1 Samuel 20
20
Reaffirming Covenant Loyalty
1Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah, came before Jonathan and said, “What have I done? What is my crime? What is my sin against your father that he should be seeking my life?”
2“Never!” he said to him. “You will not die! Behold, my father does nothing great or small without disclosing it to me. So why should my father hide this matter from me? It cannot be.”
3Then David swore again saying, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes. So he must have thought, ‘Let’s not let Jonathan know about this, else he will be grieved.’ But truly as Adonai lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”
4Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you!”
5So David said to Jonathan, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon, when I am supposed to sit down with the king to eat. Instead, let me go hide myself in the countryside until the third evening.
6If your father misses me at all, then say: ‘David earnestly asked my permission to run to Beth-lehem, his town, for it is the annual sacrifice there for the whole family.’
7If he says thus, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe; but if he becomes very angry, then know that he is determined to harm me.
8Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Adonai with you. But if there is any iniquity in me, then kill me yourself! Why should you bring me to your father?”
9Jonathan replied, “Far be it from you! For if I know for sure that my father has determined evil to come on you, then wouldn’t I tell you about it?”
10Then David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”
11Jonathan said to David, “Come, let’s go out to the field.” So they both went out to the field.
12Then Jonathan said to David, “By Adonai, God of Israel, I will sound out my father about this time tomorrow or the day after. Look, if it is good toward David, wouldn’t I then send word to you and disclose it to you?
13May Adonai do so to Jonathan and even worse, should my father intend to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in shalom. So may Adonai be with you as He has been with my father.
14“Now if I am still alive, wouldn’t you show me the loyal love of Adonai so I wouldn’t die?
15Yet also, don’t cut off your loyal love from my household ever—not even when Adonai cuts off all of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”
16So Jonathan cut a covenant with the house of David, “So may Adonai requite David’s enemies.”
17Jonathan made David swear again because of the love he had for him, for he loved him as he loved himself.
18Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the New Moon. You’ll be missed because your seat will be empty.
19On the third day, you must go down quickly and come to the place where you hid as you did on that day, and remain close to the stone Ezel.
20I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target.
21Now look, I will send a lad saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the lad, ‘See, the arrows are on this side of you—get them,’ then come; for it is safe for you and no danger, as Adonai lives.
22But if I say to the boy: ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go your way, for Adonai has released you.
23But as for the matter which I and you have spoken about, behold, Adonai is between me and you forever.”
24So David hid himself in the field, and when the New Moon came, the king sat down to eat a meal.
25So the king sat on his seat—as usual, the seat by the wall—Jonathan stood up and Abner sat down by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.
26Nevertheless, Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “It must be an accident; he must be ceremonially unclean—yes, that’s it, he’s unclean.”
27Yet it came to pass on the day following the New Moon, the second day, that David’s place was still empty. So Saul asked his son Jonathan, “Why didn’t Jesse’s son come to the meal yesterday or today?”
28Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem,
29as he said, ‘Please let me go, for we are going to have a family feast in the town, and my brother has commanded me. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me go, please, to see my brothers. That’s why he hasn’t come to the king’s table.”
30Then Saul’s rage blazed 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 earth, neither you nor your kingship will be secure. Now, send word and bring him to me, for he is a son of death!”
32But Jonathan answered his father Saul, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
33Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.
34So Jonathan rose up from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food the second day of the new month, for he was grieved over David, because his father had dishonored him.
35It came to pass in the morning that Jonathan went out to the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad was with him.
36He said to his lad, “Run, find now the arrows that I am about to shoot.” Now as the lad was running, he shot an arrow past him.
37When the lad reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried out after the lad and said, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?”
38Then Jonathan called out after the lad, “Quick, hurry! Don’t stand there!” So Jonathan’s lad picked up the arrow and came to his master.
39But the lad knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement.
40Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, “Go, take them back to the town.”
41As soon as the lad was gone, David emerged from the south side and fell on his face to the ground and bowed down three times. Then they kissed each other and wept together, though David wept more.
42Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in the shalom that we both have sworn to each other in the Name of Adonai saying: ‘May Adonai be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’”
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1 Samuel 20: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
1 Samuel 20
20
1Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” 2And he said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me; and why should my father hide this from me? It is not so.” 3But David replied,#20.3 Gk: Heb swore again “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he thinks, ‘Let not 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 to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.” 5David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening. 6If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’ 7If he says, ‘Good!’ it will be well with your servant; 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 sacred covenant#20.8 Heb a covenant of the Lord with you. But if there is guilt in me, slay me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?” 9And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that evil should come upon you, would I not tell you?” 10Then said David to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?” 11And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So they both went out into the field.
12And Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness!#20.12 Heb lacks be witness When I have sounded my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? 13But should it please my father to do you harm, the Lord do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in safety. May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father. 14If I am still alive, show me the loyal love of the Lord, that I may not die;#20.14 Heb uncertain 15and do not cut off your loyalty from my house for ever. When the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth, 16let not the name of Jonathan be cut off from the house of David.#20.16 Gk: Heb earth, and Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David And may the Lord take vengeance on David's enemies.” 17And Jonathan made David swear again by his love 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. 19And on the third day you will be greatly missed;#20.19 Gk: Heb go down quickly then go to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand, and remain beside yonder stone heap.#20.19 Gk: Heb the stone Ezel 20And I will shoot three arrows to 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 say to the lad, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,’ then you are to come, for, as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. 22But if I say to the youth, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go; for the Lord has sent you away. 23And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is between you and me for ever.”
24So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. 25The king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon the seat by the wall; Jonathan sat opposite,#20.25 Cn See Gk: Heb stood up and Abner sat by Saul's side, but David's place was empty.
26Yet Saul did not say anything that day; for he thought, “Something has befallen him; he is not clean, surely he is not clean.” 27But on the second day, the morrow after the new moon, David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” 28Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem; 29he said, ‘Let me go; for our family holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, and see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king's table.”
30Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not 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 upon the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and fetch him to me, for he shall surely die.” 32Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” 33But Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; so Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. 34And Jonathan rose 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 disgraced him.
35In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him a little lad. 36And he said to his lad, “Run and find the arrows which I shoot.” As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37And when the lad came to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” 38And Jonathan called after the lad, “Hurry, make haste, stay not.” So Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 39But the lad knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, “Go and carry them to the city.” 41And as soon as the lad had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap#20.41 Gk: Heb from beside the south and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times; and they kissed one another, and wept with one another, until David recovered himself.#20.41 Or exceeded 42Then 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 you, and between my descendants and your descendants, for ever.’ ” And he rose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.#20.42 This sentence is 21.1 in Heb
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