1 Samuel 20:28

Good News Translation

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

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,

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.'"

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;

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 in the fields. At the New Moon Festival, King Saul came to the meal ²⁵ and sat in his usual place by the wall. Abner sat next to him, and Jonathan sat across the table from him. David's place was empty, ²⁶ but Saul said nothing that day, because he thought, "Something has happened to him, and he is not ritually pure." ²⁷ On the following day, the day after the New Moon Festival, David's place was still empty, and Saul asked Jonathan, "Why didn't David come to the meal either yesterday or today?" ²⁸ Jonathan answered, "He begged me to let him go to Bethlehem. ²⁹ ‘Please let me go,' he said, ‘because our family is celebrating the sacrificial feast in town, and my brother ordered me to be there. So then, if you are my friend, let me go and see my relatives.' That is why he isn't in his place at your table." ³⁰ Saul became furious with Jonathan and said to him, "How rebellious and faithless your mother was! Now I know you are taking sides with David and are disgracing yourself and that mother of yours! ³¹ Don't you realize that as long as David is alive, you will never be king of this country? Now go and bring him here—he must die!" ³² "Why should he die?" Jonathan replied. "What has he done?" ³³ At that, Saul threw his spear at Jonathan to kill him, and Jonathan realized that his father was really determined to kill David.

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.