Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, July 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Good News Translation

1 Samuel 20:9

"Don't even think such a thing!" Jonathan answered. "If I knew for sure that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn't I tell you?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Torrey's Topical Textbook - Beard, the;  

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;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Determine;   Far;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“No!” Jonathan responded. “If I ever find out my father has evil intentions against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?”
Hebrew Names Version
Yonatan said, Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn't I tell you that?
King James Version
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
Lexham English Bible
Then Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! For if I know for certain that my father decided evil should come upon you, would I not have told it to you?"
English Standard Version
And Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you?"
New Century Version
Jonathan answered, "No, never! If I learn that my father plans to hurt you, I will warn you!"
New English Translation
Jonathan said, "Far be it from you to suggest this! If I were at all aware that my father had decided to harm you, wouldn't I tell you about it?"
Amplified Bible
Jonathan said, "Far be it from [happening to] you! In fact, if I indeed learn that my father has decided to harm you, would I not tell you about it?"
New American Standard Bible
Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! For if I in fact learn that my father has decided to inflict harm on you, would I not inform you?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Ionathan answered, God keepe that from thee: for if I knewe that wickednesse were concluded of my father to come vpon thee, would not I tell it thee?
Legacy Standard Bible
And Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! For if I should indeed come to know that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?"
Contemporary English Version
"Don't worry," Jonathan said. "If I find out that my father wants to kill you, I'll certainly let you know."
Complete Jewish Bible
Y'honatan said, "Heaven forbid! If I ever were to learn that my father had definitely decided to do you harm, wouldn't I tell you?"
Darby Translation
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for, if I knew with certainty that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, would I not tell it thee?
Easy-to-Read Version
Jonathan answered, "No, never! If I learn that my father plans to hurt you, I will warn you."
George Lamsa Translation
And Jonathan said, God forbid; for if I knew of a certainty that evil were determined by my father to come upon you, then I would come to you and tell you.
Literal Translation
And Jonathan said, Far be it from you! For if I knew with certainty that evil was determined by my father to come on you, would I not tell it to you?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ionathas sayde: That be farre from the, that I shulde perceaue my father to intende eny euell agaynst the, and shulde not tell the.
American Standard Version
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
Bible in Basic English
And Jonathan said, Do not have such a thought: for if I saw that my father was designing evil against you, would I not give you word of it?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Ionathan aunswered, God kepe that from thee: For if I knewe that wickednesse were concluded of my fathere to come vpon thee, woulde not I tel it thee?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Jonathan said: 'Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
King James Version (1611)
And Ionathan said, Farre be it from thee: for if I knew certainely that euill were determined by my father to come vpon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
English Revised Version
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
Berean Standard Bible
"Never!" Jonathan replied. "If I ever found out my father has evil intentions against you, would I not tell you?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Jonathas seide, Fer be this fro me, for it mai not be doon, that Y telle not to thee, if Y knowe certeynli, that the malice of my fadir is fillid ayens thee.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jonathan saith, `Far be it from thee! for I certainly do not know that the evil hath been determined by my father to come upon thee, and I do not declare it to thee.'
Update Bible Version
And Jonathan said, Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then would not I tell it you?
Webster's Bible Translation
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil is determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
World English Bible
Jonathan said, Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn't I tell you that?
New King James Version
But Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?"
New Living Translation
"Never!" Jonathan exclaimed. "You know that if I had the slightest notion my father was planning to kill you, I would tell you at once."
New Life Bible
Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! If I knew that my father has decided to do something bad to you, would I not tell you about it?"
New Revised Standard
Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! If I knew that it was decided by my father that evil should come upon you, would I not tell you?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Jonathan said - Far be it from thee! but, if I, get to know, that harm is determined by my father, to bring it upon thee, is not, that, the thing that I will tell thee?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jonathan said: Far be this from thee: for if I should certainly know that evil is determined by my father against thee, I could do no otherwise than tell thee.
Revised Standard Version
And Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that evil should come upon you, would I not tell you?"
THE MESSAGE
"Never!" exclaimed Jonathan. "I'd never do that! If I get the slightest hint that my father is fixated on killing you, I'll tell you."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?"

Contextual Overview

9 "Don't even think such a thing!" Jonathan answered. "If I knew for sure that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn't I tell you?" 10 David then asked, "Who will let me know if your father answers you angrily?" 11 "Let's go out to the fields," Jonathan answered. So they went, 12 and Jonathan said to David, "May the Lord God of Israel be our witness! At this time tomorrow and on the following day I will question my father. If his attitude toward you is good, I will send you word. 13 If he intends to harm you, may the Lord strike me dead if I don't let you know about it and get you safely away. May the Lord be with you as he was with my father! 14 And if I remain alive, please keep your sacred promise and be loyal to me; but if I die, 15 show the same kind of loyalty to my family forever. And when the Lord has completely destroyed all your enemies, 16 may our promise to each other still be unbroken. If it is broken, the Lord will punish you." 17 Once again Jonathan made David promise to love him, for Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself. 18 Then Jonathan said to him, "Since tomorrow is the New Moon Festival, your absence will be noticed if you aren't at the meal.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

then would: 1 Samuel 20:38, 1 Samuel 20:42, 1 Samuel 19:2

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 19:3 - what I see 1 Samuel 20:7 - evil 1 Samuel 25:17 - evil Esther 7:7 - for he saw

Cross-References

Genesis 12:18
Then the king sent for Abram and asked him, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife?
Genesis 20:10
Why did you do it?"
Genesis 20:11
Abraham answered, "I thought that there would be no one here who has reverence for God and that they would kill me to get my wife.
Genesis 26:10
"What have you done to us?" Abimelech said. "One of my men might easily have slept with your wife, and you would have been responsible for our guilt."
Genesis 34:7
just as Jacob's sons were coming in from the fields. When they heard about it, they were shocked and furious that Shechem had done such a thing and had insulted the people of Israel by raping Jacob's daughter.
Genesis 38:24
About three months later someone told Judah, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has been acting like a whore, and now she is pregnant." Judah ordered, "Take her out and burn her to death."
Genesis 39:9
I have as much authority in this house as he has, and he has not kept back anything from me except you. How then could I do such an immoral thing and sin against God?"
Exodus 32:21
He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you have made them commit such a terrible sin?"
Exodus 32:35
So the Lord sent a disease on the people, because they had caused Aaron to make the gold bull-calf.
Leviticus 20:10
If a man commits adultery with the wife of an Israelite, both he and the woman shall be put to death.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Jonathan said, far be it from thee,.... To entertain such a thought of me, or to have the least suspicion of me, that I should conceal my father's ill intentions against thee, if known to me;

for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would I not tell it thee? certainly I would; canst thou doubt of my kindness and fidelity? surely thou hast no reason, when such a covenant of friendship subsists between us, and there has not been the least breach of it on either side.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile