Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

New King James Version

1 Samuel 20:7

If he says thus: "It is well,' your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Influence;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Servants;  

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;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he becomes angry, you will know he has evil intentions.
Hebrew Names Version
If he say thus, It is well; your servant shall have shalom: but if he be angry, then know that evil is determined by him.
King James Version
If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
Lexham English Bible
If he says ‘Good,' it will mean peace for your servant; but if he is very angry, know that he has decided to do me harm.
English Standard Version
If he says, ‘Good!' it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry, then know that harm is determined by him.
New Century Version
If your father says, ‘Fine,' I am safe. But if he becomes angry, you will know that he wants to hurt me.
New English Translation
If he should then say, ‘That's fine,' then your servant is safe. But if he becomes very angry, be assured that he has decided to harm me.
Amplified Bible
"If he says, 'All right,' your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, then be certain that he has decided on evil.
New American Standard Bible
"If he says, 'That is good,' your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, be aware that he has decided on evil.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And if he say thus, It is well, thy seruant shall haue peace: but if he be angrie, be sure that wickednesse is concluded of him.
Legacy Standard Bible
If he says, ‘It is good,' your servant will have peace; but if he is very angry, know that he has decided on evil.
Contemporary English Version
If your father says it's all right, then I'm safe. But if he gets angry, you'll know he wants to harm me.
Complete Jewish Bible
If he says, ‘Very good,' then your servant will be all right. But if he gets angry, you will know that he has planned something bad.
Darby Translation
If he say thus, It is well,—thy servant shall have peace; but if he be very wroth, be sure that evil is determined by him.
Easy-to-Read Version
If your father says, ‘Fine,' then I am safe. But if your father becomes angry, you will know that he wants to hurt me.
George Lamsa Translation
If he says thus, It is well; then your servant shall have peace; but if he is displeased, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
Good News Translation
If he says, ‘All right,' I will be safe; but if he becomes angry, you will know that he is determined to harm me.
Literal Translation
If he shall say so, Good! Peace shall be for your servant. But if it burns him greatly, know that evil has been determined by him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf he saye then: It is good, the stondeth it well with yi seruaunt. But yf he be wroth, thou shalt perceaue that he intendeth euell.
American Standard Version
If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him.
Bible in Basic English
If he says, It is well, your servant will be at peace: but if he is angry, then it will be clear to you that he has an evil purpose in mind against me.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And if he say it is well done, then thy seruaunt shal haue peace: But and if he be angry, then be sure that wickednesse is vtterly concluded of him.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
If he say thus: It is well; thy servant shall have peace; but if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him.
King James Version (1611)
If he say thus, It is well, thy seruant shall haue peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that euill is determined by him.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
If he shall say thus, Well, —all is safe for thy servant: but if he shall answer harshly to thee, know that evil is determined by him.
English Revised Version
If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him.
Berean Standard Bible
If he says, 'Good,' then your servant is safe, but if he is enraged, you will know he has evil intentions.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If he seith, Wel, pees schal be to thi seruaunt; forsothe if he is wrooth, wite thou, that his malice is fillid.
Young's Literal Translation
If thus he say: Good; peace [is] for thy servant; and if it be very displeasing to him -- know that the evil hath been determined by him;
Update Bible Version
If he says thus, It is well; your slave shall have peace: but if he is angry, then know that evil has been determined by him.
Webster's Bible Translation
If he shall say thus, [It is] well; thy servant will have peace: but if he shall be very wroth, [then] be sure that evil is determined by him.
World English Bible
If he say thus, It is well; your servant shall have peace: but if he be angry, then know that evil is determined by him.
New Living Translation
If he says, ‘Fine!' you will know all is well. But if he is angry and loses his temper, you will know he is determined to kill me.
New Life Bible
If he says, ‘Good!' your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, then you will know that he has decided to do what is bad.
New Revised Standard
If he says, ‘Good!' it will be well with your servant; but if he is angry, then know that evil has been determined by him.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
If, thus, he say - It is well, - thy servant shall have, peace, - but, if it, anger, him, know that harm hath been determined by him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
If he shall say: It is well: thy servant shall have peace: but if he be angry, know that his malice is come to its height.
Revised Standard Version
If he says, 'Good!' it will be well with your servant; but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"If he says, 'It is good,' your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, know that he has decided on evil.

Contextual Overview

1 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?" 2 So Jonathan said to him, "By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!" 3 Then David took an oath again, and said, "Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, "Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.' But truly, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death." 4 So Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you." 5 And David said to Jonathan, "Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening. 6 If your father misses me at all, then say, "David earnestly asked permission of me that he might run over to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.' 7 If he says thus: "It is well,' your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him. 8 Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

It is well: Deuteronomy 1:23, 2 Samuel 17:4

evil: 1 Samuel 20:9, 1 Samuel 25:17, Esther 7:7

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:14 - thereby 1 Samuel 20:32 - what hath Psalms 56:5 - all

Cross-References

Genesis 2:17
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
Genesis 12:15
The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house.
Genesis 12:17
But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
Genesis 20:1
And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar.
Genesis 20:2
Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
Genesis 20:3
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, "Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife."
Genesis 20:4
But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also?
Genesis 20:5
Did he not say to me, "She is my sister'? And she, even she herself said, "He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this."
Genesis 20:6
And God said to him in a dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
Genesis 20:9
And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If he say thus, [it is] well,.... It is very well, it is very good and right in him to do so:

thy servant shall have peace; it will be a token that the wrath of the king was removed, and that his mind was well disposed towards David, and things had taken an happy turn, and would issue in his peace and prosperity:

but if he be very wroth; with Jonathan for giving leave, and with David for going away:

[then] be sure that evil is determined by him; that he has a settled obstinate malice in his heart, which is become implacable and inveterate, and confirmed in him; and that it is a determined point with him to slay David if possible, which he hoped to have an opportunity of doing at that time in which he was disappointed, and caused such wrath in him.


 
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