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1 Samuel 20
Septuagint (Brenton, 1851) compared with King James Version
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David and Goliath: the LXX tells a shorter, more coherent story.
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Septuagint (Brenton, 1851)
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1And David fled from Navath in Rama, and comes into the presence of Jonathan; and he said , What have I done, and what [is] my fault, and wherein have I sinned before thy father, that he seeks my life?
1And 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?
2And 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].
2And 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.
3And David answered Jonathan, and said, Thy father knows surely that I have found grace in thy sight, and he said, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he refuse his consent: but [as] the Lord lives and thy soul lives, as I said, [the space] is filled up between me and death.
3And 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.
4And Jonathan said to David, What does thy soul desire, and what shall I do for thee?
4Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.
5And David said to Jonathan, Behold, to -morrow [is] the new moon, and I shall not on any account sit down to eat, but thou shalt let me go, and I will hide in the plain till the evening.
5And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
6And if thy father do in anywise enquire for me, then shalt thou say, David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethleem his city, for [there is] there a yearly sacrifice for all the family.
6If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth–lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
7If he shall say thus, Well,— [all is] safe for thy servant : but if he shall answer harshly to thee, know that evil is determined by him.
7If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
8And thou shalt deal mercifully with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thyself: and if there is iniquity in thy servant, slay me thyself; but why dost thou thus bring me to thy father?
8Therefore 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?
9And Jonathan said, That be far from thee: for if I surely know that evil is determined by my father to come upon thee, although it should not be against thy cities, I will tell thee.
9And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
10And David said to Jonathan, Who can tell meif thy father should answer roughly?
10Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?
11And Jonathan said to David, Go, and abide in the field. And they went out both into the field.
11And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
12And Jonathan said to David, The Lord God of Israel knows that I will sound my father as I have an opportunity, three several times, and, behold, [if good] should be determined concerning David, and I do not send to thee to the field,
12And 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;
13God do so to Jonathan and more also: as I shall [also] report the evil to thee, and make it known to thee , and I will let thee go; and thou shalt depart in peace, and the Lord shall be with thee, as he was with my father.
13The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
14And if indeed I continue to live, then shalt thou deal mercifully with me; and if I indeed die,
14And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not:
15thou shalt not withdraw thy mercy from my house for ever: and if thou doest not, when the Lord cuts off the enemies of David each from the face of the earth,
15But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
16[should it happen] that the name of Jonathan be discovered by the house of David, then let the Lord seek out the enemies of David.
16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.
17And Jonathan swore yet again to David , because he loved the soul of him that loved him .
17And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18And Jonathan said , To -morrow [is] the new moon, and thou wilt be enquired for, because thy seat will be observed as vacant.
18Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
19And thou shalt stay three days, and watch an opportunity, and shalt come to thy place where thou mayest hide thyself in the day of thy business , and thou shalt wait by that ergab.
19And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.
20And I will shoot three arrows , aiming them at a mark.
20And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
21Andbehold, I [will] send a lad, saying, Gofind me the arrow.
21And, 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 Lord liveth.
22If I should expressly say to the lad, The arrow [is] here, and on this side of thee, take it; [then] come, for it is well with thee, and there is no reason [for fear, as] the Lord lives: [but] if I should say thus to the young man, The arrow [is] on that side of thee, and beyond ; go, for the Lord hath sent thee away.
22But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away.
23And as for the word which thou and I have spoken , behold, the Lord [is] witness between me and thee for ever.
23And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me for ever.
24So David hides himself in the field, and the [new] month arrives, and the king comes to the table to eat .
24So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
25And he sat upon his seatas in former times, even on his seat by the wall, and he went before Jonathan; and Abenner sat on one side of Saul, and the place of Davidwas empty.
25And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty.
26And Saul said nothing on that day, for he said, It seems to have fallen out that he is not clean, because he has not purified himself.
26Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
27And it came to pass on the morrow, on the second day of the month, that the place of Davidwas empty; and Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has not the son of Jessæ attended both yesterday and to -day at the table?
27And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?
28And Jonathan answered Saul, and said to him, David asked leave of me to go as far as Bethleem his city;
28And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth–lehem:
29and he said, Let me go, I pray thee, for we have a family sacrifice in the city, and my brethren have sent for me; and now, if I have found grace in thine eyes, I will even go over and see my brethren: therefore he is not present at the table of the king.
29And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table.
30And Saulwas exceedingly angry with Jonathan, and said to him, Thou son of traitorous damsels! for do I not know that thou art an accomplice with the son of Jessæ to thy shame, and to the shame of thy mother's nakedness?
30Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness?
31For so long as the son of Jessæ lives upon the earth, thy kingdom shall not be established: now then send and take the young man, for he shall surely die.
31For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
32And Jonathan answered Saul , Why is he to die? what has he done?
32And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
33And Saul lifted up his spear against Jonathan to slay him: so Jonathan knew that this evil was determined on by his father to slay David.
33And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
34And Jonathan sprang up from the table in great anger, and did not eat bread on the second [day] of the month, for he grieved bitterly for David, because his father determined [on mischief] against him .
34So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
35And morning came , and Jonathan went out to the field, as he appointed [to do] for a signal to David, and a little boy [was] with him.
35And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.
36And he said to the boy, Run, find me the arrows which I shoot: and the boy ran, and [Jonathan] shot an arrow, and sent it beyond [him].
36And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
37And the boy came to the place where the arrow was which Jonathan shot; and Jonathan cried out after the lad, and said, The arrow [is] on that side of thee and beyond thee.
37And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?
38And Jonathan cried out after his boy, saying, Make all speed, and stay not. And Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows, and brought the arrows to his master.
38And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39And the boy knew nothing, only Jonathan and David [knew].
39But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to his boy, Go, enter into the city.
40And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
41And when the lad went in, then David arose from the argab, and fell upon his face , and did obeisance to him three times, and they kissed each other, and wept for each other, for a great while.
41And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
42And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, and as we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord shall be witness between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever—[even so let it be].
42And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.