1 Samuel 20:2
New International Version
“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!”

New Living Translation
“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!”

English Standard Version
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.”

Berean Standard Bible
“Far from it!” Jonathan replied. “You will not die. Indeed, my father does nothing, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This cannot be true!”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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!

New American Standard Bible
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!”

NASB 1995
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. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

NASB 1977
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. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to him, “Far from it, you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without revealing it in my ear. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

Amplified Bible
Jonathan said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. My father does nothing important or insignificant without telling me. So why would he hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

Christian Standard Bible
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.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
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.”

American Standard Version
And 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Jonathan said to him: “God forbid it for you! You will not die! Behold, my father does no matter great or small that he does not reveal to me. Why would my father hide this matter from me? This is not so!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Jonathan said to him, Far be it from thee: thou shalt not die: behold, my father will not do any thing great or small without discovering it to me; and why should my father hide this matter from me? This thing is not so.

Contemporary English Version
"My father can't be trying to kill you! He never does anything without telling me about it. Why would he hide this from me? It can't be true!"

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to him: God forbid, thou shalt not die: for my father will do nothing great or little, without first telling me: hath then my father hid this word only from me? no, this shall not be.

English Revised Version
And he said unto him, God forbid; 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jonathan answered, "That's unthinkable! You're not going to die! My father does nothing without telling me, whether it's important or not. Why should my father hide this from me? It's just not that way."

Good News Translation
Jonathan answered, "God forbid that you should die! My father tells me everything he does, important or not, and he would not hide this from me. It just isn't so!"

International Standard Version
Jonathan told him, "Far from it! You won't die. Look, my father never does anything, great or small, without telling me; so why should my father hide this thing from me? It's not like that!"

JPS Tanakh 1917
And 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.'

Literal Standard Version
And he says to him, “Far be it! You do not die; behold, my father does not do anything great or small and does not uncover my ear; and why does my father hide this thing from me? This [thing] is not.”

Majority Standard Bible
“Far from it!” Jonathan replied. “You will not die. Indeed, my father does nothing, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This cannot be true!”

New American Bible
Jonathan answered him: “Heaven forbid that you should die! My father does nothing, great or small, without telling me. Why, then, should my father conceal this from me? It cannot be true!”

NET Bible
Jonathan said to him, "By no means are you going to die! My father does nothing large or small without making me aware of it. Why would my father hide this matter from me? It just won't happen!"

New Revised Standard Version
He said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. My father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me; and why should my father hide this from me? Never!”

New Heart English Bible
He said to him, "Far from it; you shall not die. Look, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so."

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to him, Far be it from thee; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing, either great or small, but that he will show it to me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

World English Bible
He said to him, “Far from it; you will not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me. Why would my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.”

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith to him, 'Far be it! thou dost not die; lo, my father doth not do anything great or small and doth not uncover mine ear; and wherefore doth my father hide from me this thing? this thing is not.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jonathan Helps David
1Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? How have I sinned against your father, that he wants to take my life?” 2“Far from it!” Jonathan replied. “You will not die. Indeed, my father does nothing, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This cannot be true!” 3But David again vowed, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or he will be grieved.’ As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.”…

Cross References
1 Samuel 20:1
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? How have I sinned against your father, that he wants to take my life?"

1 Samuel 20:3
But David again vowed, "Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, 'Jonathan must not know of this, or he will be grieved.' As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death."

Proverbs 29:24
A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath, but does not testify.


Treasury of Scripture

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

God forbid

1 Samuel 14:45
And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.

Genesis 44:7
And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:

Joshua 22:29
God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.

shew it me [heb] uncover mine ear

1 Samuel 20:12
And 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;

1 Samuel 9:15
Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,

Psalm 40:6
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

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1 Samuel 20
1. David consults with Jonathan for his safety
11. Jonathan and David renew their covenant by oath
18. Jonathan's token to David
23. Saul, missing David, seeks to kill Jonathan
35. Jonathan affectionately takes his leave of David














(2) God forbid; thou shalt not die.--Jonathan even now refuses to believe that his loved father, when he was himself, really wished ill to David; all that had hitherto happened the princely Jonathan put down to his father's unhappy malady. He urges upon his friend that if the king in good earnest had designs upon David's life, he would in his calm, lucid days have consulted with him, Jonathan, to whom he ever confided all his State secrets.

Will do nothing.--Here the commentators and the versions--LXX., Vulg., and Cbaldee--all agree to read in the Hebrew text, lo "not," for lo "to him," that is, for a vau an aleph must be substituted.

Verse 2. - God forbid. An exclamation of horror; literally, "Far be it" (see on 1 Samuel 14:45). In spite of the many proofs of Saul's bitter hatred, Jonathan cannot believe that after all that had taken place at Ramah his father would still persist in his murderous purpose. He further assures David that Saul would do nothing without telling him; literally, without uncovering his ear, without telling it him privately (see on 1 Samuel 9:15). The phrase is used again in ver. 12. For will do nothing the written text reads "has done for himself," which the Kri properly corrects. The rashness of Saul's temper, and his frank talk about killing David recorded in 1 Samuel 19:1, confirm Jonathan's statement about the openness of his father's ways, and he therefore assures David that he may take his place in safety.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Far from it!”
חָלִילָה֮ (ḥā·lî·lāh)
Interjection | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2486: For, a profaned thing, far be it!

Jonathan replied.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“You will not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

die.
תָמוּת֒ (ṯā·mūṯ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

Indeed,
הִנֵּ֡ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

my father
אָבִ֜י (’ā·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1: Father

does nothing,
יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה (ya·‘ă·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

great
גָּד֗וֹל (gā·ḏō·wl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

or
א֚וֹ (’ōw)
Conjunction
Strong's 176: Desire, if

small,
קָטֹ֔ן (qā·ṭōn)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6996: Small, young, unimportant

without
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

telling
יִגְלֶ֖ה (yiḡ·leh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1540: To denude, to exile, to reveal

me.
אָזְנִ֑י (’ā·zə·nî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 241: Broadness, the ear

So why
וּמַדּוּעַ֩ (ū·mad·dū·a‘)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4069: Why? for what reason?

would he
אָבִ֥י (’ā·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1: Father

hide
יַסְתִּ֨יר (yas·tîr)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5641: To hide, conceal

this
הַזֶּ֖ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

matter
דָּבָ֣ר (dā·ḇār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

from me?
מִמֶּ֛נִּי (mim·men·nî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

This cannot be true!”
אֵ֥ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle


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OT History: 1 Samuel 20:2 He said to him Far from it (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
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