<h3>David and Jonathan</h3>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 your father, that he is trying to kill me?” 2 “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!” 3 But David took an oath 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.” 4 Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.” 5 So David said, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon feast, and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. 6 If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David earnestly asked my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because an annual sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.’ 7 If he says, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper, you can be sure that he is determined to harm me. 8 As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant with you before the Lord. If I am guilty, then kill 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 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, if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father. 14 But show me unfailing kindness 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 —not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account. ” 17 And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath 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. 19 The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel. 20 I will shoot three arrows 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 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 between you and me forever.” 24 So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon feast came, the king sat down to eat. 25 He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan, and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty. 26 Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean. ” 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 to go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice 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 will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!” 32 “Why should he be put to death? What 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 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 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. Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most. 42 Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever. ’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.

1 Samuel 20:1

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<cr>1</cr> your father, that he is trying to kill me?”<cr>2</cr>

“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!”

1 Samuel 20:2

But David took an oath<cr>1</cr> 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.”

1 Samuel 20:3

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

1 Samuel 20:4

So David said, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon feast,<cr>1</cr> and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide<cr>2</cr> in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow.

1 Samuel 20:5

If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David earnestly asked my permission<cr>1</cr> to hurry to Bethlehem,<cr>2</cr> his hometown, because an annual<cr>3</cr> sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.’

1 Samuel 20:6

If he says, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper,<cr>1</cr> you can be sure that he is determined<cr>2</cr> to harm me.

1 Samuel 20:7

As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant<cr>1</cr> with you before the Lord. If I am guilty, then kill<cr>2</cr> me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?”

1 Samuel 20:8

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

1 Samuel 20:9

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

1 Samuel 20:10

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

1 Samuel 20:11

Then Jonathan said to David, “I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel, that I will surely sound<cr>1</cr> 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?

1 Samuel 20:12

But if my father intends to harm you, may the Lord deal with Jonathan, be it ever so severely,<cr>1</cr> if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the Lord be with<cr>2</cr> you as he has been with my father.

1 Samuel 20:13

But show me unfailing kindness<cr>1</cr> like the Lord’s kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed,

1 Samuel 20:14

and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family<cr>1</cr> —not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”

1 Samuel 20:15

So Jonathan<cr>1</cr> made a covenant<cr>2</cr> with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.<cr>3</cr> ”

1 Samuel 20:16

And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath<cr>1</cr> out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.

1 Samuel 20:17

Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon feast. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty.<cr>1</cr>

1 Samuel 20:18

The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid<cr>1</cr> when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel.

1 Samuel 20:19

I will shoot three arrows<cr>1</cr> to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target.

1 Samuel 20:20

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.

1 Samuel 20:21

But if I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond<cr>1</cr> you,’ then you must go, because the Lord has sent you away.

1 Samuel 20:22

And about the matter you and I discussed—remember, the Lord is witness<cr>1</cr> between you and me forever.”

1 Samuel 20:23

So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon feast<cr>1</cr> came, the king sat down to eat.

1 Samuel 20:24

He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan,<ft>1</ft> and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty.<cr>1</cr>

1 Samuel 20:25

Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.<cr>1</cr> ”

1 Samuel 20:26

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?”

1 Samuel 20:27

Jonathan answered, “David earnestly asked me for permission<cr>1</cr> to go to Bethlehem.

1 Samuel 20:28

He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice<cr>1</cr> 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.”

1 Samuel 20:29

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?

1 Samuel 20:30

As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom<cr>1</cr> will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!”

1 Samuel 20:31

“Why<cr>1</cr> should he be put to death? What<cr>2</cr> has he done?” Jonathan asked his father.

1 Samuel 20:32

But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended<cr>1</cr> to kill David.

1 Samuel 20:33

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.

1 Samuel 20:34

In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him,

1 Samuel 20:35

and he said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

1 Samuel 20:36

When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond<cr>1</cr> you?”

1 Samuel 20:37

Then he shouted, “Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!” The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master.

1 Samuel 20:38

(The boy knew nothing about all this; only Jonathan and David knew.)

1 Samuel 20:39

Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said, “Go, carry them back to town.”

1 Samuel 20:40

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.<cr>1</cr> Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most.

1 Samuel 20:41

Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace,<cr>1</cr> for we have sworn friendship<cr>2</cr> with each other in the name of the Lord,<cr>3</cr> saying, ‘The Lord is witness<cr>4</cr> between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.<cr>5</cr> ’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.<ft>1</ft>

1 Samuel 20:42

 1 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   your father, that he is trying to kill me?”   2 “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!” 3 But David took an oath   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.” 4 Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.” 5 So David said, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon feast,   and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide   in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. 6 If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David earnestly asked my permission   to hurry to Bethlehem,   his hometown, because an annual   sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.’ 7 If he says, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper,   you can be sure that he is determined   to harm me. 8 As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant   with you before the Lord. If I am guilty, then kill   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   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,   if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the Lord be with   you as he has been with my father. 14 But show me unfailing kindness   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  —not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan   made a covenant   with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.  ” 17 And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath   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.   19 The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid   when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel. 20 I will shoot three arrows   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   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   between you and me forever.” 24 So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon feast   came, the king sat down to eat. 25 He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan,  and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty.   26 Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.  ” 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   to go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice   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   will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!” 32 “Why   should he be put to death? What   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   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   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.   Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most. 42 Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace,   for we have sworn friendship   with each other in the name of the Lord,   saying, ‘The Lord is witness   between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.  ’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town. 

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

1 Samuel20 - NIV

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