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約拿單暗助大衛

20 大衛從拉瑪的拿約逃走,來見約拿單,說:“我作了甚麼?我有甚麼罪孽?我在你父親面前犯了甚麼罪,他竟尋索我的性命呢?” 約拿單對他說:“絕對沒有這事,你必不會死。我父親作事,無論大小,沒有不讓我知道的,為甚麼這事他偏要隱瞞我呢?不會這樣的。” 大衛再起誓說:“你父親一定知道我在你眼中蒙恩,就心裡想:‘不要讓約拿單知道這事,免得他傷心。’可是,我指著永活的耶和華,又指著你的性命起誓,我離死只差一步。” 約拿單對大衛說:“你心裡想要甚麼,我必為你作成。” 大衛就對約拿單說:“你看,明天是初一,我本該與王一同坐席。但是,求你容我去藏在田裡,直到後天晚上。 如果你父親不見我在座,你就說:‘大衛懇求我讓他趕回他的本城伯利恆去,因為他全家在那裡有獻年祭的事。’ 如果你父親這樣說:‘好!’那麼僕人就平安無事了;如果他大大發怒,你就知道,他決意要害我了。 求你以慈愛待僕人,因為你曾與僕人在耶和華面前立盟約。如果我有罪孽,你就親手把我殺死,為甚麼要把我交給你父親呢?” 約拿單說:“絕對沒有這事,如果我知道我父親決意要害你,我會不告訴你嗎?” 10 大衛對約拿單說:“如果你父親嚴厲地回答你,誰來告訴我呢?” 11 約拿單對大衛說:“你來,我們出到田裡去吧!”他們二人就出到田裡去了。

12 約拿單對大衛說:“願耶和華以色列的 神作證,明天或後天約在這個時候,我探出了我父親的意思,如果他對你有好感,那時我會不派人來告訴你嗎? 13 假如我父親有意要害你,我若是不告訴你,不讓你走,不使你平平安安地離去,願耶和華加倍懲罰我。願耶和華與你同在,好像從前與我父親同在一樣。 14 我活著的時候,求你以耶和華的慈愛待我,使我不致於死。 15 我死了以後,耶和華從地上一一剪除大衛的仇敵的時候,你也不可向我的家永遠斷絕你的慈愛。” 16 於是約拿單與大衛家立盟約,說:“願耶和華藉大衛仇敵的手追討違背盟約的罪。” 17 約拿單由於愛大衛,就使大衛再起誓;他愛大衛如同愛自己的命。

18 約拿單對大衛說:“明天是初一,因為你的座位空著,人必注意到你不在。 19 到後天,你要趕快下去,到你以前出事那天藏身的地方,在以色磐石旁邊等候。 20 我要向磐石旁邊射三支箭,好像射箭靶一樣。 21 然後,我要派一個僕人去,說:‘你去把箭找回來。’如果我對那僕人說:‘看哪!箭在你的後面,把箭拿回來。’你就可以回來,因為我指著永活的耶和華起誓,你必平安無事。 22 如果我對僕人說:‘看哪!箭在你的前面。’你就要離去,因為是耶和華打發你去的。 23 至於你我之間所說的這事,有耶和華永遠在你我之間作證。”

掃羅怒責約拿單

24 於是大衛在田裡藏起來。到了初一,王坐席吃飯。 25 王照常坐在他的座位上,就是靠牆的座位,約拿單坐在對面(按照《馬索拉文本》,“坐在對面”作“站起來”;現參照《七十士譯本》翻譯),押尼珥坐在掃羅旁邊,大衛的座位卻空著。 26 那天掃羅沒有說甚麼,因為他心裡想:“這是恰巧的事,或許大衛沾染了不潔,還沒有得到潔淨。” 27 次日,就是初二,大衛的座位仍是空著。於是掃羅問他的兒子約拿單:“為甚麼耶西的兒子昨天今天都沒有來吃飯呢?” 28 約拿單回答掃羅:“大衛懇切地求我讓他回伯利恆去。 29 他說:‘求你讓我去,因為我們的家在城裡有獻祭的事,我哥哥吩咐我去。所以,我若是在你眼前蒙恩,求你讓我離開,看看我的哥哥們。’因此,大衛沒有來赴王的筵席。”

