Berean Standard Bible
1 Samuel 20:8
8Therefore show kindness to your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?”
1 Samuel 20:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
- New International Version (NIV)As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant with you before the Lord. If I am guilty, then kill me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”
Context of 1 Samuel 20:8
6If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David urgently requested my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because there is an annual sacrifice for his whole clan.’ 7If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he is enraged, you will know he has evil intentions. Therefore show kindness to your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?” 9“Never!” Jonathan replied. “If I ever found out that my father had evil intentions against you, would I not tell you?” 10Then David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”
Read all of 1 Samuel 201 Samuel 20:8 word by word
וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ חֶ֙סֶד֙ עַל־עַבְדֶּ֔ךָ כִּ֚י בִּבְרִ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה הֵבֵ֥אתָ אֶֽת־עַבְדְּךָ֖ עִמָּ֑ךְ וְאִם־יֶשׁ־בִּ֤י עָוֹן֙ הֲמִיתֵ֣נִי אַ֔תָּה וְעַד־אָבִ֖יךָ לָמָּה־זֶּ֥ה תְבִיאֵֽנִי׃ פRead the interlinear
- Therefore showעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- kindnessחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- toעַל‛al · uponH5921
- your servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- forכִּיkîy · forH3588
- you have broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- into a covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
- withעִם‛im · withH5973
- you before the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Ifאִם'im · ifH518
- there isיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: guiltH5771
- then kill meמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- yourselfאַתָּ֫ה'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.s.)H859
- whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- whyזֶהzeh · thisH2088
- toעַד‛ad · tillH5704
- your fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 20:8
- Genesis 24:49Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.”
- Genesis 47:29When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise to show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt,
- Joshua 2:14“Our lives for your lives!” the men agreed. “If you do not report our mission, we will show you kindness and faithfulness when the LORD gives us the land.”
- Ruth 1:8Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you loving devotion, as you have shown to your dead and to me.
- Proverbs 3:3Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
- 1 Samuel 20:16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD hold David’s enemies accountable.”
- 1 Samuel 18:3Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
- 1 Samuel 23:18So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
- Joshua 22:22“The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today.
- 2 Samuel 14:32“Look,” said Absalom, “I sent for you and said, ‘Come here. I want to send you to the king to ask: Why have I come back from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.’ So now, let me see the king’s face, and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”
- Psalms 7:4if I have rewarded my ally with evil, if I have plundered my foe without cause,
- Acts 25:11If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
- 1 Chronicles 12:17And David went out to meet them, saying, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free of violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you.”
- Psalms 116:1I love the LORD, for He has heard my voice— my appeal for mercy.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 20:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8If there be in me iniquity - If thou seest that I am plotting either against the state, or the life of thy father, then slay me thyself.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8kindness: The Hebrew word ḥesed means faithful love or commitment. It describes faithfulness between people who are bound by a covenant (a binding agreement). a covenant: A covenant is a serious and binding agreement that includes promises and loyalty. David and Jonathan made such an agreement with each other (see 1 Samuel 18:3; 20:16).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 20:8
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
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