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First Book of Samuel, Chapter 20

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1 Samuel 20 NASB - New American Standard Bible1 Samuel 20 NASB - New American Standard Bible

Chapter 20 of 1 Samuel—New American Standard Bible (NASB)

  1. ¶ Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and 1said [a]to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?”
  2. He said to him, “Far from it, you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small [b]without disclosing it to me. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”
  3. Yet David 2vowed again, [c]saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.’ But truly 3as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is [d]hardly a step between me and death.”
  4. Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever [e]you say, I will do for you.”
  5. So David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is 4the new moon, and I ought 5to sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, 6that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.
  6. If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to 7Bethlehem his city, because it is 8the yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.’
  7. If he [f]says, ‘It is good,’ your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, 9know that he has decided on evil.
  8. Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for 10you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. But 11if there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?”
  9. Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?”
  10. Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me [g]if your father answers you harshly?”
  11. Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out to the field.
  12. ¶ Then Jonathan said to David, “The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and [h]make it known to you?
  13. If it please my father to do you harm, 12may the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not [i]make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And 13may the LORD be with you as He has been with my father.
  14. If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the LORD, that I may not die?
  15. 14You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, 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, “15May the LORD require it at the hands of David’s enemies.”
  17. Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because 16he loved him as he loved his own life.
  18. ¶ Then Jonathan said to him, “17Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty.
  19. When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on that eventful day, and you shall remain by the stone Ezel.
  20. I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target.
  21. And behold, I will send the lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the lad, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come; for there is safety for you and [j]no harm, as the LORD lives.
  22. But if I [k]say to the youth, ‘18Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, for the LORD has sent you away.
  23. 19As for the [l]agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, 20the LORD is between you and me forever.”
  24. ¶ So David hid in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.
  25. The king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan rose up and Abner sat down by Saul’s side, but 21David’s place was empty.
  26. Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, “It is an accident, 22he is not clean, surely he is not clean.”
  27. It came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David’s place was empty; so Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”
  28. Jonathan then answered Saul, “23David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem,
  29. for he said, ‘Please [m]let me go, since our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. And now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me get away that I may see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”
  30. ¶ Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?
  31. For [n]as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for 24he [o]must surely die.”
  32. But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, “25Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
  33. Then 26Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down; 27so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death.
  34. Then Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him.
  35. ¶ Now it came about in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little lad was with him.
  36. He said to his lad, “28Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot.” As the lad was running, he shot [p]an arrow past him.
  37. When the lad reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, “29Is not the arrow beyond you?”
  38. And Jonathan called after the lad, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” And Jonathan’s lad picked up the arrow and came to his master.
  39. But the lad was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter.
  40. Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, “Go, bring them to the city.”
  41. When the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and 30bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but 31David wept the more.
  42. Jonathan said to David, “32Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘33The LORD will be between me and you, and between my [q]descendants and your [r]descendants forever.’” [s]Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city.

FOOTNOTES

  1. ^ Lit before
  2. ^ Lit and he does not uncover my ear
  3. ^ Lit and said
  4. ^ Lit about
  5. ^ Lit your soul says
  6. ^ Lit says thus
  7. ^ Lit or what
  8. ^ Lit uncover your ear
  9. ^ Lit uncover your ear
  10. ^ Lit there is nothing
  11. ^ Lit say thus
  12. ^ Lit word
  13. ^ Lit send me away
  14. ^ Lit all the days which
  15. ^ Lit is a son of death
  16. ^ Lit the
  17. ^ Lit seed
  18. ^ Lit seed
  19. ^ Ch 21:1 in Heb