30 於是掃羅向約拿單發怒,對他說:“你這邪僻悖逆婦人所生的,我豈不知道你喜悅耶西的兒子,自取羞辱,也羞辱生你的母親嗎? 31 因為只要耶西的兒子還活在這世上,你和你的國就不能穩固。現在,你要派人去把他抓到我這裡來,因為他是該死的。” 32 約拿單回答他父親掃羅說:“為甚麼要把他處死呢?他作了甚麼事呢?” 33 掃羅向著約拿單把槍擲過去,要刺殺他。約拿單就知道,他父親已經決意要殺死大衛。 34 約拿單怒氣沖沖地從席間退去,初二這天,他沒有吃飯;因為他父親羞辱了大衛,他就為大衛擔憂。

大衛與約拿單泣別

35 到了早晨,約拿單照著與大衛約定的時候,出到田裡去,有一個小童與他在一起。 36 他對那童僕說:“你跑去,把我所射的箭找回來。”那童僕跑去的時候,約拿單就把箭射到他前面。 37 那童僕到了約拿單的箭射到的地方,約拿單就在那童僕的背後喊叫:“箭不是在你的前面嗎?” 38 約拿單又在那童僕的背後喊叫:“趕快跑去!不要停留!”那童僕就把箭拾起來,回到他主人那裡去。 39 那童僕一點也不知道這是甚麼意思,只有約拿單和大衛知道。 40 約拿單把自己的武器交給他的童僕,對他說:“你帶回城裡去吧!” 41 那童僕一離去,大衛就從石堆的南邊起來,臉伏於地,叩拜了三次。二人互相親吻,相對哭泣,大衛哭得更悲痛。 42 約拿單對大衛說:“你平平安安走吧!我們二人曾指著耶和華的名起誓說:‘願耶和華在你我之間,也在我的後裔和你的後裔之間作證,直到永遠。’”大衛就起身離開,約拿單也回城裡去了(“大衛就起身離開,約拿單也回城裡去了。”在《馬索拉文本》為21:1)。

David and Jonathan

20 Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged(A) your father, that he is trying to kill me?”(B)

“Never!” Jonathan replied. “You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without letting me know. Why would he hide this from me? It isn’t so!”

But David took an oath(C) and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.’ Yet as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.”

Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.”

So David said, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon feast,(D) and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide(E) in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David earnestly asked my permission(F) to hurry to Bethlehem,(G) his hometown, because an annual(H) sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.’ If he says, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper,(I) you can be sure that he is determined(J) to harm me. As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant(K) with you before the Lord. If I am guilty, then kill(L) me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?”

“Never!” Jonathan said. “If I had the least inkling that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you?”

10 David asked, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”

11 “Come,” Jonathan said, “let’s go out into the field.” So they went there together.

12 Then Jonathan said to David, “I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel, that I will surely sound(M) out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know? 13 But if my father intends to harm you, may the Lord deal with Jonathan, be it ever so severely,(N) if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the Lord be with(O) you as he has been with my father. 14 But show me unfailing kindness(P) like the Lord’s kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, 15 and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family(Q)—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”

16 So Jonathan(R) made a covenant(S) with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.(T) 17 And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath(U) out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.

18 Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon feast. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty.(V) 19 The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid(W) when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel. 20 I will shoot three arrows(X) to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target. 21 Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,’ then come, because, as surely as the Lord lives, you are safe; there is no danger. 22 But if I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond(Y) you,’ then you must go, because the Lord has sent you away. 23 And about the matter you and I discussed—remember, the Lord is witness(Z) between you and me forever.”

24 So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon feast(AA) came, the king sat down to eat. 25 He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan,[a] and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty.(AB) 26 Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.(AC) 27 But the next day, the second day of the month, David’s place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”

28 Jonathan answered, “David earnestly asked me for permission(AD) to go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice(AE) in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away to see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.”

30 Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? 31 As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom(AF) will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!”

32 “Why(AG) should he be put to death? What(AH) has he done?” Jonathan asked his father. 33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended(AI) to kill David.

