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1 Samuel 20:1

in 1 Samuel 20

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?”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

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?

KJV

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?

This verse in 1 Samuel 20

Commentary

10 notes on this verse
While Saul was under the constraining influence of the spirit of prophecy, David escaped from Naioth, and, probably by Samuel’s advice, returned to Saul’s court to commune with Jonathan. Nothing could be a better evidence of his innocence than thus putting himself in Jonathan’s power. Perhaps something passed between Samuel and Saul on the subject, since it appears from 1Sa 20:5, 1Sa 20:25, 1Sa 20:27, that Saul expected David at the feast of the new moon.

This site's exposition

Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah

on 1 Samuel 20:1-3

David flees from Naioth in Ramah and goes straight to Jonathan rather than into hiding. His three questions ask for a specific charge, and Jonathan cannot believe that his father's oath at 19:6 is already broken. David vows that "there is but a step between me and death," and the covenant of 18:3 is about to be tested and renewed.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

And from other things it is easy for us to see the simplicity of the blessed David, who himself also maketh it known when he spake with Jonathan, saying, "There is no wickedness in my heart, and yet thy father hunteth my life to take …

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Samuel · Written before 735.

proposed

He came and spoke before Jonathan, "What have I done?" etc. Expelled because of disbelief in the Lord by the reprobate, He often returns more sweetly to the hearts of those who love Him, reminding them frequently of His incarnation, innocent life, and unjust persecution, …

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

proposed

Jonathan promises to give him intelligence, and confirms his friendship, ver. 9-23. He finds his father implacable, ver. 24-34. He gives David notice of it, in the manner they had agreed on, ver.

quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-9/24-anchored-1-5

And David fled from Naioth in Ramah,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Jonathan faithfully promises to get and give him intelligence how his father stood affected to him, and renews the covenant of friendship with him,
3 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

He endeavors to convince him that, notwithstanding his innocency, Saul sought his life. Jonathan, from a principal of filial respect to his father, was very loth to believe that he designed or would ever do so wicked a thing,

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

But he was evidently prompted to go thither by the most generous feelings--to inform his friend of what had recently occurred, and to obtain that friend's sanction to the course he was compelled to adopt. Jonathan could not be persuaded there was any real danger after the oath his father had taken; at all events, he felt assured his father would do nothing without telling him.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

David fled from Naioth - On hearing that Saul had come to that place, knowing that he was no longer in safety, he fled for his life.

The words behind it

20 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיִּבְרַ֣חand he fled

    vaiyivrachH1272 →63 times

  • דָּוִ֔דDavid

    davidH1732 →999 times

  • מִנָּי֖וֹתfrom Naioth

    minoivtH5121 →6 times

  • בָּרָמָ֑הin <the> Ramah

    baramahH7414 →36 times

  • וַיָּבֹ֞אand he went

    vaiyavo'H935 →2568 times

  • וַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀and he said

    vaiyomerH559 →5305 times

  • לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before

    lifneiH6440 →2123 times

  • יְהוֹנָתָ֗ןJonathan

    yehonatanH3083 →81 times

  • מֶ֤הwhat?

    mehH4100 →752 times

  • עָשִׂ֙יתִי֙have I done

    ʾasitiH6213 →2628 times

  • מֶֽה־what?

    meh-H4100 →752 times

  • עֲוֹנִ֤י[is] iniquity my

    ʾavoniH5771 →233 times

  • וּמֶֽה־and what?

    umeh-H4100 →752 times

  • חַטָּאתִי֙[is] sin my

    chatatiH2403 →295 times

  • לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before

    lifneiH6440 →2123 times

  • אָבִ֔יךָfather your

    ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times

  • כִּ֥יthat

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ[is] seeking

    mevakeshH1245 →225 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • נַפְשִֽׁי׃life my

    nafshiH5315 →754 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    2 Peter 2:9

    if all this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.

    it leads to

    • Psalms 34:15–19

      The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.

    • 1 Corinthians 10:13

      No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will…

    • Revelation 3:10

      Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the…

    • 2 Timothy 3:12

      Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

    • Jude 1:14–15

      Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about them: “Behold, the Lord is coming with myriads of His holy ones

  • Through

    1 John 3:21

    Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God,

    it leads to

    • 1 John 2:28

      And now, little children, remain in Christ, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.

    • Hebrews 4:16

      Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

  • Through

    2 Corinthians 1:12

    And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom,…

    it leads to

    • 1 Corinthians 2:13

      And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Samuel

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity.