1 Samuel

Tells about Samuel, the last judge, and the beginning of Israel's monarchy with King Saul and young David.

Chapter 20

1 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?

*David ran away from Naioth in Ramah and then talked to Jonathan. He asked, "What did I do wrong? What mistake am I accused of? Why does your father want to kill me?"

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.

*He said, "Don't worry, you won't die." He explained that his father wouldn't do anything, big or small, without telling him about it. So, there's no reason for his father to keep this from him.

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.

*David promised again and said, "Your father knows that I am favored by you. He asks that Jonathan not know this to avoid sadness. But truly, as long as God and your life live, there's only one step between me and death."

4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.

*Then Jonathan told David, "Whatever you want, I'll do it for you."

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.

*David told Jonathan, "Tomorrow is the new moon, and I must eat with the king. But please let me go so I can hide in the field until evening on the third day."

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.

*If your father misses me, tell him that David urgently wanted permission from me so he could go to Bethlehem, his hometown. This is because every year, there's a family sacrifice held there.

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.

*If he says everything is fine, your servant will have peace. But if he's really angry, know that he has decided on something bad.

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?

*So you should treat your servant nicely because you've made a promise with God together. But if I have done something wrong, go ahead and kill me. Why would you take me to meet your dad?

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?

*Jonathan said, "I wouldn't do that! If I knew for sure my father planned something bad for you, I wouldn't keep it a secret."

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

*Then David asked Jonathan, "Who will tell me? Or what if your father speaks to you harshly?"

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.

*Jonathan told David, "Let's go to the field." So, they both went to the field together.

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;

*Jonathan told David, "Lord God of Israel, if I talk to my father about anything in the next few days and there is good news for David, but I don't tell you about it, I will be a liar."

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.

*The Lord will bless Jonathan even more, but if my father wants to harm you, I will let you know and send you away so you can leave in peace. May the Lord be with you just like He has 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:

*And you shall not just while I'm alive display the Lord's kindness to me, so I don't die.

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.

*But don't stop being kind to me either; even when the Lord gets rid of all David's enemies from 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.

*Jonathan agreed with David's family, promising that God would hold them accountable if they betrayed David.

17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

*Jonathan made David promise again because he really cared about him; he loved David as much as he loved himself.

18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

*Then Jonathan told David, Tomorrow is the new moon day: and you will be noticed as absent because your place 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.

*After staying for three days, leave quickly and go back to the hiding spot you used during the event. Stay near the stone called Ezel.

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

*I'll aim three arrows at that spot, like I'm targeting a goal.

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.

*And look, I will send a boy to fetch the arrows. If I tell him specifically that the arrows are on his right side, then you can go get them because it's safe and there's no danger; I promise this as the Lord is alive.

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.

*But if I tell the young man, The arrows are past you; go on your way, because the LORD has sent you away.

23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.

*Regarding the topic we discussed, know that the Lord will be forever between you and me.

24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.

*So David hid in the field. When the new moon arrived, the king sat down to eat food.

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.

*The king sat on his throne like usual, near the wall. Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat next to the king. David's spot 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.

*However, Saul didn't say anything that day because he believed something had happened to him, making him unclean; he was definitely unclean.

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?

*The next day, during the second day of the month, David wasn't at his usual spot. Saul asked Jonathan, his son, "Why isn't Jesse's son coming to eat, neither yesterday nor today?"

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

*Jonathan told Saul, "David asked me if he could go to Bethlehem really badly."

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.

*He said, "Let me go, please. Our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother wants me there. If you like me, let me leave to see my brothers." He didn't join the king's meal.

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?

*Then Saul became very angry with Jonathan. He told Jonathan, "You son of a disobedient woman, don't you know that you chose David from the family of Jesse to bring shame upon yourself and your mother's shameful past?"

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.

*As long as Jesse's son is alive on earth, your rule won't be secure. So, bring him to me now because he will definitely be killed.

32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?

*Jonathan asked his dad Saul, "Why should he be killed? What did he do wrong?"

33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.

*Saul threw a spear at Jonathan, showing he wanted to kill 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.

*Jonathan got up from the table very angry and didn't eat any food the next day of the month. He was sad for David because his father had embarrassed him.

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.

*In the morning, Jonathan went outside as planned with David, and he brought a small boy along too.

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.

*He told his assistant, "Hurry, go get the arrows I just shot." As the assistant ran, he shot another arrow even further away.

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?

*When the boy reached where Jonathan's arrow landed, Jonathan called out to him, "Aren't you the one who found the arrow behind you?"

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.

*Jonathan called out to the boy, "Hurry up! Don't wait!" The boy quickly picked up the arrows and went back to Jonathan.

39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

*But the young boy didn't know anything about it. Only Jonathan and David understood what was going on.

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

*Jonathan handed his weapons to the boy and told him, "Go, take 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.

*As soon as the boy left, David got up from where he was hiding in the south and bowed down, touching his face to the ground three times. They hugged, cried, and comforted each other until David's emotions overtook him even more.

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.

*Jonathan told David, "Go in peace because we both swore in God's name. We said that God should be between us and our future generations forever." Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the city.

read summary

Back to Chapters

Back to Books

* work in progress, there will be mistakes