1 Samuel 20:3

And David swore moreover, and said: 'Thy father knoweth well that I have found favour 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.'

JPS TaNaKH 1917

In The King James Version

And 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.

In Context

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

4Then said Jonathan unto David: 'What doth thy soul desire, that I should do it for thee?'

Read all of 1 Samuel 20

Cross References

Deuteronomy 6:13Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; and Him shalt thou serve, and by His name shalt thou swear.

1 Samuel 1:26And she said: 'Oh, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.

1 Samuel 25:26Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from bloodguiltiness, and from finding redress for thyself with thine own hand, now therefore let thine enemies, and them that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.

2 Samuel 15:21And Ittai answered the king, and said: 'As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will thy servant be.'

2 Kings 2:4And Elijah said unto him: 'Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho.' And he said: 'As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.' So they came to Jericho. —

Psalms 116:3The cords of death compassed me, and the straits of the nether-world got hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow.

Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 20:2-9

David Consults Jonathan. ( b. c. 1058.) 1 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? 2 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. 3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 1 Samuel 20:3