REFERENCES

  1. ^ 1Sa 24:9
  2. ^ De 6:13
  3. ^ 1Sa 25:26; 2Ki 2:6
  4. ^ Nu 10:10; 28:11-15; Am 8:5
  5. ^ 1Sa 20:24, 27
  6. ^ 1Sa 19:2
  7. ^ 1Sa 17:58
  8. ^ De 12:5; 1Sa 9:12
  9. ^ 1Sa 25:17
  10. ^ 1Sa 18:3; 23:18
  11. ^ 2Sa 14:32
  12. ^ Ru 1:17; 1Sa 3:17
  13. ^ Jos 1:5; 1Sa 17:37; 18:12; 1Ch 22:11, 16
  14. ^ 2Sa 9:1, 3
  15. ^ De 23:21; 1Sa 25:22
  16. ^ 1Sa 18:1
  17. ^ 1Sa 20:5, 25
  18. ^ 1Sa 20:37
  19. ^ 1Sa 20:14, 15
  20. ^ Ge 31:49, 53; 1Sa 20:42
  21. ^ 1Sa 20:18
  22. ^ Le 7:20, 21; 15:5; 1Sa 16:5
  23. ^ 1Sa 20:6
  24. ^ 2Sa 12:5
  25. ^ Ge 31:36; 1Sa 19:5; Pr 31:9; Mt 27:23
  26. ^ 1Sa 18:11; 19:10
  27. ^ 1Sa 20:7
  28. ^ 1Sa 20:20, 21
  29. ^ 1Sa 20:22
  30. ^ Ge 42:6
  31. ^ 1Sa 18:3
  32. ^ 1Sa 20:22
  33. ^ 1Sa 20:15, 16, 23

Read 1 Samuel Chapter 20 in other Bible versions:

Comments

  1. Kiamia DoelKiamia Doel
    Jan 9, 2025 23:00 GMT

    The NWT adds words to the text that are not in the greek Manuscripts to fit it's own doctrinal position for example

    Compare the wording of the NWT and the NKJV at Colossians 1:15-17

    NKJV says

    15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

    NWT says

    15 He is the image of the invisible God,the firstborn OF all creation;16 because by means of him all OTHER things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible,whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All OTHER things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all OTHER things,and by means of him all OTHER things were made to exist,

    The word “other” is not in the Greek but they add it Why? So they can decieve their followers into thinking that Christ was created by the Father and that he then created other things, that is not what the Greek says.

    1. SmeSme
      Feb 27, 2025 11:17 GMT

      Truth is from God and those that follow him. As for lies? John8:44

      Kiamia, I noticed you used a modern version of kjv to make your point about the nwt.

      Why didn’t you use the original kjv of col1:15?

      Is it because it disproves your point? It proves the opposite of what you wrote?

      Here is kjv col1:15 ¶” Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn OF every creature:“

      Now I appeal to your Christian nature to correct your mistake as God is watching each of us, and let us bless the God of Jesus his father.

      Kjv 1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ….

  2. YanekYanek
    Dec 24, 2024 22:18 GMT

    Joshua, Jehovah’s Witnesses have never denied the deity of the Messiah in his prehuman existence. While on Earth he was fully 100% human. I do not mean he was a mere human, he was not affected by Adam’s unfaithful behavior, he was sinless.

  3. David yakubuDavid yakubu
    Oct 29, 2022 08:05 GMT

    When i do read some comments and seeing that its the same people that are supposed to be called believers but are talking ill of other denominations, it hurts. Let us all remember that We should judge not

    1. jonas smithjonas smith
      Apr 23, 2023 02:57 GMT

      The bible tells us to test the spirits. Satan disguises himself as angel of light. So yes some denomination are not teaching the truth. You are responsible for judging which ones are not. You have to judge the truth at all times. this is what the bible teaches

  4. THTH
    Apr 7, 2021 00:20 GMT

    The NWT is a very good translation. Dr. Jason David BeDuhn PhD attests to that in his book Truth in Translation. drive.google.com/...5p16melHzg8/view

    1. James LernerJames Lerner
      Jul 20, 2024 09:48 GMT

      The NWT is Satanic filth to its very core.

      The JW Cult is Satanic to its very core.

