Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, August 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

1 Samuel 20:32

"Why do you want to kill David?" Jonathan asked. "What has he done?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Anger;   Arrow;   Holy Spirit;   Jealousy;   Malice;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Anger;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Saul;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Jonathan;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Jonathan;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jonathan ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Jonathan;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Jonathan, Jehonathan;   New Moon;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Jonathan answered his father back: “Why is he to be killed? What has he done?”
Hebrew Names Version
Yonatan answered Sha'ul his father, and said to him, Why should he be put to death? what has he done?
King James Version
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
Lexham English Bible
But Jonathan answered his father Saul and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"
English Standard Version
Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"
New Century Version
Jonathan asked his father, "Why should David be killed? What wrong has he done?"
New English Translation
Jonathan responded to his father Saul, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"
Amplified Bible
Jonathan answered Saul his father, "Why must he be put to death? What has he done?"
New American Standard Bible
But Jonathan replied to his father Saul and said to him, "Why must he be put to death? What has he done?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Ionathan answered vnto Saul his father, and said vnto him, Wherefore shal he die? what hath he done?
Legacy Standard Bible
But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"
Complete Jewish Bible
Y'honatan answered Sha'ul his father, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"
Darby Translation
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, Why should he be put to death? what has he done?
Easy-to-Read Version
Jonathan asked his father, "Why should David be killed? What did he do wrong?"
George Lamsa Translation
And Jonathan answered and said to Saul his father, Why should he be put to death? What has he done?
Good News Translation
"Why should he die?" Jonathan replied. "What has he done?"
Literal Translation
And Jonathan answered his father Saul, and said to him, Why should he die? What has he done?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ionathas answered his father Saul and sayde vnto him: Wherfore shal he dye? what hath he done?
American Standard Version
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he done?
Bible in Basic English
And Jonathan, answering his father Saul, said to him, Why is he to be put to death? What has he done?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Ionathan aunswered vnto Saul his father, and sayde to him: Wherfore should he dye? what hath he done?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him: 'Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he done?'
King James Version (1611)
And Ionathan answered Saul his father, and said vnto him, Wherefore shall hee be slaine? what hath hee done?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Jonathan answered Saul, Why is he to die? What has he done?
English Revised Version
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he done?
Berean Standard Bible
"Why must he be put to death? Jonathan replied. "What has he done?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sotheli Jonathas answeride to Saul his fadir, and seide, Whi schal he die? what hath he do?
Young's Literal Translation
And Jonathan answereth Saul his father, and saith unto him, `Why is he put to death? what hath he done?'
Update Bible Version
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, Why should he be put to death? what has he done?
Webster's Bible Translation
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, Why shall he be slain? what hath he done?
World English Bible
Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, Why should he be put to death? what has he done?
New King James Version
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, "Why should he be killed? What has he done?"
New Living Translation
"But why should he be put to death?" Jonathan asked his father. "What has he done?"
New Life Bible
Jonathan answered his father Saul, "Why should he be killed? What has he done?"
New Revised Standard
Then Jonathan answered his father Saul, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Jonathan responded to Saul his father, - and said unto him - Wherefore must he be put to death, What hath he done?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jonathan answering Saul, his father, said: Why shall he die? What hath he done?
Revised Standard Version
Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"
THE MESSAGE
Jonathan stood up to his father. "Why dead? What's he done?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"

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

Wherefore: 1 Samuel 19:5, Proverbs 24:11, Proverbs 24:12, Proverbs 31:8, Proverbs 31:9, John 7:51

what hath: Matthew 27:23, Luke 23:22, cast, 1 Samuel 18:11, 1 Samuel 19:10, 1 Samuel 19:11, Proverbs 22:24, Ecclesiastes 9:3, Jeremiah 17:9, whereby, 1 Samuel 20:7, Ecclesiastes 7:9

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 19:4 - spake good 1 Samuel 22:14 - And who 1 Samuel 25:17 - that a man

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Jonathan answered Saul his, father, and said unto him,.... Making no answer to the charges of perverseness, rebellion, and folly brought against himself, which he bore with patience, but could not bear to hear his dear friend spoken against, and as worthy of death; and therefore in answer to that says,

wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done? has he attempted to take away thy life? to deprive thee of thy crown? to settle himself upon the throne? what overt act of treason has he been guilty of; that he should die? on the contrary, has he not done many things worthy of immortal honour, for the good of the nation, and the glory of thy reign? and if God has determined the kingdom for him, and anointed him to it, what blame can be laid upon him? nay, should he not be the rather respected and honoured?


 
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