1 Samuel 20:8

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

deal kindly: Genesis 24:49, Genesis 47:29, Joshua 2:14, Ruth 1:8, Proverbs 3:3

thou hast: 1 Samuel 20:16, 1 Samuel 18:3, 1 Samuel 23:18

if there be: Joshua 22:22, 2 Samuel 14:32, Psalms 7:4, Psalms 7:5, Acts 25:11

why shouldest: 1 Chronicles 12:17, Psalms 116:11

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 20:31 - send 1 Samuel 22:8 - that my son 1 Samuel 29:8 - But what have 2 Samuel 21:7 - because Psalms 7:3 - if I

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore thou shall deal kindly with thy servant,.... By informing him how his father's mind stood affected to him, that he might conduct himself accordingly, either by appearing at court, or by providing for his safety by flight:

for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee; a covenant of friendship between Jonathan and David, of which Jonathan was the first mover, and so is said to bring or persuade him into it; called the covenant of the Lord, because made in his name and fear, and before him as a witness of it; and this David pleads as an argument with Jonathan, to deal kindly and faithfully by him in the present case:

notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself: or pass sentence upon him to be slain; which, if guilty, he might have power to do in his father's absence, and which David desires might be done, notwithstanding the covenant of friendship between them, should he appear to deserve it by any action of his, of which he was not conscious; this expresses the strong sense he had of his own integrity, and served to confirm Jonathan in his opinion of it;

for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father? deliver him up into his hands to be put to a cruel death by him, or give him the trouble of doing it, when he might as well dispatch him at once.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 20:8. If 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.