Berean Standard Bible
1 Samuel 20:2
2“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!”
1 Samuel 20:2 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)“Never!” Jonathan replied. “You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without letting me know. Why would he hide this from me? It isn’t so!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to him, "Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. And why should my father hide this from me? It is not so."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Jonathan said to him, “By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”
Context of 1 Samuel 20:2
1Then 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!” 3But 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.” 4Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you desire, I will do for you.”
Read all of 1 Samuel 201 Samuel 20:2 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֣וֹ חָלִילָה֮ לֹ֣א תָמוּת֒ הִנֵּ֡ה לֹֽא־יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה אָבִ֜י דָּבָ֣ר גָּד֗וֹל א֚וֹ דָּבָ֣ר קָטֹ֔ן וְלֹ֥א יִגְלֶ֖ה אֶת־אָזְנִ֑י וּמַדּוּעַ֩ יַסְתִּ֨יר אָבִ֥י מִמֶּ֛נִּי אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה אֵ֥ין זֹֽאת׃Read the interlinear
- Far from itחָלִ֫ילָהchâlîylâh châlilâh · forbidH2486
- Jonathan repliedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- You will notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- Indeedהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
- my fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- does nothingעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- does nothingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- orאוֹ'ô 'av · orH176
- smallקָטֹןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- tellingגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: revealH1540
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- meאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: to earsH241
- So whyמַדּוּעַmaddûa‛ maddûa‛ · why?H4069
- hideסָתַרsâthar · to hideH5641
- thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
- from meמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
- This cannot be trueאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
- This cannot be trueזֹאתzô'th · thisH2063
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 20:2
- 1 Samuel 14:45But 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.
- Genesis 44:7“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
- Joshua 22:29Far 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.”
- Joshua 24:16The people replied, “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!
- Luke 20:16He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” And when the people heard this, they said, “May such a thing never happen!”
- 1 Samuel 20:12and 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?
- 1 Samuel 9:15Now on the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel,
- Psalms 40:6Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require.
- Isaiah 50:5The Lord GOD has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious, nor have I turned back.
- John 15:15No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.
- John 17:8For 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.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 20:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2My father will do nothing - Jonathan thought that his father could have no evil design against David, because of the oath which he had sworn to himself 1 Samuel 19:6; and at any rate, that he would do nothing against David without informing him.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2It is not so - Jonathan‘s unwillingness to believe evil of his father is one of the many admirable traits in his character.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 20:2
In the dictionaries
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
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries