1 Samuel 20:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said to him, "Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. And why should my father hide this from me? It is not so."

NIV: "Never!" Jonathan replied. "You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without letting me know. Why would he hide this from me? It isn’t so!"

NASB: He said to him, 'Far from it, you shall not die! Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without informing me. So why would my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!'

CSB: Jonathan said to him, "No, you won’t die. Listen, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This can’t be true."

NLT: That’s not true!' Jonathan protested. 'You’re not going to die. He always tells me everything he’s going to do, even the little things. I know my father wouldn’t hide something like this from me. It just isn’t so!'

KJV: And 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.

NKJV: 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!”

In 1 Samuel 20:1–3, Jonathan begins to accept that his father, King Saul, wants to kill his best friend, David. Despite Jonathan's defense of David, Saul continues to try to kill David (1 Samuel 19). David hatches a scheme so he and Jonathan can know for sure. When Jonathan learns the truth, he's heartbroken. David leaves for good and accidentally creates his own army (1 Samuel 21:1—22:5). He will continue to fight for Israel independently until Saul dies.

In 1 Samuel 20, David flees Saul for good. David goes to Jonathan at Gibeah to ask why Saul is trying to kill him. Jonathan agrees to find out. The two swear oaths of commitment to each other and plan to learn Saul's intentions. At the feast of the new moon, Saul becomes enraged at David's absence, as well as Jonathan's misplaced loyalty, and Jonathan knows David is in danger. The next day, Jonathan signals to David that he must flee. They part with tears and affirmations of their sworn friendship to each other.

David knows Saul wants to kill him (1 Samuel 19), but Jonathan can't accept it. The two decide to prove the king's intent, and Jonathan finally admits David's right. They part, trusting in their oath of friendship. David flees to Nob, where he tricks the priest out of bread and Goliath's sword, and makes a short visit to Gath. Eventually, David goes to the wilderness where his brothers meet him—along with four hundred men and their families who are in dire straits: the beginning of David's army (1 Samuel 21:1—22:5).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.