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. He came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my offense? How have I sinned before your father? For he is seeking my life!” 2Jonathan said to him, “By no means are you going to die! My father does nothing large or small without making me aware of it. Why would my father hide this matter from me? It just won’t happen!” Taking an oath, David again said, “Your father is very much aware of the fact that I have found favor with you, and he has thought, ‘Don’t let Jonathan know about this, or he will be upset.’ But as surely as the Lord lives and you live, there is about one step between me and death!” 4Jonathan replied to David, “Tell me what I can do for you.” 5David said to Jonathan, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and I am certainly expected to join the king for a meal. You must send me away so I can hide in the field until the third evening from now.

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 must revere the Lord your God, serve him, and take oaths using only his name.
• Jeremiah 4:2You must be truthful, honest and upright when you take an oath saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’ If you do, the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you are and will make him the object of their boasting.”
• Hebrews 6:16For people swear by something greater than themselves, and the oath serves as a confirmation to end all dispute.
• 1 Samuel 25:26“Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, it is the Lord who has kept you from shedding blood and taking matters into your own hands. Now may your enemies and those who seek to harm my lord be like Nabal.
• 1 Samuel 27:1David thought to himself, “One of these days I’m going to be swept away by the hand of Saul! There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of searching for me through all the territory of Israel and I will escape from his hand.”
• 2 Samuel 15:21But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether dead or alive, there I will be as well!”
• 2 Kings 2:2Elijah told Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
• 1 Samuel 1:26She said, “Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 17:55Now as Saul watched David going out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the general in command of the army, “Whose son is this young man, Abner?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, O king, I don’t know.”
• Jeremiah 38:16So King Zedekiah made a secret promise to Jeremiah and sealed it with an oath. He promised, “As surely as the Lord lives who has given us life and breath, I promise you this: I will not kill you or hand you over to those men who want to kill you.”
• Deuteronomy 28:66Your life will hang in doubt before you; you will be terrified by night and day and will have no certainty of surviving from one day to the next.
• Psalms 116:3The ropes of death tightened around me, the snares of Sheol confronted me. I was confronted with trouble and sorrow.
• 1 Corinthians 15:30Why too are we in danger every hour?
• 2 Corinthians 1:9Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, 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