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Read the Bible

JPS Old Testament

1 Samuel 20:16

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David: 'The LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.'

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!
Easy-to-Read Version
So Jonathan made this agreement with David and his family, and he asked the Lord to hold them responsible for keeping it.
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.
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 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? 10 Then said David to Jonathan: 'Who shall tell me if perchance thy father answer thee roughly?' 11 And Jonathan said unto David: 'Come and let us go out into the field.' And they went out both of them into the field. 12 And Jonathan said unto David: 'The LORD, the God of Israel--when I have sounded my father about this time to-morrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee? 13 The LORD do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace; and the LORD be with thee, as He hath been with my father. 14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not; 15 but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.' 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David: 'The LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.' 17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 18 And Jonathan said unto him: 'To-morrow is the new moon; and thou wilt be missed, thy seat will be empty.

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 God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him: 'Behold, thou shalt die, because of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.'
Genesis 20:5
Said he not himself unto me: She is my sister? and she, even she herself said: He is my brother. In the simplicity of my heart and the innocency of my hands have I done this.'
Genesis 20:6
And God said unto him in the dream: 'Yea, I know that in the simplicity of thy heart thou hast done this, and I also withheld thee from sinning against Me. Therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
Genesis 20:8
And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears; and the men were sore afraid.
Genesis 20:9
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him: 'What hast thou done unto us? and wherein have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.'
Genesis 24:65
And she said unto the servant: 'What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us?' And the servant said: 'It is my master.' And she took her veil, and covered herself.
Genesis 26:11
And Abimelech charged all the people, saying: 'He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.'
Proverbs 12:1
Whoso loveth knowledge loveth correction; but he that is brutish hateth reproof.
Proverbs 25:12
As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
Proverbs 27:5
Better is open rebuke than love that is hidden.

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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