New Living Translation
1 Samuel 20:8
8Show me this loyalty as my sworn friend—for we made a solemn pact before the Lord—or kill me yourself if I have sinned against your father. But please don’t betray me to him!”
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 asks where I am, tell him I asked permission to go home to Bethlehem for an annual family sacrifice. 7If he says, ‘Fine!’ you will know all is well. But if he is angry and loses his temper, you will know he is determined to kill me. Show me this loyalty as my sworn friend—for we made a solemn pact before the Lord—or kill me yourself if I have sinned against your father. But please don’t betray me to him!” 9“Never!” Jonathan exclaimed. “You know that if I had the slightest notion my father was planning to kill you, I would tell you at once.” 10Then David asked, “How will I know whether or not your father is angry?”
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore thou shalt dealעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- kindlyחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- with thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- for thou hast broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- into a covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- with thee: notwithstanding, if there beיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- in me iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: guiltH5771
- slayמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- me to thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 20:8
- Genesis 24:49So tell me—will you or won’t you show unfailing love and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no, and then I’ll know what to do next.”
- Genesis 47:29As the time of his death drew near, Jacob called for his son Joseph and said to him, “Please do me this favor. Put your hand under my thigh and swear that you will treat me with unfailing love by honoring this last request: Do not bury me in Egypt.
- Joshua 2:14“We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety,” the men agreed. “If you don’t betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the Lord gives us the land.”
- Ruth 1:8But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me.
- Proverbs 3:3Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.
- 1 Samuel 20:16So Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, saying, “May the Lord destroy all your enemies!”
- 1 Samuel 18:3And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.
- 1 Samuel 23:18So the two of them renewed their solemn pact before the Lord. Then Jonathan returned home, while David stayed at Horesh.
- Joshua 22:22“The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! He knows the truth, and may Israel know it, too! We have not built the altar in treacherous rebellion against the Lord. If we have done so, do not spare our lives this day.
- 2 Samuel 14:32And Absalom replied, “Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn’t intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him kill me.”
- Psalms 7:4if I have betrayed a friend or plundered my enemy without cause,
- Acts 25:11If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!”
- 1 Chronicles 12:17David went out to meet them and said, “If you have come in peace to help me, we are friends. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when I am innocent, then may the God of our ancestors see it and punish you.”
- Psalms 116:1I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer 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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