New Living Translation
1 Samuel 20:2
2“That’s not true!” Jonathan protested. “You’re not going to die. He always tells me everything he’s going to do, even the little things. I know my father wouldn’t hide something like this from me. It just isn’t so!”
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
1David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan. “What have I done?” he exclaimed. “What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?” “That’s not true!” Jonathan protested. “You’re not going to die. He always tells me everything he’s going to do, even the little things. I know my father wouldn’t hide something like this from me. It just isn’t so!” 3Then David took an oath before Jonathan and said, “Your father knows perfectly well about our friendship, so he has said to himself, ‘I won’t tell Jonathan—why should I hurt him?’ But I swear to you that I am only a step away from death! I swear it by the Lord and by your own soul!” 4“Tell me what I can do to help you,” Jonathan exclaimed.
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto him, God forbidחָלִ֫ילָהchâlîylâh châlilâh · forbidH2486
- thou shalt not dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- behold, my fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- will doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- nothingדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- either greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- or smallקָטֹןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- but that he will shewאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: to earsH241
- but that he will shewגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: revealH1540
- hideסָתַרsâthar · to hideH5641
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 20:2
- 1 Samuel 14:45But the people broke in and said to Saul, “Jonathan has won this great victory for Israel. Should he die? Far from it! As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair on his head will be touched, for God helped him do a great deed today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
- Genesis 44:7“What are you talking about?” the brothers responded. “We are your servants and would never do such a thing!
- Joshua 22:29Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord or turn away from him by building our own altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices. Only the altar of the Lord our God that stands in front of the Tabernacle may be used for that purpose.”
- Joshua 24:16The people replied, “We would never abandon the Lord and serve other gods.
- Luke 20:16“I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.” “How terrible that such a thing should ever happen,” his listeners protested.
- 1 Samuel 20:12Then Jonathan told David, “I promise by the Lord, the God of Israel, that by this time tomorrow, or the next day at the latest, I will talk to my father and let you know at once how he feels about you. If he speaks favorably about you, I will let you know.
- 1 Samuel 9:15Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day,
- Psalms 40:6You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand— you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings.
- Isaiah 50:5The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I have not rebelled or turned away.
- John 15:15I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
- John 17:8for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe 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
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