1 Samuel 20:16

1 Samuel 20:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.
• New International Version (NIV)So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the Lord take vengeance on David's enemies."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”

Context of 1 Samuel 20:16

14“Now if I am still alive, wouldn’t you show me the loyal love of Adonai so I wouldn’t die? 15Yet also, don’t cut off your loyal love from my household ever—not even when Adonai cuts off all of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.” So Jonathan cut a covenant with the house of David, “So may Adonai requite David’s enemies.” 17Jonathan made David swear again because of the love he had for him, for he loved him as he loved himself. 18Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the New Moon. You’ll be missed because your seat will be empty.

1 Samuel 20:16 word by word

וַיִּכְרֹ֥ת יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן עִם־בֵּ֣ית דָּוִ֑ד וּבִקֵּ֣שׁ יְהוָ֔ה מִיַּ֖ד אֹיְבֵ֥י דָוִֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָןyehônâthân · JonathanH3083
• madeכָּרַתkârath · to cut: make(covenant)H3772
• with the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• Let the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• even requireבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• at the handיָדyâd · hand: toH3027
• enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 20:16

• 1 Samuel 18:3Then Jonathan cut a covenant with David, because he loved him as himself.
• Genesis 15:18On that day Adonai cut a covenant with Abram, saying, “I give this land to your seed, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River:
• 1 Samuel 25:22May God do so and even more to David’s enemies if by the morning I leave even one male of all who belong to him!”
• 1 Samuel 31:2The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
• 2 Samuel 4:7When they had gotten within the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, they stabbed him and killed him, then beheaded him and took his head, and traveled by the way of the Arabah all night.
• 2 Samuel 21:8But the king took the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul—Armoni and Mephibosheth; also the five sons of Michal daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite,

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 20:16

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-23Verses 11-23 Jonathan faithfully promises that he would let David know how he found his father affected towards him. It will be kindness to ourselves and to ours, to secure an interest in those whom God favours, and to make his friends ours. True friendship rests on a firm basis, and is able to silence ambition, self-love, and undue regard for others. But who can fully understand the love of Jesus, who gave himself as a sacrifice for rebellious, polluted…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-16loving devotion: The Hebrew word ḥesed refers to loyal love and faithfulness to a covenant (see study note on 1 Samuel 20:8). Jonathan reminded David to keep his commitment to him when David became king. Jonathan’s concern was reasonable. In the ancient world, a new king might kill members of the former royal family to remove rivals to the throne. Saul later made a similar request of David (1 Samuel 24:21).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 20:16

• Alliances
• Constancy
• Covenant
• Oath

In the dictionaries

• David
• Jonathan
• house of David
• house, household, house of Israel, house of David
• Artillery
• Require
• Jesse
• Jonathan (2)
• Samuel, Books of
• New Moon

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