1 Samuel 20:1

THE MESSAGE

David got out of Naioth in Ramah alive and went to Jonathan. "What do I do now? What wrong have I inflicted on your father that makes him so determined to kill me?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What did I do wrong? How have I sinned against your father so that he wants to take my life?”

Hebrew Names Version
David fled from Nayot in Ramah, and came and said before Yonatan, What have I done? what is my iniquity? and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?

King James Version
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

Lexham English Bible
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt and what is my sin before your father that he is trying to kill me?

English Standard Version
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"

New Century Version
Then David ran away from Naioth in Ramah. He went to Jonathan and asked, "What have I done? What is my crime? How did I sin against your father? Why is he trying to kill me?"

New English Translation
David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, "What have I done? What is my offense? How have I sinned before your father? For he is seeking my life!"

Amplified Bible
David fled from Naioth in Ramah and he came and said to Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt? What is my sin before (against) your father, that he is seeking my life?"

New American Standard Bible
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and he came and said to Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and sayd before Ionathan, What haue I done? what is mine iniquitie? and what sinne haue I committed before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?"

Contemporary English Version
David escaped from Prophets Village. Then he ran to see Jonathan and asked, "Why does your father Saul want to kill me? What have I done wrong?"

Complete Jewish Bible
David fled from the prophets' dormitory in Ramah, returned to Y'honatan and said, "What have I done? Where have I gone wrong? What sin have I committed that makes your father want to take my life?"

Darby Translation
And David fled from Naioth by Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity, and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeks my life?

Easy-to-Read Version
David ran away from the camps at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked him, "What have I done wrong? What is my crime? Why is your father trying to kill me?"

George Lamsa Translation
AND David fled from Jonath, which is in Ramtha, and came and said to Jonathan, What have I done? And what is my offence? And what is my crime before your father that he seeks my life?

Good News Translation
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and went to Jonathan. "What have I done?" he asked. "What crime have I committed? What wrong have I done to your father to make him want to kill me?"

Literal Translation
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Dauid fled fro Naioth in Ramath, and came, & spake before Ionathas: What haue I done? What trespace haue I made? What haue I synned in ye sighte of thy father, yt he seketh to kyll me?

American Standard Version
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

Bible in Basic English
And David went in flight from Naioth in Ramah and came to Jonathan and said, What have I done? What is my crime and my sin against your father that he is attempting to take my life?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid fled from Naioth whiche is in Rama, and came, and said before Ionathan, What haue I done? wherin am I faultie? what is the sinne that I haue committed before thy father, that he seketh my lyfe?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan: 'What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?'

King James Version (1611)
And Dauid fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Ionathan, What haue I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sinne before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David fled from Navath in Rama, and comes into the presence of Jonathan; and he said, What have I done, and what is my fault, and wherein have I sinned before thy father, that he seeks my life?

English Revised Version
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

Berean Standard Bible
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? How have I sinned against your father, that he wants to take my life?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Dauid fledde fro Naioth, which is in Ramatha, and cam and spak bifor Jonathas, What haue Y do? what is my wickidnesse, and what is my synne ayens thi fadir, for he sekith my lijf?

Young's Literal Translation
And David fleeth from Naioth in Ramah, and cometh, and saith before Jonathan, `What have I done? what [is] mine iniquity? and what my sin before thy father, that he is seeking my life?'

Update Bible Version
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is my iniquity? and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?

Webster's Bible Translation
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what [is] my iniquity? and what [is] my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

World English Bible
David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is my iniquity? and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?

New King James Version
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and went and said to Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"

New Living Translation
David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan. "What have I done?" he exclaimed. "What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?"

New Life Bible
Then David ran from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my sin? What have I done wrong to your father, that he wants to kill me?"

New Revised Standard
David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came before Jonathan and said, "What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin against your father that he is trying to take my life?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And David fled from Naioth, in Ramah, - and came in, and said before Jonathan - What have I done? What is my transgression, and what my sin, before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

Douay-Rheims Bible
But David fled from Najoth, which is in Ramatha, and came and said to Jonathan: What have I done? what is my iniquity, and what is my sin against thy father, that he seeketh my life?

Revised Standard Version
Then David fled from Nai'oth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?"

