1 Samuel 20:28

Contemporary English Version

Jonathan answered, "The reason David hasn't come to eat with you is that he begged me to let him go to Bethlehem. He said, ‘Please let me go. My family is offering a sacrifice, and my brother told me I have to be there. Do me this favor and let me slip away to see my brothers.'"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Jonathan answered, “David asked for my permission to go to Bethlehem.

Hebrew Names Version
Yonatan answered Sha'ul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beit-Lechem:

King James Version
And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:

Lexham English Bible
Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked permission from me to go up to Bethlehem.

English Standard Version
Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.

New Century Version
Jonathan answered, "David begged me to let him go to Bethlehem.

New English Translation
Jonathan replied to Saul, "David urgently requested that he be allowed to go to Bethlehem.

Amplified Bible
Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked me for permission to go to Bethlehem.

New American Standard Bible
And Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly requested leave of me to go to Bethlehem.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Ionathan answered vnto Saul, Dauid required of me, that he might goe to Beth-lehem.

Legacy Standard Bible
Jonathan then answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem,

Complete Jewish Bible
Y'honatan answered Sha'ul, "David begged me to let him go to Beit-Lechem.

Darby Translation
And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me [to go] to Bethlehem,

Easy-to-Read Version
Jonathan answered, "David asked me to let him go to Bethlehem.

George Lamsa Translation
And Jonathan answered and said to Saul his father, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem;

Good News Translation
Jonathan answered, "He begged me to let him go to Bethlehem.

Literal Translation
And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked of me to go to Bethlehem.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ionathas answered Saul: He prayed me that he mighte go vnto Bethleem,

American Standard Version
And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem:

Bible in Basic English
And answering Saul, Jonathan said, He made a request to me that he might go to Beth-lehem,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Ionathan aunswered vnto Saul: Dauid asked licence of me to go to Bethlehem.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Jonathan answered Saul: 'David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem;

King James Version (1611)
And Ionathan answered Saul, Dauid earnestly asked leaue of me, to goe to Bethlehem.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Jonathan answered Saul, and said to him, David asked leave of me to go as far as Bethleem his city;

English Revised Version
And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth–lehem:

Berean Standard Bible
Jonathan answered, "David urgently requested my permission to go to Bethlehem,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Jonathas answeride to Saul, He preiede me mekeli, that he schulde go in to Bethleem;

Young's Literal Translation
And Jonathan answereth Saul, `David hath been earnestly asked of me unto Beth-Lehem,

Update Bible Version
And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem:

Webster's Bible Translation
And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked [leave] of me [to go] to Beth-lehem:

World English Bible
Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem:

New King James Version
So Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem.

New Living Translation
Jonathan replied, "David earnestly asked me if he could go to Bethlehem.

New Life Bible
Jonathan answered Saul, "David asked me to let him go to Bethlehem.

New Revised Standard
Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Jonathan answered Saul, - David, asked leave, of me, to go as far as Bethlehem;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jonathan answered Saul: He asked leave of me earnestly to go to Bethlehem.

Revised Standard Version
Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem;

THE MESSAGE
Jonathan said, "David asked my special permission to go to Bethlehem. He said, ‘Give me leave to attend a family reunion back home. My brothers have ordered me to be there. If it seems all right to you, let me go and see my brothers.' That's why he's not here at the king's table."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Jonathan then answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem,

Contextual Overview

²⁴ So David hid there in the field. During the New Moon Festival, Saul sat down to eat ²⁵ by the wall, just as he always did. Jonathan sat across from him, and Abner sat next to him. But David's place was empty. ²⁶ Saul didn't say anything that day, because he was thinking, "Something must have happened to make David unfit to be at the Festival. Yes, something must have happened." ²⁷ The day after the New Moon Festival, when David's place was still empty, Saul asked Jonathan, "Why hasn't that son of Jesse come to eat with us? He wasn't here yesterday, and he still isn't here today!" ²⁸Jonathan answered, "The reason David hasn't come to eat with you is that he begged me to let him go to Bethlehem. He said, ‘Please let me go. My family is offering a sacrifice, and my brother told me I have to be there. Do me this favor and let me slip away to see my brothers.'" ³⁰ Saul was furious with Jonathan and yelled, "You're no son of mine, you traitor! I know you've chosen to be loyal to that son of Jesse. You should be ashamed of yourself! And your own mother should be ashamed that you were ever born. ³¹ You'll never be safe, and your kingdom will be in danger as long as that son of Jesse is alive. Turn him over to me now! He deserves to die!" ³² "Why do you want to kill David?" Jonathan asked. "What has he done?" ³³ Saul threw his spear at Jonathan and tried to kill him. Then Jonathan was sure that his father really did want to kill David. ³⁴ Jonathan was angry that his father had insulted David so terribly. He got up, left the table, and didn't eat anything all that day.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Samuel 20:6

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Jonathan answered Saul,.... In reply to Saul's question, and to excuse David, he said,

David earnestly asked [leave] of me [to go] to Bethlehem; his own city, his native place, where his family lived, whom he was desirous to see, and yet chose not to go without asking leave; and as Saul was not at home, he asked leave of Jonathan, who was next to him, and acted for him; and he was very pressing and importunate in his suit, and therefore Jonathan could not well deny him it; and he hoped this would ben sufficient excuse for his absence, especially when what follows should be observed.