1 Samuel 20:3

1 Samuel 20:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But David vowed again, saying, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.' But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then David took an oath again, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”

Context of 1 Samuel 20:3

1David fled from Naioth in Ramah and he came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? What is my sin before (against) your father, that he is seeking my life?” 2Jonathan said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. My father does nothing important or insignificant without telling me. So why would he hide this thing from me? It is not so!” But David vowed again, saying “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be worried.’ But truly as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death.” 4Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.” 5David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the New Moon [observance], and I should sit at the table to eat [the sacrificial meal] with the king; but let me go, so that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.

1 Samuel 20:3 word by word

וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע ע֜וֹד דָּוִ֗ד וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יָדֹ֨עַ יָדַ֜ע אָבִ֗יךָ כִּֽי־מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ וַיֹּ֛אמֶר אַל־יֵֽדַע־זֹ֥את יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן פֶּן־יֵֽעָצֵ֑ב וְאוּלָ֗ם חַי־יְהוָה֙ וְחֵ֣י נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ כִּ֣י כְפֶ֔שַׂע בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵ֥ין הַמָּֽוֶת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• swareשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• moreover, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• certainlyיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• that I have foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• graceחֵןchên · favorH2580
• in thine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
• Let not Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָןyehônâthân · JonathanH3083
• this, lest he be grievedעָצַב‛âtsab · to hurtH6087
• but trulyאוּלָם'ûlâm · butH199
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
• thy soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• but a stepפֶּ֫שַׂעpeώa‛ · stepH6587
• between me and deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 20:3

• Deuteronomy 6:13You shall fear [only] the Lord your God; and you shall serve Him [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect] and swear [oaths] by His name [alone].
• Jeremiah 4:2And if you swear [your oaths], ‘As the Lord lives,’ In truth, in justice, and in righteousness, Then the nations will bless themselves in Him, And in Him they will glory.”
• Hebrews 6:16Indeed men swear [an oath] by one greater than themselves, and with them [in all disputes] the oath serves as confirmation [of what has been said] and is an end of the dispute.
• 1 Samuel 25:26So now, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, since the Lord has prevented you from shedding blood, and from avenging yourself by your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord, be as [self-destructive as] Nabal.
• 1 Samuel 27:1But David said in his heart, “Now I will die one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me inside the borders of Israel, and I will escape from his hand [once and for all].”
• 2 Samuel 15:21But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, most certainly wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or life, there will your servant be also.”
• 2 Kings 2:2And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
• 1 Samuel 1:26Hannah said, “Oh, my lord! As [surely as] your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood beside you here, praying to the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 17:55When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner the captain of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” And Abner answered, “By your life, O king, I do not know.”
• Jeremiah 38:16But King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, “As the Lord lives, who made our lives, be assured that I will not put you to death or put you into the hand of these men who are seeking your life.”
• Deuteronomy 28:66Your life will hang in doubt before you; night and day you will be filled with anxiety and have no assurance of living.
• Psalms 116:3The cords and sorrows of death encompassed me, And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow.
• 1 Corinthians 15:30[For that matter] why are we [running such risks and putting ourselves] in danger [nearly] every hour [if there is no resurrection]?
• 2 Corinthians 1:9Indeed, we felt within ourselves that we had received the sentence of death [and were convinced that we would die, but this happened] so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 20:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3There is but a step between me and death - My life is in the most imminent danger. Your father has, most assuredly, determined to destroy me. The same figure used here, there is but a step between me and death, may be found in Juvenal, who, satirizing those who risk their lives for the sake of gain in perilous voyages, speaks thus: - I nune et ventis animam committe, dolato Confisus ligno, digitis a morte remotus Quatuor aut septem, si sit latissima teda…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And David sware moreover - Rather, “yet again.” He met Jonathan‘s denial by repeating his statement and confirming it with an oath.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3Jonathan did not understand his father's plans. David's willingness to swear by the Lord showed he was sure about Saul's intentions.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-101Sa 20:1-10. David Consults with Jonathan for His Safety. 1-3. David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan--He could not remain in Naioth, for he had strong reason to fear that when the religious fit, if we may so call it, was over, Saul would relapse into his usual fell and sanguinary temper. It may be thought that David acted imprudently in directing his flight to Gibeah. But he was evidently prompted to go thither by the most…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 20:3

• Death
• Life
• Oath

In the dictionaries

• David
• Jonathan
• Artillery
• Require
• Certain; Certainly; Certainty
• Jesse
• Jonathan (2)
• Oath
• Samuel, Books of

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary