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Wednesday, August 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

Brenton's Septuagint

1 Samuel 20:10

And David said to Jonathan, Who can tell me if thy father should answer roughly?

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jonathan;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Nob;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Jonathan;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jonathan ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Jonathan;   Smith Bible Dictionary - New Moon;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Feasts;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”
Hebrew Names Version
Then said David to Yonatan, Who shall tell me if perchance your father answer you roughly?
King James Version
Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?
Lexham English Bible
Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if what your father answers you is harsh?"
English Standard Version
Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?"
New Century Version
David asked, "Who will let me know if your father answers you unkindly?"
New English Translation
David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?"
Amplified Bible
Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?"
New American Standard Bible
Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will inform me if your father answers you harshly?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then said Dauid to Ionathan, Who shall tell me? how shall I knowe, if thy father answere thee cruelly?
Legacy Standard Bible
Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?"
Contemporary English Version
"How will you do that?" David asked.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then David asked Y'honatan, "Who will tell me in the event your father gives you a harsh answer?"
Darby Translation
Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?
Easy-to-Read Version
David said, "Who will warn me if your father says bad things to you?"
George Lamsa Translation
Then David said to Jonathan, Who shall report to me, if your father answers you roughly?
Good News Translation
David then asked, "Who will let me know if your father answers you angrily?"
Literal Translation
Then David said to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? Or what if your father answers harshly?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Dauid sayde: Who shal brynge me worde, yf thy father geue the an harde answere?
American Standard Version
Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance thy father answer thee roughly?
Bible in Basic English
Then David said to Jonathan, Who will give me word if your father gives you a rough answer?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayd Dauid to Ionathan: Who shall tell me? how [shall I knowe] if thy father aunswere thee cruelly?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said David to Jonathan: 'Who shall tell me if perchance thy father answer thee roughly?'
King James Version (1611)
Then said Dauid to Ionathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answere thee roughly?
English Revised Version
Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance thy father answer thee roughly?
Berean Standard Bible
Then David asked Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Dauid answeride to Jonathas, Who schal telle to me, if in caas thi fadir answerith harde ony thing of me?
Young's Literal Translation
And David saith unto Jonathan, `Who doth declare to me? or what [if] thy father doth answer thee sharply?'
Update Bible Version
Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance your father answers you roughly?
Webster's Bible Translation
Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what [if] thy father shall answer thee roughly?
World English Bible
Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance your father answer you roughly?
New King James Version
Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me, or what if your father answers you roughly?"
New Living Translation
Then David asked, "How will I know whether or not your father is angry?"
New Life Bible
Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father is angry when he answers you?"
New Revised Standard
Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said David unto Jonathan, Who shall tell me, - if thy father answer thee aught that is, harsh?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David answered Jonathan: Who shall bring me word, if thy father should answer thee harshly concerning me?
Revised Standard Version
Then said David to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?"
THE MESSAGE
David asked, "And whom will you get to tell me if your father comes back with a harsh answer?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?"

Contextual Overview

9 And Jonathan said, That be far from thee: for if I surely know that evil is determined by my father to come upon thee, although it should not be against thy cities, I will tell thee. 10 And David said to Jonathan, Who can tell me if thy father should answer roughly? 11 And Jonathan said to David, Go, and abide in the field. And they went out both into the field. 12 And Jonathan said to David, the Lord God of Israel knows that I will sound my father as I have an opportunity, three several times, and, behold, if good should be determined concerning David, and I do not send to thee to the field, 13 God do so to Jonathan and more also: as I shall also report the evil to thee, and make it known to thee, and I will let thee go; and thou shalt depart in peace, and the Lord shall be with thee, as he was with my father. 14 And if indeed I continue to live, then shalt thou deal mercifully with me; and if I indeed die, 16 thou shalt not withdraw thy mercy from my house for ever: and if thou doest not, when the Lord cuts off the enemies of David each from the face of the earth, should it happen that the name of Jonathan be discovered by the house of David, then let the Lord seek out the enemies of David. 17 And Jonathan swore yet again to David, because he loved the soul of him that loved him. 18 And Jonathan said, To-morrow is the new moon, and thou wilt be enquired for, because thy seat will be observed as vacant. 19 And thou shalt stay three days, and watch an opportunity, and shalt come to thy place where thou mayest hide thyself in the day of thy business, and thou shalt wait by that ergab.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

answer thee: 1 Samuel 20:30-34, 1 Samuel 25:10, 1 Samuel 25:14, 1 Samuel 25:17, Genesis 42:7, Genesis 42:30, 1 Kings 12:13, Proverbs 18:23

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said David to Jonathan, who shall tell me?.... The disposition of Saul's mind towards him, whether he gave a kind answer to the report of Jonathan concerning him:

or what [if] thy father answer thee roughly? or hard words, as the Targum, whether he answers in a kind, loving, and smooth manner, or whether in a rough and angry one: the question is here, how he should be informed of this, since especially, if in the latter, it would not be safe for Jonathan to come himself to him, nor could he well trust the message with any other. Abarbinel thinks, that the first of these expressions is by way of question, who should declare to him his father's will and intention, whether good or bad: and the latter by way of outcry, woe unto me, if thy father should answer thee roughly; I greatly fear he will chide thee for my sake; my heart will be filled with sorrow if thou shouldest suffer reproach and rebuke on my account.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 20:10. Who shall tell me? — Who shall give me the necessary information? What means wilt thou use to convey this intelligence to me?


 
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