New American Standard Bible 2020
1 Samuel 20:8
8So deal kindly with your servant, for 1you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But 2if 3I am guilty of wrongdoing, kill me yourself; for why then 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, then say, ‘David earnestly requested leave of me to run to Bethlehem, his city, because it is the yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.’ 7If he says, ‘That is good,’ your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, be aware that he has decided on evil. So deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But if I am guilty of wrongdoing, kill me yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?” 9Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I in fact learn that my father has decided to inflict harm on you, would I not inform you?” 10Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will inform 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
- So dealעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- kindlyחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- with your servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- you have broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- into a covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- ifאִם'im · ifH518
- I am guiltyעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
- killמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- me yourselfאַתָּ֫ה'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.s.)H859
- for whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- thenזֶהzeh · thisH2088
- me to your fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 20:8
- Genesis 24:49So now if you are going to deal kindly and truthfully with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me now, so that I may turn to the right or the left.”
- Genesis 47:29When the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Please, if I have found favor in your sight, place your hand under my thigh now and deal with me in kindness and faithfulness: please do not bury me in Egypt,
- Joshua 2:14So the men said to her, “Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”
- Ruth 1:8But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to your mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
- Proverbs 3:3Do not let kindness and truth 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 demand it from the hands of David’s enemies.”
- 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 stayed at Horesh, while Jonathan went to his house.
- Joshua 22:22“The Mighty One, God, the Lord, the Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion, or if in an unfaithful act against the Lord, do not save us this day!
- 2 Samuel 14:32Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me still to be there.”’ Now then, let me see the king’s face, and if there is guilt in me, he can have me executed.”
- Psalms 7:4If I have done evil to my friend, Or have plundered my enemy for no reason,
- Acts 25:11If, therefore, I am in the wrong and have committed something deserving death, I am not trying to avoid execution; but if there is nothing to the accusations which these men are bringing against me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
- 1 Chronicles 12:17David went out to meet them, and said to them, “If you come peacefully to help me, my heart shall be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look on it and decide.”
- Psalms 116:1I love the Lord, because He hears My voice and my pleas.
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
Notes
- 1. 1 Samuel 20:8 1 Sam 18:3; 23:18 ↩
- 2. 1 Samuel 20:8 2 Sam 14:32 ↩
- 3. 1 Samuel 20:8 Lit guilt exists in me ↩
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
New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Commentaries