Text -- 1 Samuel 20:1-10 (NET)

Jonathan Seeks to Protect David

20:1 David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my offense? How have I sinned before your father? For he is seeking my life!” 20:2 Jonathan said to him, “By no means are you going to die! My father does nothing large or small without making me aware of it. Why would my father hide this matter from me? It just won’t happen!” 20:3 Taking an oath, David again said, “Your father is very much aware of the fact that I have found favor with you, and he has thought, ‘Don’t let Jonathan know about this, or he will be upset.’ But as surely as the Lord lives and you live, there is about one step between me and death!” 20:4 Jonathan replied to David, “Tell me what I can do for you.” 20:5 David said to Jonathan, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and I am certainly expected to join the king for a meal. You must send me away so I can hide in the field until the third evening from now. 20:6 If your father happens to miss me, you should say, ‘David urgently requested me to let him go to his city Bethlehem, for there is an annual sacrifice there for his entire family.’ 20:7 If he should then say, ‘That’s fine,’ then your servant is safe. But if he becomes very angry, be assured that he has decided to harm me. 20:8 You must be loyal to your servant, for you have made a covenant with your servant in the Lord’s name. If I am guilty, you yourself kill me! Why bother taking me to your father?” 20:9 Jonathan said, “Far be it from you to suggest this! If I were at all aware that my father had decided to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?” 20:10 David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Sa 20:1

¹ tn Heb “and he came and said before Jonathan.”

² tn Heb “What is my guilt?”

NET Notes: 1Sa 20:2

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jonathan) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tc The translation follows the Qere, many medieval Hebrew mss, and the ancient versions in reading “he will not do,” rather than the Kethib of the MT (“do to him”).

³ tn Heb “without uncovering my ear.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 20:3

¹ tc The LXX and the Syriac Peshitta lack the word “again.”

² tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.

³ tn Heb “said,” that is, to himself. So also in v. 25.

NET Notes: 1Sa 20:4

¹ tn Heb “whatever your soul says, I will do for you.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 20:5

¹ tn Heb “and I must surely sit with the king to eat.” The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.

NET Notes: 1Sa 20:6

¹ tn Heb “to run.”

² map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

NET Notes: 1Sa 20:7

¹ tn Heb “good.”

² tn Heb “know that the evil is completed from with him.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 20:8

¹ tn Heb “and you must do loyalty.”

² tn Heb “for into a covenant of the Lord you have brought your servant with you.”

³ tn Heb “and if there is in me guilt.”