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Sunday, December 21st, 2025
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

1 Samuel 20:16

So Jonathan made this agreement with David and his family, and he asked the Lord to hold them responsible for keeping it.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Alliances;   Constancy;   Covenant;   Oath;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Oaths;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jonathan;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Covenant;   Friend, Friendship;   Requirement;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Nob;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Jonathan;   Mercy, Merciful;   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;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Family and Family Life;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord hold David’s enemies accountable.”
Hebrew Names Version
So Yonatan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying], the LORD will require it at the hand of David's enemies.
King James Version
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David's enemies.
Lexham English Bible
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May Yahweh call the enemies of David to account."
English Standard Version
And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the Lord take vengeance on David's enemies."
New Century Version
So Jonathan made an agreement with David. He said, "May the Lord hold David's enemies responsible."
New English Translation
and called David's enemies to account." So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David.
Amplified Bible
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David. [He added,] "May the LORD require it at the hands of David's enemies. [that is, hold them accountable for any harm they inflict on David]."
New American Standard Bible
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the LORD demand it from the hands of David's enemies."
Geneva Bible (1587)
So Ionathan made a bond with the house of Dauid, saying, Let the Lorde require it at the hands of Dauids enemies.
Legacy Standard Bible
So Jonathan cut a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May Yahweh require it at the hands of David's enemies."
Contemporary English Version
Jonathan and David made an agreement that even David's descendants would have to keep. Then Jonathan said, "I pray that the Lord will take revenge on your descendants if they break our promise."
Complete Jewish Bible
Thus Y'honatan made a covenant with the family of David, adding, "May Adonai seek its fulfillment even through David's enemies."
Darby Translation
And Jonathan made [a covenant] with the house of David, [saying,] Let Jehovah even require [it] at the hand of David's enemies!
George Lamsa Translation
So Jonathans house shall flourish with the house of David; and may the LORD take vengeance on Davids enemies.
Good News Translation
may our promise to each other still be unbroken. If it is broken, the Lord will punish you."
Literal Translation
And Jonathan covenanted with the house of David, that Jehovah should seek it from the hand of David's enemies.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
then let Dauid rote out Ionathas also with his house, and the LORDE requyre it of the hande of Dauids enemies.
American Standard Version
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David's enemies.
Bible in Basic English
And if it comes about that the name of Jonathan is cut off from the family of David, the Lord will make David responsible.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And so Ionathan made a bonde with the house of Dauid, [saying:] Let the lord require it at the handes of Dauids enemies.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David: 'The LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.'
King James Version (1611)
So Ionathan made a couenant with the house of Dauid, saying, Let the Lord euen require it at the hande of Dauids enemies.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
English Revised Version
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying], And the LORD shall require it at the hand of David’s enemies.
Berean Standard Bible
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the LORD hold David's enemies accountable."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Jonathas made boond of pees with the hows of Dauid, and the Lord souyte of the hond of enemyes of Dauid.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jonathan covenanteth with the house of David, and Jehovah hath sought [it] from the hand of the enemies of David;
Update Bible Version
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying], And Yahweh will require it at the hand of the sons of David.
Webster's Bible Translation
So Jonathan made [a covenant] with the house of David, [saying], Let the LORD even require [it] at the hand of David's enemies.
World English Bible
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying], Yahweh will require it at the hand of David's enemies.
New King James Version
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "Let the LORD require it at the hand of David's enemies."
New Living Translation
So Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, saying, "May the Lord destroy all your enemies!"
New Life Bible
Do not let the name of Jonathan be lost from the family of David. And may the Lord punish those who hate you."
New Revised Standard
Thus Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the Lord seek out the enemies of David."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thus Jonathan solemnised a covenant with the house of David saying , - So let Yahweh require it, at the hand of the enemies of David.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Jonathan therefore made a covenant with the house of David: and the Lord required it at the hands of David’s enemies.
Revised Standard Version
let not the name of Jonathan be cut off from the house of David. And may the LORD take vengeance on David's enemies."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the LORD require it at the hands of David's enemies."

Contextual Overview

9 Jonathan answered, "No, never! If I learn that my father plans to hurt you, I will warn you." 10 David said, "Who will warn me if your father says bad things to you?" 11 Then Jonathan said, "Come, let's go out into the field." So Jonathan and David went together into the field. 12 Jonathan said to David, "I make this promise before the Lord , the God of Israel. I promise that I will learn how my father feels about you. I will learn if he feels good about you or not. Then, in three days, I will send a message to you in the field. 13 If my father wants to hurt you, I will let you know. I will let you leave in safety. May the Lord punish me if I don't do this. May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father. 14As long as I live, show me the same kindness the Lord does. And if I die, never stop showing this kindness to my family. Be faithful to us, even when the Lord destroys all your enemies from the earth." 16 So Jonathan made this agreement with David and his family, and he asked the Lord to hold them responsible for keeping it. 17 Jonathan loved David as himself, and because of this love, he asked David to repeat this agreement for himself. 18 Jonathan said to David, "Tomorrow is the New Moon celebration. Your seat will be empty, so my father will see that you are gone. 19 On the third day go to the same place you hid when this trouble began. Wait by that hill.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

made: Heb. cut, 1 Samuel 18:3, Genesis 15:18

Let the Lord: 1 Samuel 25:22, 1 Samuel 31:2, 2 Samuel 4:7, 2 Samuel 4:8, 2 Samuel 21:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 26:31 - sware Joshua 22:23 - let the Lord 1 Samuel 20:8 - thou hast Jeremiah 40:9 - sware

Cross-References

Genesis 20:3
But one night God spoke to Abimelech in a dream and said, "You will die. The woman you took is married."
Genesis 20:5
Abraham himself told me, ‘This woman is my sister,' and she also said, ‘This man is my brother.' I am innocent. I did not know what I was doing."
Genesis 20:6
Then God said to Abimelech in a dream, "Yes, I know that you are innocent and that you did not know what you were doing. I saved you. I did not allow you to sin against me. I was the one who did not allow you to sleep with her.
Genesis 20:8
So very early the next morning, Abimelech called all his servants and told them about the dream. The servants were very afraid.
Genesis 20:9
Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "Why have you done this to us? What wrong did I do to you? Why did you lie and say that she was your sister? You brought great trouble to my kingdom. You should not have done this to me.
Genesis 24:65
She said to the servant, "Who is that young man walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "That is my master's son." So Rebekah covered her face with her veil.
Genesis 26:11
So Abimelech gave a warning to all the people. He said, "No one must hurt this man or this woman. If anyone hurts them, they will be killed."
Proverbs 12:1
Whoever loves discipline loves to learn; whoever hates to be corrected is stupid.
Proverbs 25:12
Wise advice to a listening ear is like gold earrings or fine jewelry.
Proverbs 27:5
Open criticism is better than hidden love.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So Jonathan made [a covenant] with the house of David,.... Not with David himself only, which was now renewed, but with his family also:

[saying], let the Lord even require [it] at the hand of David's enemies; take vengeance on Jonathan, or on any of his posterity, should they break this covenant, by showing themselves enemies to David, and his crown; and, on the other hand, also on David, and his posterity, should they not show kindness to Jonathan and his seed, according to the tenor of this covenant.


 
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