34 Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the feast he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David.

35 In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him, 36 and he said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond(AJ) you?” 38 Then he shouted, “Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!” The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master. 39 (The boy knew nothing about all this; only Jonathan and David knew.) 40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said, “Go, carry them back to town.”

41 After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground.(AK) Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most.

42 Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace,(AL) for we have sworn friendship(AM) with each other in the name of the Lord,(AN) saying, ‘The Lord is witness(AO) between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.(AP)’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.[b]

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 20:25 Septuagint; Hebrew wall. Jonathan arose
  2. 1 Samuel 20:42 In Hebrew texts this sentence (20:42b) is numbered 21:1.

20 2 Jonathan comforteth David. 3 They renew their league. 33 Saul would have killed Jonathan. 38 Jonathan advertiseth David by three arrows, of his father’s fury.

And David [a]fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what sin have I committed before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

And he said unto him, God forbid, thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing great nor small, but he will [b]show it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? he will not do it.

And David swore again and said, Thy father knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes: therefore he thinketh, Jonathan shall not know it, lest he be sorry: but indeed, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a [c]step between me and death.

Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul [d]requireth, that I will do unto thee.

And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the [e]first day of the month, and I should sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the fields unto the third day at even.

If thy father make mention of me, then say, David asked leave of me, that he might go to Bethlehem to his own city: for there is a [f]yearly sacrifice for all that family.

And if he say thus, It is well, thy servant shall have peace: but if he be angry, be sure that wickedness is concluded of him.

So shalt thou show mercy unto thy servant: (A)for thou hast joined thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee, and if there be in me iniquity, slay thou me? for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

¶ And Jonathan answered, God keep that from thee: for if I knew that wickedness were [g]concluded of my father to come upon thee, would not I tell it thee?

10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who [h]shall tell me? how shall I know, if thy father answer thee cruelly?

11 And Jonathan said to David, Come and let us go out into the field: and they twain went out into the field.

12 Then Jonathan said to David, O Lord God of Israel, when I have groped my father’s mind tomorrow at this time, or within this three days, and if it be well with David, and I then send not unto thee, and show it thee,

13 The Lord [i]do so and much more unto Jonathan: but if my father have mind to do thee evil, I will show thee also, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee as he hath been with my father.

14 Likewise I require not whiles I live: for I doubt not but thou wilt show me the mercy of the Lord, [j]that I die not.

15 But I require that thou cut not off thy mercy from mine house forever: no, not when the Lord hath destroyed the enemies of David, every one from the earth.

16 So Jonathan made a bond with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord require it at the hands of David’s enemies.

17 And again Jonathan swore unto David, because he loved him (for he loved him as his own soul,)

18 Then said Jonathan to him, Tomorrow is the first day of the month: and thou shalt be [k]looked for, for thy place shall be empty.

19 Therefore thou shalt hide thyself three days, then thou shalt go down quickly and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself, when this matter was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone [l]Ezel.

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

21 And after I will send a boy, saying, Go, seek the arrows. If I say unto the boy, See, the arrows are on this side thee, bring them, and come thou: for it is [m]well with thee, and no hurt, as the Lord liveth.

22 But if I say thus unto the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee, go thy way: for the [n]Lord hath sent thee away.

23 As touching the thing which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me forever.

24 ¶ So David hid himself in the field: and when the first day of the month came, the king sat to eat meat.

25 And the king sat, as at other times upon his seat, even upon his seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.

26 And Saul said nothing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, though he were [o]clean, or else because he was not purified.

27 But on the morrow which was the second day of the month, David’s place was empty again: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not [p]the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday nor today?

28 And Jonathan answered unto Saul, David required of me, that he might go to Bethlehem.

29 For he said, Let me go, I pray thee: for our family offereth [q]a sacrifice in the city, and my brother hath sent for me: therefore now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me go, I pray thee, and see my [r]brethren: this is the cause that he cometh not unto the king’s table.

30 Then was Saul angry with Jonathan, and said unto him, Thou [s]son of the wicked rebellious woman, do not I know, that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thy confusion, and to the confusion and shame of thy mother?

