1 Samuel 20:8
in 1 Samuel 20Therefore deal faithfully with your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovah with thee: but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
KJV
Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
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This verse in 1 Samuel 20
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
then your servant is safe
on 1 Samuel 20:7-9
David reads Saul’s temper as the sign itself, calm meaning safety and rage meaning a settled purpose to kill. He reminds Jonathan, "you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD." He offers to let Jonathan kill him himself if iniquity is found in him.
This site's exposition
you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD
David speaks to the king's son as his servant. He rests his plea on the covenant sworn before the LORD, which makes Jonathan answerable to God for his dealing with David. Matthew Henry calls such dealing the kindness of the LORD, the faithfulness God shows those he takes into covenant.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
21 And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the L ORD liveth. 22 But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the L ORD hath sent thee away.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:95%@v21-22
Therefore thou shall deal kindly with thy servant,....
Jonathan faithfully promises to get and give him intelligence how his father stood affected to him, and renews the covenant of friendship with him,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
If there be in me iniquity - If thou seest that I am plotting either against the state, or the life of thy father, then slay me thyself.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ | veasita | and you will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| חֶ֙סֶד֙ | chesed | covenant loyalty | H2617 → | 247 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | towards | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| עַבְדֶּ֔ךָ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| כִּ֚י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בִּבְרִ֣ית | bivrit | in [the] covenant of | H1285 → | 284 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הֵבֵ֥אתָ | heveta | you have brought | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עַבְדְּךָ֖ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| עִמָּ֑ךְ | ʾimakh | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| וְאִם־ | veim- | and if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יֶשׁ־ | yesh- | there | H3426 → | 140 times |
| בִּ֤י | bi | in <the> me | ||
| עָוֹן֙ | ʾavon | [is] iniquity | H5771 → | 233 times |
| הֲמִיתֵ֣נִי | hamiteni | put to death me | H4191 → | 839 times |
| אַ֔תָּה | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| וְעַד־ | vead- | and to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| אָבִ֖יךָ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| לָמָּה־ | lamah- | <to> why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| זֶּ֥ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| תְבִיאֵֽנִי׃ פ | tevieni | will you bring me | H935 → | 2568 times |
וְעָשִׂ֤יתָand you will do
veasitaH6213 →2628 times
חֶ֙סֶד֙covenant loyalty
chesedH2617 →247 times
עַל־towards
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
עַבְדֶּ֔ךָservant your
ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times
כִּ֚יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בִּבְרִ֣יתin [the] covenant of
bivritH1285 →284 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
הֵבֵ֥אתָyou have brought
hevetaH935 →2568 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עַבְדְּךָ֖servant your
ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times
עִמָּ֑ךְwith you
ʾimakhH5973 →1050 times
וְאִם־and if
veim-H518 →1069 times
יֶשׁ־there
yesh-H3426 →140 times
בִּ֤יin <the> me
bi
עָוֹן֙[is] iniquity
ʾavonH5771 →233 times
הֲמִיתֵ֣נִיput to death me
hamiteniH4191 →839 times
אַ֔תָּהyou
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
וְעַד־and to
vead-H5704 →1261 times
אָבִ֖יךָfather your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times
לָמָּה־<to> why?
lamah-H4100 →752 times
זֶּ֥הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
תְבִיאֵֽנִי׃ פwill you bring me
tevieniH935 →2568 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
1 Samuel 18:3Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 20:42
And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be a witness between you and me, and between…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Samuel 21:7
Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 20:8–17
Therefore deal faithfully with your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself; why should you bring me…
- 2 Samuel 9:1–3
Then David asked, “Is there anyone left from the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for the sake of Jonathan?”
- 1 Samuel 20:42
Through
1 Samuel 23:18So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 18:3
Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 18:3
Through
Genesis 24:49Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.”
it leads to
- Genesis 47:29
When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise…
- Joshua 2:14
“Our lives for your lives!” the men agreed. “If you do not report our mission, we will show you kindness and faithfulness when the LORD gives us the land.”
- Genesis 47:29
Through
1 Samuel 20:16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD hold David’s enemies accountable.”
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 25:22
May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one of Nabal’s men survive until morning.”
- 1 Samuel 25:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.