1 Samuel 20:4

1 Samuel 20:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.
• New International Version (NIV)Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you say, I will do for you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.”

Context of 1 Samuel 20:4

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!” 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!” “Tell me what I can do to help you,” Jonathan exclaimed. 5David replied, “Tomorrow we celebrate the new moon festival. I’ve always eaten with the king on this occasion, but tomorrow I’ll hide in the field and stay there until the evening of the third day. 6If your father asks where I am, tell him I asked permission to go home to Bethlehem for an annual family sacrifice.

1 Samuel 20:4 word by word

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד מַה־תֹּאמַ֥ר נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָןyehônâthân · JonathanH3083
• unto Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• Whatsoever thy soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
• I will even doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 20:4

• 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 20:4

• Influence

In the dictionaries

• David
• Jonathan
• Artillery
• Require
• Jesse
• Jonathan (2)
• 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