1 Samuel 20:16

1 Samuel 20:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.
• New International Version (NIV)So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the Lord take vengeance on David's enemies."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”

Context of 1 Samuel 20:16

14And as long as I live, treat me with the LORD’s loving devotion, that I may not die, 15and do not ever cut off your loving devotion from my household—not even when the LORD cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.” So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD hold David’s enemies accountable.” 17And Jonathan had David reaffirm his vow out of love for him, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. 18Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.

1 Samuel 20:16 word by word

וַיִּכְרֹ֥ת יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן עִם־בֵּ֣ית דָּוִ֑ד וּבִקֵּ֣שׁ יְהוָ֔ה מִיַּ֖ד אֹיְבֵ֥י דָוִֽד׃Read the interlinear

• So Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָןyehônâthân · JonathanH3083
• made a covenantכָּרַתkârath · to cut: make(covenant)H3772
• withעִם‛im · withH5973
• the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• May the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• holdיָדyâd · hand: toH3027
• enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
• accountableבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 20:16

• 1 Samuel 18:3Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
• Genesis 15:18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
• 1 Samuel 25:22May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one male belonging to Nabal survive until morning.”
• 1 Samuel 31:2The Philistines hotly pursued Saul and his sons, and they killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.
• 2 Samuel 4:7They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed, and having stabbed and killed him, they beheaded him, took his head, and traveled all night by way of the Arabah.
• 2 Samuel 21:8But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 20:16

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-23Verses 11-23 Jonathan faithfully promises that he would let David know how he found his father affected towards him. It will be kindness to ourselves and to ours, to secure an interest in those whom God favours, and to make his friends ours. True friendship rests on a firm basis, and is able to silence ambition, self-love, and undue regard for others. But who can fully understand the love of Jesus, who gave himself as a sacrifice for rebellious, polluted…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-16loving devotion: The Hebrew word ḥesed refers to loyal love and faithfulness to a covenant (see study note on 1 Samuel 20:8). Jonathan reminded David to keep his commitment to him when David became king. Jonathan’s concern was reasonable. In the ancient world, a new king might kill members of the former royal family to remove rivals to the throne. Saul later made a similar request of David (1 Samuel 24:21).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 20:16

• Alliances
• Constancy
• Covenant
• Oath

In the dictionaries

• David
• Jonathan
• house of David
• house, household, house of Israel, house of David
• Artillery
• Require
• Jesse
• Jonathan (2)
• Samuel, Books of
• New Moon

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