1 Samuel 20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Friendship of David and Jonathan
20 David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came before Jonathan and said, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin against your father that he is trying to take my life?”(A) 2 He said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. My father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me, and why should my father hide this from me? Never!” 3 But David also swore, “Your father knows well that you like me, and he thinks, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.’ But truly, as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.” 4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.” 5 David said to Jonathan, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at the meal, but let me go, so that I may hide in the field until the third evening.(B) 6 If 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.’(C) 7 If he says, ‘Good!’ it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry, then know that evil has been determined by him. 8 Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a sacred covenant[a] with you. But if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?”(D) 9 Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that it was decided by my father that evil should come upon you, would I not tell you?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?” 11 Jonathan replied to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So they both went out into the field.
12 Jonathan said to David, “By the Lord, the God of Israel! When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow or on the third day, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? 13 But if my father intends 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, so that you may go in safety. May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father.(E) 14 If I am still alive, show me the faithful love of the Lord, but if I die,[b] 15 never cut off your faithful love from my house, even if the Lord were to cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”(F) 16 Thus Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord seek out the enemies of David.” 17 Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own life.(G)
18 Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon; you will be missed because your place will be empty.(H) 19 On the day after tomorrow, you shall go a long way down; go to the place where you hid yourself earlier, and remain beside the stone there.[c](I) 20 I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. 21 Then I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; collect them,’ then you are to come, for, as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. 22 But if I say to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the Lord has sent you away.(J) 23 As for the matter about which you and I have spoken, the Lord be between you and me forever.”(K)
24 So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat at the feast to eat. 25 The king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon the seat by the wall. Jonathan stood, while Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.(L)
26 Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has befallen him; he is not clean; surely he is not clean.”(M) 27 But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David’s place was empty. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the feast, either yesterday or today?” 28 Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem;(N) 29 he said, ‘Let me go, for our family is holding a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your sight, let me get away and see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”
30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan. He said to him, “You son of a rebellious woman![d] 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?(O) 31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” 32 Then Jonathan answered his father Saul, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”(P) 33 But Saul threw his spear at him to strike him, so Jonathan knew that it was the decision of his father to put David to death.(Q) 34 Jonathan sprang up[e] from the table in fierce anger and ate no food on the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David and because his father had disgraced him.
35 In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him was a little boy. 36 He said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.(R) 37 When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “Is the arrow not beyond you?”(S) 38 Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry, be quick, do not linger.” So Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master. 39 But the boy knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement. 40 Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said to him, “Go and carry them to the city.” 41 As soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap[f] and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He bowed three times, and they kissed each other and wept with each other; David wept the more.[g] 42 Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since both of us have sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord shall be between me and you and between my descendants and your descendants forever.’ ” He got up and left, and Jonathan went into the city.[h](T)
1 Samuel 20
King James Version
20 And David fled from Naioth in 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 seeketh my life?
2 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.
5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the 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 unto the third day at even.
6 If thy father at all 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.
7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
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.
18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
19 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.
20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
21 And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the Lord liveth.
22 But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away.
23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me for ever.
24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.
26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?
28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:
29 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table.
30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?
31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.
36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?
38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward 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.
42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord 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.
