1 Samuel 20:1
in 1 Samuel 20Then 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?
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This verse in 1 Samuel 20
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity · Written before 523.
proposed
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
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
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,....
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
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 & Brown1802–1910
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.
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 wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּבְרַ֣ח | vaiyivrach | and he fled | H1272 → | 63 times |
| דָּוִ֔ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| מִנָּי֖וֹת | minoivt | from Naioth | H5121 → | 6 times |
| בָּרָמָ֑ה | baramah | in <the> Ramah | H7414 → | 36 times |
| וַיָּבֹ֞א | vaiyavo' | and he went | H935 → | 2568 times |
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוֹנָתָ֗ן | yehonatan | Jonathan | H3083 → | 81 times |
| מֶ֤ה | meh | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| עָשִׂ֙יתִי֙ | ʾasiti | have I done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| מֶֽה־ | meh- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| עֲוֹנִ֤י | ʾavoni | [is] iniquity my | H5771 → | 233 times |
| וּמֶֽה־ | umeh- | and what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| חַטָּאתִי֙ | chatati | [is] sin my | H2403 → | 295 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אָבִ֔יךָ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ | mevakesh | [is] seeking | H1245 → | 225 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| נַפְשִֽׁי׃ | nafshi | life my | H5315 → | 754 times |
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 stopsEach 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 2:9if 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
- Psalms 34:15–19
Through
1 John 3:21Beloved, 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.
- 1 John 2:28
Through
2 Corinthians 1:12And 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.
- 1 Corinthians 2:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Samuel

Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonUnited MonarchyDavidSecond king of united Israel, shepherd-turned-monarch, ancestor of the Messiah, and traditional author of many Psalms.
- PersonEarly monarchyJonathanSon of King Saul who climbed a cliff to rout a garrison on the conviction that nothing restrains Jehovah; cut a covenant of steadf…
- PlaceHill country of EphraimRamahSamuel's home town, the seat of his circuit as judge, the place David fled to, and the prophet's burial place.
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.