      Praise Yahweh I will never be a victim of JW brainwashing. If I burn in Hell for eternity or I am ultimately annihilated so be it

      May Yahweh's curse rest on the Watchtower Society and its Satanic leadership

    2. jim mcleodjim mcleod
      Aug 22, 2021 06:16 GMT

      NWT is a false translation that takes away from the deity of Jesus !

  5. SlightlyChaoticSlightlyChaotic
    Jan 30, 2021 16:33 GMT

    Thank you for taking the time to provide this service. I like seeing the NASB on your web page in the same format as I read on paper. On other sites, the text area is smaller, and so I have to keep scrolling down to read and sometimes I lose the context. So I really appreciate the format.

    As far as the NWT, you are certainly free to do whatever you think best with your own web pages. I'd suggest that you make a note anytime you have a translation that is associated with only one denomination or church, for example:
    New World Translation (Jehovah's Witness version).

    In Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares. the main idea seems to be that you can't easily distinguish between God's people and not-God's people on this earth, so our Lord's response is to wait until they are shown to be the kind of people they are inside. But the NWT seems like false teaching to me. So I think the warning passages from Jesus' apostles are more applicable, as in 2 Peter 3:15-16, when he talks about Paul's writings:
    "There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures."
    And we also have the positive exhortations, as in 2 Timothy 2:15:
    "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

    1. BroderickBroderick
      Jan 31, 2021 00:57 GMT

      Your suggestion regarding the denominational flagging is duly noted. But I can’t help but wonder, wouldn’t a Catholic also want “Protestant versions” marked as well?

      As for the parable, I’m pretty sure the slaves were convinced in their own minds that they could tell the tares from the wheat. After all, aren’t they the ones who identified the problem in the first place? But the master obviously thought otherwise.

      Furthermore, even at the time when Jesus himself was walking the earth, not everybody who claimed fellowship actually followed him causing John to inquire at Mark 9:39, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him . . . for he who is not against us is for us.”

  6. Joshua HarderJoshua Harder
    Dec 11, 2020 17:48 GMT

    Hello, question.. why have you included the NWT with other legitimate bible translations? Or why have you not atleast included a warning to readers? Don't you fear that someone could be influenced by the Watchtower's intentional heresies? Thank you.

    1. KevinKevin
      Jul 11, 2021 17:45 GMT

      en.m.wikipedia.org/..._Holy_Scriptures

      See the section critical review

    2. ChrisChris
      Jan 8, 2021 07:15 GMT

      Please site these intentional heresies. I am well versed in the watch tower outline and agree they are in many ways incorrect but i also bet i can point many out from EVERY established or main denomination. There is much to learn from them all as one who drinks milk?

      Judge not lest ye be judged, that is not to pass judgement on you either brother.

      I debate with scripture. I don't hold it to be true that Michael is Y'Shua HaMeshiach but I also firmly hold it to be true that our G-d and Heavenly Father are not the word encarnate and only begotten son.

      I love not seeing "lord" which i relate to baal. I feel the catholic church is a satanic establishment and I am aware a freemason started the hovies but there are evil in high places and our fight is also with principalities.

      What i'm saying is that in my darkest hours, those two were some of if not the only ones who would bring a Bible and eucharist and pray with me.

      We all fall short of the glory of G-d.

      Don't forget the NWT was recognized as the most accurate translation on Jeopardy.

      Lastly, this is different I noted than the NWT i have read and am very familiar with. Pull up the watchtower page and compare. I truly look forward to getting this one!

  7. julietjuliet
    Aug 17, 2022 09:36 GMT

    the sky is blue

  8. mercymercy
    Aug 12, 2022 21:23 GMT

    i am Mercy, the sky is blue what else do you need

    1. mercymercy
      Aug 12, 2022 21:25 GMT

      i am so sorry, it was a big mistake

  9. God is able to do all thingsGod is able to do all things
    May 17, 2021 17:59 GMT

    Jesus how much love calling yo name

  10. EmpiralEmpiral
    Jul 4, 2025 19:06 GMT

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