1 Samuel 20:3

Contextual Overview

¹David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What did I do wrong? How have I sinned against your father so that he wants to take my life?” ¹ David fled from Nayot in Ramah, and came and said before Yonatan, What have I done? what is my iniquity? and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life? ¹ And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? ¹ Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt and what is my sin before your father that he is trying to kill me? ¹ Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?" ¹ Then David ran away from Naioth in Ramah. He went to Jonathan and asked, "What have I done? What is my crime? How did I sin against your father? Why is he trying to kill me?" ¹ David 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!" ¹David fled from Naioth in Ramah and he came and said to Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt? What is my sin before (against) your father, that he is seeking my life?" ¹ Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and he came and said to Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?" ¹ And Dauid fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and sayd before Ionathan, What haue I done? what is mine iniquitie? and what sinne haue I committed before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sware: Deuteronomy 6:13, Jeremiah 4:2, Hebrews 6:16

but truly: 1 Samuel 25:26, 1 Samuel 27:1, 2 Samuel 15:21, 2 Kings 2:2, 2 Kings 2:4, 2 Kings 2:6

as thy soul: 1 Samuel 1:26, 1 Samuel 17:55, Jeremiah 38:16

but a step: 1 Samuel 27:1, Deuteronomy 28:66, Psalms 116:3, 1 Corinthians 15:30, 1 Corinthians 15:31, 2 Corinthians 1:9, 2 Corinthians 1:10

Reciprocal: Genesis 26:31 - sware Genesis 27:2 - I know not Genesis 33:10 - if now Genesis 42:15 - By the life Numbers 32:5 - if we have 1 Samuel 2:6 - he bringeth 1 Samuel 29:6 - the Lord 2 Samuel 11:11 - as thou livest 2 Samuel 14:19 - As thy soul 2 Samuel 14:22 - I have found 1 Kings 17:12 - As the Lord Psalms 118:13 - General Psalms 119:87 - almost Psalms 119:109 - My soul 2 Corinthians 1:8 - insomuch

Cross-References

Genesis 20:1
Avraham journeyed from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He sojourned in Gerar.

Genesis 20:1
And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

Genesis 20:1
And Abraham journeyed from there to the land of the Negev, and he settled between Kadesh and Shur. And he dwelled as an alien in Gerar.

Genesis 20:1
Abraham left Hebron and traveled to southern Canaan where he stayed awhile between Kadesh and Shur. When he moved to Gerar,

Genesis 20:1
Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident in Gerar,

Genesis 20:1
Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the Negev (the South country), and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he lived temporarily in Gerar.

Genesis 20:1
Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he lived for a time in Gerar.

Genesis 20:1
Afterward Abraham departed thence toward the South countrey and dwelled betweene Cadesh and Shur, and soiourned in Gerar.

Genesis 20:1
And Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar.

Genesis 20:1
Abraham moved to the Southern Desert, where he settled between Kadesh and Shur. Later he went to Gerar, and while there

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David sware moreover, and said,.... To assure Jonathan of the truth of it, that he did most certainly seek after his life, of which, as he had no doubt himself, by an oath he endeavoured to remove any that might be in Jonathan, who was not willing to believe his father could be guilty of so foul a crime:

thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes: that he was high in his favour, that he had a great value for him, and he had a large share in his love and friendship, and that was the reason why he hid from him his base intentions:

and he saith, let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved; as he would be, both for the evil his father would be guilty of, and the danger David, his beloved friend, would be in:

but truly, [as] the Lord liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, [there is] but a step between me and death; as appeared by his casting a javelin at him, 1 Samuel 18:11, sending messengers to his own house to slay him, 1 Samuel 19:11, and others to Naioth to seize him, 1 Samuel 19:20, and coming himself thither with an intention to kill him, 1 Samuel 19:22, and in each of these instances he had a narrow escape for his life; and this he declared in the most solemn manner by an oath, for the confirmation of the truth of it to Jonathan.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And David sware moreover - Rather, “yet again.” He met Jonathan’s denial by repeating his statement and confirming it with an oath.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 20:3. There 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.

SAT. xii., ver. 57.

"Go now, and commit thy life to the winds, trusting to a hewn plank, four or seven fingers thick, if the beam out of which it has been cut have been large enough."