1 Samuel

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?

1David ran away from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and said, "What have I done? What is my sin? How have I wronged your father? Why does he want to kill me?"

2And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

2Jonathan said, "No, that cannot be! You will not die. My father tells me everything he plans, big or small. Why would he hide this from me? It is not true."

3And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

3But David promised again that it was true. He said, "Your father knows you care about me. So he says, 'Do not tell Jonathan, or he will be sad.' I promise, as surely as the LORD lives and you live: I am only one step away from death."

4Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.

4Then Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you want, I will do it for you."

5And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.

5David said, "Tomorrow is the new moon feast. I am supposed to eat with the king. Instead, let me go hide in the field until the evening of the third day.

NoteThe new moon was the first day of the month. It was marked with a special meal, and the king's helpers were expected to come.

6If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

6If your father notices I am gone, tell him this. Say, 'David begged me to let him hurry home to Bethlehem. His whole family gives a gift to God there every year.'

7If 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.

7If your father says, 'Fine,' then I am safe. But if he gets very angry, you will know he plans to hurt me.

8Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

8So please be kind to me. You and I made a promise to each other before the LORD. If I have done something wrong, then kill me yourself. Why hand me over to your father?"

9And 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?

9Jonathan said, "Never! If I found out my father planned to hurt you, I would tell you."

10Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?

10Then David asked Jonathan, "Who will bring me the news? What if your father answers you in anger?"

11And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.

11Jonathan said, "Come, let us go out to the field." So the two of them went out together.

12And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;

12Jonathan said to David, "I promise this before the LORD, the God of Israel. I will find out what my father thinks by tomorrow or the next day. If he means you well, I will surely send you word.

13The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

13But if my father plans to hurt you, I will tell you. I will send you away safely. If I do not, may the LORD punish me. May the LORD be with you, as He was with my father.

14And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:

14While I am still alive, please be kind to me, the way the LORD is kind. Do not let me be killed.

15But 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.

15And never stop being kind to my family. Keep being kind even after the LORD has wiped out every one of your enemies."

16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

16So Jonathan made this promise with David's family. He said, "May the LORD punish anyone in David's family who breaks it."

17And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

17Jonathan asked David to promise it again, because he loved him. He loved David as much as he loved himself.

18Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

18Then Jonathan said to David, "Tomorrow is the new moon feast. People will see your seat is empty and miss you.

19And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.

19Wait three days. Then hurry down to the place where you hid before, when this trouble started. Wait by the stone called Ezel.

20And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.

20I will shoot three arrows to the side of that stone. It will look like I am shooting at a target.

21And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the LORD liveth.

21Then I will send a boy to go find the arrows. If I say, 'The arrows are on this side of you, bring them,' then come out. I promise before the LORD that you are safe.

22But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.

22But if I say to the boy, 'The arrows are past you,' then you must go. That means the LORD is sending you away.

23And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.

23And about the promise you and I made, the LORD is watching between us forever."

24So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.

24So David hid in the field. When the new moon feast came, the king sat down to eat.

NoteIn the King James Bible, "meat" means food of any kind, not just meat from animals.

25And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty.

25Saul sat in his usual seat by the wall. Jonathan sat across from him, and Abner sat beside him. David's seat was empty.

26Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.

26Saul said nothing that day. He thought something had happened to David. He thought David was not ready to join a holy meal.

27And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?

27The next day, David's seat was still empty. Saul asked his son Jonathan, "Why has Jesse's son missed the meal two days now?"

28And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:

28Jonathan answered, "David begged me to let him go to Bethlehem.

29And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table.

29He said, 'Please let me go. My family is giving a gift to God in the city. My brother told me to be there. Please let me go and see my brothers.' That is why he is not at your table."

30Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness?

30Then Saul got very angry at Jonathan. He said, "You son of a twisted, disobedient woman! I know you have picked Jesse's son. You are shaming yourself and the mother who gave birth to you.

31For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

31As long as Jesse's son is alive, you will never be king. Send for him and bring him to me. He must die!"

32And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?

32Jonathan answered his father, "Why should he be killed? What has he done?"

33And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.

33Then Saul threw his spear at Jonathan to kill him. Now Jonathan knew his father truly meant to kill David.

34So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.

34Jonathan got up from the table, very angry. He ate no food that whole day. He was sad for David, because his father had shamed him.

35And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.

35In the morning Jonathan went out to the field. He went at the time he had agreed on with David. A small boy went with him.

36And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

36He said to the boy, "Run and find the arrows I shoot." As the boy ran, Jonathan shot an arrow past him.

37And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?

37The boy came to the spot where the arrow had landed. Jonathan called out, "Isn't the arrow farther on, past you?"

38And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

38Then Jonathan called again, "Hurry! Be quick! Do not stop!" The boy picked up the arrows and brought them back.

39But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

39The boy did not know what any of it meant. Only Jonathan and David knew the plan.

40And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

40Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy. He said, "Take these back to the city."

NoteThe King James Bible says "artillery" here. That old word meant a bow and arrows, not big modern guns.

41And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

41As soon as the boy was gone, David came out from the south side of the stone. He bowed low to the ground three times. Then the two friends kissed and cried together. David cried the hardest.

42And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

42Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace. We have both promised in the LORD's name. We said the LORD would watch between us, and between our children, forever." Then David left, and Jonathan went back into the city.