31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the earth, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom: wherefore now send and fet him unto me, for he [t]shall surely die.

32 And Jonathan answered unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he [u]die? what hath he done?

33 And Saul cast a spear at him to hit him, whereby Jonathan knew, that it was determined of his father to slay David.

34 ¶ So Jonathan arose from the table in a great anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was sorry for David, and because his father had reviled him.

35 On the next morning therefore Jonathan went out into the field, [v]at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him.

36 And he said unto his boy, Run now, seek the arrows which I shoot, and as the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

37 And when the boy was come to the place where the arrow was that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the boy, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?

38 And Jonathan cried after the boy, [w]Make speed, haste and stand not still: and Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master,

39 But the boy knew nothing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

40 Then Jonathan gave his [x]bow and arrows unto the boy that was with him, and said unto him, Go, carry them into the city.

41 ¶ As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of a place that was toward the [y]South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept both twain, till David exceeded.

42 Therefore Jonathan said to David, Go in peace: that which we have [z]sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and between thy seed, let it stand forever.

43 And he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 20:1 For Saul was stayed, and prophesied a day and a night by God’s providence, that David might have time to escape.
  2. 1 Samuel 20:2 Hebrew, reveal it in mine ear.
  3. 1 Samuel 20:3 I am in great danger of death.
  4. 1 Samuel 20:4 Hebrew, saith.
  5. 1 Samuel 20:5 At what time there should be a solemn sacrifice, Num. 28:11, to the which they added peace offerings and feasts.
  6. 1 Samuel 20:6 Read 1 Sam. 1:21.
  7. 1 Samuel 20:9 That he were fully determined.
  8. 1 Samuel 20:10 If thy father do favor me.
  9. 1 Samuel 20:13 The Lord punish me most grievously.
  10. 1 Samuel 20:14 I know that if thou werest now preferred to the Kingdom, thou wouldest not destroy me, but show thyself friendly to my posterity.
  11. 1 Samuel 20:18 Or, mentioned.
  12. 1 Samuel 20:19 Hebrew, of the way, because it served as a sign to show the way to them that passed by.
  13. 1 Samuel 20:21 Hebrew, peace.
  14. 1 Samuel 20:22 The Lord is the author of thy departure.
  15. 1 Samuel 20:26 Yet he might have some business to let him.
  16. 1 Samuel 20:27 Thus he speaketh contemptuously of David.
  17. 1 Samuel 20:29 That is, a peace offering.
  18. 1 Samuel 20:29 Meaning, all his kinsfolk.
  19. 1 Samuel 20:30 Thou art ever contrary unto me as thy mother is.
  20. 1 Samuel 20:31 Hebrew, son of death.
  21. 1 Samuel 20:32 For it were too great tyranny to put one to death and not to show the cause why.
  22. 1 Samuel 20:35 For this was the third day, as it was agreed upon, verse 5.
  23. 1 Samuel 20:38 By these words he admonished David what he ought to do.
  24. 1 Samuel 20:40 Hebrew, instruments.
  25. 1 Samuel 20:41 It seemeth that he had shot on the North side of the stone, lest the boy should have espied David.
  26. 1 Samuel 20:42 Which oath he calleth in the eighth verse, the covenant of the Lord.

大衛與約拿單

20 大衛從拉瑪的拿約逃出來去見約拿單,問他:「我做了什麼?犯了什麼罪?我什麼地方對不起你父親,他竟追殺我?」 約拿單答道:「絕無此事,你不會死的!我父親事無大小都會告訴我的,他不會瞞著我這件事,不會的。」 大衛發誓說:「你父親深知你恩待我,他為了不使你傷心,才瞞著你。但我憑永活的耶和華和你的性命起誓,我離死亡僅一步之遙!」 約拿單說:「你有什麼需要?我一定相助。」 大衛答道:「明天是初一,我本該跟王一起用餐,請讓我躲到田間,直到第三天晚上。 如果你父親問起我,你就說我懇求你允許我回到故鄉伯利恆,因為我全家正在那裡獻年祭。 如果你父親說『好吧』,僕人就平安無事了。如果他發怒,就表示他決意要殺我。 請你善待僕人,因你與我在耶和華面前立了盟約。如果我有罪,就請你親手殺了我,何必把我交給你父親呢?」 約拿單答道:「我決不會這樣做。如果我知道我父親決意要殺你,我怎能不通知你呢?」 10 大衛說:「你父親若向你發怒,誰來告訴我呢?」 11 約拿單說:「我們一起到田野去吧。」於是,二人一起去了田野。

