to the king's table.

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.

29and he saith, Send me away, I pray thee, for a family sacrifice we have in the city, and my brother himself hath given command to me, and now, if I have found grace in thine eyes, let me go away, I pray thee, and see my brethren; therefore he hath not come unto the table of the king.'

30Then Saul was moved to wrath against Jonathan, and he said to him, You son of an evil and uncontrolled woman, have I not seen how you have given your love to the son of Jesse, to your shame and the shame of your mother?

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?

30And the anger of Saul burneth against Jonathan, and he saith to him, `Son of a perverse rebellious woman! have I not known that thou art fixing on the son of Jesse to thy shame, and to the shame of the nakedness of thy mother?

31For while the son of Jesse is living on the earth, your position is unsafe and your kingdom is in danger. So make him come here to me, for it is certainly right for him to be put to death.

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.

31for all the days that the son of Jesse liveth on the ground thou art not established, thou and thy kingdom; and now, send and bring him unto me, for he <FI>is<Fi> a son of death.'

32And Jonathan, answering his father Saul, said to him, Why is he to be put to death? What has he done?

32And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, Why should he be put to death? what has he done?

32And Jonathan answereth Saul his father, and saith unto him, `Why is he put to death? what hath he done?'

33And Saul, pointing his spear at him, made an attempt to give him a wound: from which it was clear to Jonathan that his father's purpose was to put David to death.

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.

33And Saul casteth the javelin at him to smite him, and Jonathan knoweth that it hath been determined by his father to put David to death.

34So Jonathan got up from the table, burning with wrath, and took no part in the feast the second day of the month, being full of grief for David because his father had put shame on him.

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.

34And Jonathan riseth from the table in the heat of anger, and hath not eaten food on the second day of the new moon, for he hath been grieved for David, for his father put him to shame.

35Now in the morning, Jonathan went out into the fields at the time he had said to David, and he had a little boy with him.

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.

35And it cometh to pass in the morning, that Jonathan goeth out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little youth <FI>is<Fi> with him.

36And he said to the boy, Go and get the arrow I let loose from my bow. And while the boy was running, he sent an arrow past 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.

36And he saith to his youth, `Run, find, I pray thee, the arrows which I am shooting;' the youth is running, and he hath shot the arrow, causing <FI>it<Fi> to pass over him.

37And when the boy came to the place where the arrow was, Jonathan, crying out after the boy, said, Has it not gone past you?

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?

37And the youth cometh unto the place of the arrow which Jonathan hath shot, and Jonathan calleth after the youth, and saith, `Is not the arrow beyond thee?'

38And Jonathan went on crying out after the boy, Be quick, do not keep waiting about, go quickly. And Jonathan's boy got the arrow and came back to his master.

38And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not! And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

38and Jonathan calleth after the youth, `Speed, haste, stand not;' and Jonathan's youth gathereth the arrows, and cometh unto his lord.

39But the boy had no idea what was going on; only Jonathan and David had knowledge of it.

39And the lad knew nothing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

39And the youth hath not known anything, only Jonathan and David knew the word.

40And Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy, and said to him, Take these and go back to the town.

40And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, Go, carry them to the city.

40And Jonathan giveth his weapons unto the youth whom he hath, and saith to him, `Go, carry into the city.'

41And when the boy had gone, David came from his secret place by the hill, and falling to the earth went down on his face three times: and they gave one another a kiss, weeping together, till David's grief was the greater.

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.

41The youth hath gone, and David hath risen from Ezel, at the south, and falleth on his face to the earth, and boweth himself three times, and they kiss one another, and they weep one with another, till David exerted himself;

42And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, for we two have taken an oath, in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord will be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed for ever. Then David went away, and Jonathan went into the town.

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.

42and Jonathan saith to David, `Go in peace, in that we have sworn--we two--in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah is between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed--unto the age;' and he riseth and goeth; and Jonathan hath gone in to the city.