1 Samuel 20:2
1 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? How have I sinned against your father, that he wants to take my life?”
“Far from it!” Jonathan replied. “You will not die. Indeed, my father does nothing, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This cannot be true!”
3 But David again vowed, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or he will be grieved.’ As surely 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 desire, I will do for you.”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- “Far from it!” Jonathan replied. “You will not die. Indeed, my father does nothing, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This cannot be true!”
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- He said to him, “Far from it; you will not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me. Why would my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.”
- ASV
- And he said unto him, Far from it; thou shalt not die: behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
- DARBY
- And he said to him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, and not apprise me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
- BLB
- And Jonathan said to him, “Far be it! You shall not die! Behold, my father will not do a thing great or a thing small without first telling me. And why should my father hide from me this thing? This [is] not [so].”
- ÅB
- Da sa han til ham: Langt derifra! Du skal ikke dø; du vet min far gjør intet, hverken stort eller smått, uten at han åpenbarer det for meg; hvorfor skulle da min far dølge dette for meg? Nei, det er ikke så.
- OTB
- Men han sa til ham: "Langt derifra! Du skal ikke dø. Se, min far gjør ingenting, verken stort eller smått, uten å fortelle meg det. Hvorfor skulle min far skjule denne saken for meg? Det er ikke slik!"
- B1930
- Da sa han til ham: Langt derifra! Du skal ikke dø; du vet min far gjør intet, hverken stort eller smått, uten at han åpenbarer det for mig; hvorfor skulde da min far dølge dette for mig? Nei, det er ikke så.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
John 17:8
For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.
Read in context1 Samuel 9:15
Now on the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel,
Read in contextGenesis 44:7
“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
Read in contextJoshua 22:29
Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God, which stands before His tabernacle.”
Read in context1 Samuel 14:45
But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
Read in contextIsaiah 50:5
The Lord GOD has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious, nor have I turned back.
Read in contextJoshua 24:16
The people replied, “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!
Read in context1 Samuel 20:12
and Jonathan said, “By the LORD, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you?
Read in context