12 約拿單對大衛說:「願以色列的上帝耶和華作證,明天或後天這個時侯我就會打探到我父親的意思,如果他善意待你,我會派人通知你。 13 如果他有意殺你,而我卻不告訴你讓你安然逃走,願耶和華重重地懲罰我。願耶和華與你同在,像從前與我父親同在一樣。 14 在我有生之年,請你照耶和華的慈愛恩待我,免我一死。 15 在我死後,即使耶和華把你所有的仇敵都毀滅了,請你仍舊恩待我的後人。」 16 於是,約拿單與大衛家立下盟約,說:「倘若大衛不守盟約,願耶和華藉著仇敵懲罰他。」 17 約拿單因為像愛自己一樣愛大衛,便叫他再次起誓。 18 約拿單說:「明天是初一,人們會注意到你缺席。 19 到了後天,你要趕快去上次出事時躲藏的以色磐石那裡。 20 我會朝磐石的旁邊射三箭,好像射靶子。 21 然後,我會叫一個少年把箭拾回來。如果你聽到我對他說,『箭就在你旁邊,把箭拾回來。』那就表示你可以回來了,我憑永活的耶和華起誓,你必平安無事。 22 但如果我對少年說,『箭就在你前面。』你就要離開,因為是耶和華要你離開。 23 至於我們之間所立的約,耶和華永遠為我們作證。」

24 於是,大衛就躲到田野。初一到了,掃羅王入席吃飯, 25 他照常坐在靠牆的位置,約拿單坐在對面,押尼珥坐在王的身邊,大衛的位子空著。 26 那一天,掃羅並沒有說什麼,他以為大衛可能遇到了使自己不潔淨的事,不能赴宴。 27 可是到了第二天,大衛的座位還是空的,掃羅就問兒子約拿單:「耶西的兒子為什麼這兩天都不來赴宴呢?」 28 約拿單答道:「大衛懇求我讓他回到伯利恆, 29 因為他家要在城中獻祭,他的哥哥要他去。他求我恩准他去見他的哥哥們。所以,他沒有來參加王的宴席。」

30 掃羅向約拿單發怒,對他說:「你這邪惡叛逆婦人所生之子!難道我不知道你是站在耶西的兒子那邊嗎?你這樣做不但自取其辱,也使你母親蒙羞。 31 只要耶西的兒子活在世上,你和你的王位就不得安穩。你派人把他抓到我這裡,他非死不可。」 32 約拿單問:「為什麼要殺他?他做了什麼?」

33 掃羅氣得把矛擲向約拿單,想要殺他。約拿單知道父親決意要殺大衛。 34 他怒氣沖沖地離席,整天不肯進食,因為他看見父親如此卑劣地對待大衛,心裡非常難過。 35 第二天早晨,約拿單按照和大衛的約定帶著一個少年來到田野。 36 約拿單對少年說:「你跑去把我射的箭拾回來。」少年就向前跑去,約拿單把箭射在他前面。 37 少年跑到落箭之處的時候,約拿單就大聲叫道:「箭不是在你的前面嗎? 38 快快去,不要耽延。」少年連忙把箭拾起來,回到主人那裡。 39 他不知道主人的用意,只有約拿單和大衛知道。 40 約拿單把弓箭交給那少年,吩咐他帶回城中。 41 少年離開以後,大衛就從磐石南面出來,伏地拜了三拜。二人彼此親吻,抱頭痛哭,大衛更是泣不成聲。 42 約拿單說:「我們已憑耶和華的名起誓,有耶和華在你我和你我的子孫之間永遠為我們的盟約作證,你就安心去吧。」大衛便起身離開,約拿單也回城去了。