撒 母 耳 記 上 20
Chinese Union Version (Traditional)
20 大 衛 從 拉 瑪 的 拿 約 逃 跑 ， 來 到 約 拿 單 那 裡 ， 對 他 說 ： 我 做 了 甚 麼 ？ 有 甚 麼 罪 孽 呢 ？ 在 你 父 親 面 前 犯 了 甚 麼 罪 ， 他 竟 尋 索 我 的 性 命 呢 ？
2 約 拿 單 回 答 說 ： 斷 然 不 是 ！ 你 必 不 致 死 。 我 父 作 事 ， 無 論 大 小 ， 沒 有 不 叫 我 知 道 的 。 怎 麼 獨 有 這 事 隱 瞞 我 呢 ？ 決 不 如 此 。
3 大 衛 又 起 誓 說 ： 你 父 親 準 知 我 在 你 眼 前 蒙 恩 。 他 心 裡 說 ， 不 如 不 叫 約 拿 單 知 道 ， 恐 怕 他 愁 煩 。 我 指 著 永 生 的 耶 和 華 ， 又 敢 在 你 面 前 起 誓 ， 我 離 死 不 過 一 步 。
4 約 拿 單 對 大 衛 說 ： 你 心 裡 所 求 的 ， 我 必 為 你 成 就 。
5 大 衛 對 約 拿 單 說 ： 明 日 是 初 一 ， 我 當 與 王 同 席 ， 求 你 容 我 去 藏 在 田 野 ， 直 到 第 三 日 晚 上 。
6 你 父 親 若 見 我 不 在 席 上 ， 你 就 說 ： 大 衛 切 求 我 許 他 回 本 城 伯 利 恆 去 ， 因 為 他 全 家 在 那 裡 獻 年 祭 。
7 你 父 親 若 說 好 ， 僕 人 就 平 安 了 ； 他 若 發 怒 ， 你 就 知 道 他 決 意 要 害 我 。
8 求 你 施 恩 與 僕 人 ， 因 你 在 耶 和 華 面 前 曾 與 僕 人 結 盟 。 我 若 有 罪 ， 不 如 你 自 己 殺 我 ， 何 必 將 我 交 給 你 父 親 呢 ？
9 約 拿 單 說 ： 斷 無 此 事 ！ 我 若 知 道 我 父 親 決 意 害 你 ， 我 豈 不 告 訴 你 呢 ？
10 大 衛 對 約 拿 單 說 ： 你 父 親 若 用 厲 言 回 答 你 ， 誰 來 告 訴 我 呢 ？
11 約 拿 單 對 大 衛 說 ： 你 我 且 往 田 野 去 。 二 人 就 往 田 野 去 了 。
12 約 拿 單 對 大 衛 說 ： 願 耶 和 華 ─ 以 色 列 的 神 為 證 。 明 日 約 在 這 時 候 ， 或 第 三 日 ， 我 探 我 父 親 的 意 思 ， 若 向 你 有 好 意 ， 我 豈 不 打 發 人 告 訴 你 麼 ？
13 我 父 親 若 有 意 害 你 ， 我 不 告 訴 你 使 你 平 平 安 安 地 走 ， 願 耶 和 華 重 重 地 降 罰 與 我 。 願 耶 和 華 與 你 同 在 ， 如 同 從 前 與 我 父 親 同 在 一 樣 。
14 你 要 照 耶 和 華 的 慈 愛 恩 待 我 ， 不 但 我 活 著 的 時 候 免 我 死 亡 ，
15 就 是 我 死 後 ， 耶 和 華 從 地 上 剪 除 你 仇 敵 的 時 候 ， 你 也 永 不 可 向 我 家 絕 了 恩 惠 。
16 於 是 約 拿 單 與 大 衛 家 結 盟 ， 說 ： 願 耶 和 華 藉 大 衛 的 仇 敵 追 討 背 約 的 罪 。
17 約 拿 單 因 愛 大 衛 如 同 愛 自 己 的 性 命 ， 就 使 他 再 起 誓 。
18 約 拿 單 對 他 說 ： 明 日 是 初 一 ， 你 的 座 位 空 設 ， 人 必 理 會 你 不 在 那 裡 。
19 你 等 三 日 ， 就 要 速 速 下 去 ， 到 你 從 前 遇 事 所 藏 的 地 方 ， 在 以 色 磐 石 那 裡 等 候 。
20 我 要 向 磐 石 旁 邊 射 三 箭 ， 如 同 射 箭 靶 一 樣 。
21 我 要 打 發 童 子 ， 說 ： 去 把 箭 找 來 。 我 若 對 童 子 說 ： 箭 在 後 頭 ， 把 箭 拿 來 ， 你 就 可 以 回 來 ； 我 指 著 永 生 的 耶 和 華 起 誓 ， 你 必 平 安 無 事 。
