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1 Samuel 20:8-17
New American Standard Bible
1 Samuel 20:8-17
New American Standard Bible
8 So deal kindly with your servant, for (A)you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But (B)if [a]I am guilty of wrongdoing, kill me yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?” 9 Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I in fact learn that my father has decided [b]to inflict harm on you, would I not inform you?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will inform me [c]if your father answers you harshly?” 11 Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let’s go out to the field.” So both of them went out to the field.
12 Then Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel, is my witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow or the third day, behold, if he has a good feeling toward [d]you, shall I not then send word to you and [e]inform you? 13 If it pleases my father to do you harm, (C)may the Lord do so to [f]me and more so, if I fail to [g]inform you and send you away, so that you may go in safety. And (D)may the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. 14 And if I am still alive, will you not show me the faithfulness of the Lord, so that I do not die? 15 And (E)you shall never cut off your loyalty to my house, not even when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “(F)May the Lord demand it from the hands of David’s enemies.” 17 And Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because (G)he loved him as he loved his own life.
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- 1 Samuel 20:8 Lit guilt exists in me
- 1 Samuel 20:9 Lit evil to come on
- 1 Samuel 20:10 As in ancient versions; MT or what your father
- 1 Samuel 20:12 Lit David
- 1 Samuel 20:12 Lit uncover your ear
- 1 Samuel 20:13 Lit Jonathan
- 1 Samuel 20:13 Lit uncover your ear
1 Samuel 20:8-17
New International Version
1 Samuel 20:8-17
New International Version
8 As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant(A) with you before the Lord. If I am guilty, then kill(B) me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?”
9 “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(C) 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,(D) if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the Lord be with(E) you as he has been with my father. 14 But show me unfailing kindness(F) 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(G)—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”
16 So Jonathan(H) made a covenant(I) with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.(J)” 17 And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath(K) out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.
1 Samuel 20:8-17
King James Version
1 Samuel 20:8-17
King James Version
8 Therefore 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?
9 And 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?
10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?
11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
12 And 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;
13 The 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.
14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not:
15 But 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.
16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David's enemies.
17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
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