1 Samuel 20:3

But David swore again, and said, Thy father well knoweth that I have found grace in thy eyes; wherefore he said, Jonathan must not know this, lest he be grieved: nevertheless, as truly as the Lord liveth, and thy soul liveth, there was but one step between me and death.

Leeser Tanakh

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, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father is not wont to do a great thing or a small thing, which he doth not inform me of; and why should my father conceal this thing from me? it is not so.

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

Read all of 1 Samuel 20

Cross References

Deuteronomy 6:13The Lord thy God shalt thou fear, and him shalt thou serve, and by his name shalt thou swear.

1 Samuel 1:26And she said, Pardon, my Lord, as thy soul liveth, my Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, to pray unto the Lord.

1 Samuel 25:26And now, my lord, as the Eternal liveth, and as thy soul liveth, it is the Lord who hath withholden thee from coming to blood-guiltiness, and from helping thyself with thy own hand; and now may like Nabal be thy enemies, and those that seek [to do] my Lord evil.

2 Samuel 15:21And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the Lord liveth, and as my Lord the king liveth, surely in whatever place my Lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, even there will thy servant be.

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

Psalms 116:3The bands of death had compassed me, and the pangs of the nether world had overtaken me; I had met with distress 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