22 我 若 對 童 子 說 ： 箭 在 前 頭 ， 你 就 要 去 ， 因 為 是 耶 和 華 打 發 你 去 的 。
23 至 於 你 我 今 日 所 說 的 話 ， 有 耶 和 華 在 你 我 中 間 為 證 ， 直 到 永 遠 。
24 大 衛 就 去 藏 在 田 野 。 到 了 初 一 日 ， 王 坐 席 要 吃 飯 。
25 王 照 常 坐 在 靠 牆 的 位 上 ， 約 拿 單 侍 立 ， 押 尼 珥 坐 在 掃 羅 旁 邊 ， 大 衛 的 座 位 空 設 。
26 然 而 這 日 掃 羅 沒 有 說 甚 麼 ， 他 想 大 衛 遇 事 ， 偶 染 不 潔 ， 他 必 定 是 不 潔 。
27 初 二 日 大 衛 的 座 位 還 空 設 。 掃 羅 問 他 兒 子 約 拿 單 說 ： 耶 西 的 兒 子 為 何 昨 日 、 今 日 沒 有 來 吃 飯 呢 ？
28 約 拿 單 回 答 掃 羅 說 ： 大 衛 切 求 我 容 他 往 伯 利 恆 去 。
29 他 說 ： 求 你 容 我 去 ， 因 為 我 家 在 城 裡 有 獻 祭 的 事 ； 我 長 兄 吩 咐 我 去 。 如 今 我 若 在 你 眼 前 蒙 恩 ， 求 你 容 我 去 見 我 的 弟 兄 ； 所 以 大 衛 沒 有 赴 王 的 席 。
30 掃 羅 向 約 拿 單 發 怒 ， 對 他 說 ： 你 這 頑 梗 背 逆 之 婦 人 所 生 的 ， 我 豈 不 知 道 你 喜 悅 耶 西 的 兒 子 ， 自 取 羞 辱 ， 以 致 你 母 親 露 體 蒙 羞 麼 ？
31 耶 西 的 兒 子 若 在 世 間 活 著 ， 你 和 你 的 國 位 必 站 立 不 住 。 現 在 你 要 打 發 人 去 ， 將 他 捉 拿 交 給 我 ； 他 是 該 死 的 。
32 約 拿 單 對 父 親 掃 羅 說 ： 他 為 甚 麼 該 死 呢 ？ 他 做 了 甚 麼 呢 ？
33 掃 羅 向 約 拿 單 掄 槍 要 刺 他 ， 約 拿 單 就 知 道 他 父 親 決 意 要 殺 大 衛 。
34 於 是 約 拿 單 氣 忿 忿 地 從 席 上 起 來 ， 在 這 初 二 日 沒 有 吃 飯 。 他 因 見 父 親 羞 辱 大 衛 ， 就 為 大 衛 愁 煩 。
35 次 日 早 晨 ， 約 拿 單 按 著 與 大 衛 約 會 的 時 候 出 到 田 野 ， 有 一 個 童 子 跟 隨 。
36 約 拿 單 對 童 子 說 ： 你 跑 去 ， 把 我 所 射 的 箭 找 來 。 童 子 跑 去 ， 約 拿 單 就 把 箭 射 在 童 子 前 頭 。
37 童 子 到 了 約 拿 單 落 箭 之 地 ， 約 拿 單 呼 叫 童 子 說 ： 箭 不 是 在 你 前 頭 麼 ？
38 約 拿 單 又 呼 叫 童 子 說 ： 速 速 地 去 ， 不 要 遲 延 ！ 童 子 就 拾 起 箭 來 ， 回 到 主 人 那 裡 。
39 童 子 卻 不 知 道 這 是 甚 麼 意 思 ， 只 有 約 拿 單 和 大 衛 知 道 。
40 約 拿 單 將 弓 箭 交 給 童 子 ， 吩 咐 說 ： 你 拿 到 城 裡 去 。
41 童 子 一 去 ， 大 衛 就 從 磐 石 的 南 邊 出 來 ， 俯 伏 在 地 ， 拜 了 三 拜 ； 二 人 親 嘴 ， 彼 此 哭 泣 ， 大 衛 哭 得 更 慟 。
42 約 拿 單 對 大 衛 說 ： 我 們 二 人 曾 指 著 耶 和 華 的 名 起 誓 說 ： 願 耶 和 華 在 你 我 中 間 ， 並 你 我 後 裔 中 間 為 證 ， 直 到 永 遠 。 如 今 你 平 平 安 安 地 去 罷 ！ 大 衛 就 起 身 走 了 ； 約 拿 單 也 回 城 裡 去 了 。
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.