1 Samuel 20:3

But David sware yet further, and said—Thy father, doth know, that I have found favour in thine eyes, therefore saith he,—Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he grieve; but, indeed, by the life of Yahweh, and by the life of thine own soul, surely there is but as it were a step betwixt me and death!

The Emphasised Bible by J. B. Rotherham

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 be it! thou shalt not die. Lo! my father doeth nothing, great or small, without unveiling mine ear,—wherefore, then, should my father hide from me, this thing? There is, nothing, in this.

4And Jonathan said unto David,—Whatsoever thy soul shall desire, I will do for thee.

Read all of 1 Samuel 20

Cross References

Deuteronomy 6:13Yahweh thy God, shalt thou revere And him, shalt thou serve,—And by his name, shalt thou swear.

1 Samuel 1:26And she said—Pardon, my lord! By the life of thy soul, my lord,—I, am the woman who was standing near thee here, praying unto Yahweh:

1 Samuel 25:26Now, therefore, my lord—By the life of Yahweh, and by the life of thine own soul,—seeing Yahweh hath withholden thee from coming in with bloodshed, and from saving thyself, with thine own hand, now, therefore, like Nabal, be thine enemies, and they who are making search for my lord, wrongfully.

2 Samuel 15:21But Ittai answered the king, and said,—By the life of Yahweh, and by the life of my lord the king, surely, in whatsoever place, my lord the king, may be, whether for death or for life, there will, thy servant, be.

2 Kings 2:4Then Elijah said to him—Elisha, I pray thee, tarry here, for, Yahweh, hath sent me to Jericho. And he said—By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

Psalms 116:3The meshes of death encompassed me, and the distresses of hades, came upon me, Peril and sorrow, I found;

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