Contextual Overview

¹ David got out of Naioth in Ramah alive and went to Jonathan. "What do I do now? What wrong have I inflicted on your father that makes him so determined to kill me?" ² "Nothing," said Jonathan. "You've done nothing wrong. And you're not going to die. Really, you're not! My father tells me everything. He does nothing, whether big or little, without confiding in me. So why would he do this behind my back? It can't be." ³ But David said, "Your father knows that we are the best of friends. So he says to himself, ‘Jonathan must know nothing of this. If he does, he'll side with David.' But it's true—as sure as God lives, and as sure as you're alive before me right now—he's determined to kill me." ⁴ Jonathan said, "Tell me what you have in mind. I'll do anything for you." ⁵David said, "Tomorrow marks the New Moon. I'm scheduled to eat dinner with the king. Instead, I'll go hide in the field until the evening of the third. If your father misses me, say, ‘David asked if he could run down to Bethlehem, his hometown, for an anniversary reunion, and worship with his family.' If he says, ‘Good!' then I'm safe. But if he gets angry, you'll know for sure that he's made up his mind to kill me. Oh, stick with me in this. You've entered into a covenant of God with me, remember! If I'm in the wrong, go ahead and kill me yourself. Why bother giving me up to your father?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

fled: 1 Samuel 19:19-24, 1 Samuel 23:26-28, Psalms 124:6-8, 2 Peter 2:9

What have: 1 Samuel 12:3, 1 Samuel 24:11, 1 Samuel 24:17, Psalms 7:3-5, Psalms 18:20-24, 2 Corinthians 1:12, 1 John 3:21

Reciprocal: Numbers 35:20 - by laying 2 Samuel 4:8 - sought Psalms 7:4 - without Hebrews 11:34 - escaped

Cross-References

Genesis 13:1
So Abram left Egypt and went back to the Negev, he and his wife and everything he owned, and Lot still with him. By now Abram was very rich, loaded with cattle and silver and gold.

Genesis 16:1
Sarai, Abram's wife, hadn't yet produced a child. She had an Egyptian maid named Hagar. Sarai said to Abram, " God has not seen fit to let me have a child. Sleep with my maid. Maybe I can get a family from her." Abram agreed to do what Sarai said.

Genesis 16:7
An angel of God found her beside a spring in the desert; it was the spring on the road to Shur. He said, "Hagar, maid of Sarai, what are you doing here?" She said, "I'm running away from Sarai my mistress."

Genesis 16:14
That's how that desert spring got named "God-Alive-Sees-Me Spring." That spring is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.

Genesis 18:1
God appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. It was the hottest part of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing. He ran from his tent to greet them and bowed before them.

Genesis 20:14
Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and along with her sent sheep and cattle and servants, both male and female. He said, "My land is open to you; live wherever you wish."

Genesis 24:62
Isaac was living in the Negev. He had just come back from a visit to Beer Lahai Roi. In the evening he went out into the field; while meditating he looked up and saw camels coming. When Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel and asked the servant, "Who is that man out in the field coming toward us?" "That is my master." She took her veil and covered herself.

Genesis 26:1
There was a famine in the land, as bad as the famine during the time of Abraham. And Isaac went down to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, in Gerar.

Genesis 26:6
So Isaac stayed put in Gerar.

Genesis 26:26
Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his advisor and Phicol the head of his troops. Isaac asked them, "Why did you come to me? You hate me; you threw me out of your country."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David fled from Naioth in Ramah,.... While Saul was prophesying, or lay in a trance there:

and came; to Gibeah, where Saul dwelt, and had his palace, and kept his court:

and said before Jonathan; whom he found there, and for whose sake he thither fled to have his advice, and to use his interest with his father, and be his friend at court:

what have I done? what [is] mine iniquity? and what [is] my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? surely, as if he should say, I must have been guilty of some very great crime, and yet I am not sensible of it; canst thou tell me what it is that has so provoked thy father, that nothing will satisfy him but the taking away of my life, which he seeks to do?

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

While Saul was under the constraining influence of the spirit of prophecy, David escaped from Naioth, and, probably by Samuel’s advice, returned to Saul’s court to commune with Jonathan. Nothing could be a better evidence of his innocence than thus putting himself in Jonathan’s power. Perhaps something passed between Samuel and Saul on the subject, since it appears from 1Sa 20:5, 1 Samuel 20:25, 1 Samuel 20:27, that Saul expected David at the feast of the new moon.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XX

David complains to Jonathan of Saul's enmity against him;

Jonathan comforts him, 1-10.

They walk out into the field, and renew their covenant, 11-17.

David asks Jonathan's leave to absent himself from Saul's

court; and Jonathan informs him how he shall ascertain the

disposition of his father towards him, 18-23.

David hides himself; is missed by Saul; Jonathan is questioned

concerning his absence; makes an excuse for David; Saul is

enraged, and endeavours to kill Jonathan, 24-33.

Jonathan goes out to the field; gives David the sign which they

had agreed on, and by which he was to know that the king had

determined to take away his life, 34-39.

He sends his servant back into the city; and then he and David

meet, renew their covenant, and have a very affectionate

parting, 40-42.

NOTES ON CHAP. XX

Verse 1 Samuel 20:1. David fled frown Naioth — On hearing that Saul had come to that place, knowing that he was no longer in safety, he fled for his life.