1Samuel 20:21 - Prayer Tents



Share: Select All button

Previous ChapterNext ChapterReduce Font SizeIncrease Font Size
1Samuel 20
The Message Help

A Covenant Friendship in God’s Name

20David got out of Naioth in Ramah alive and went to Jonathan. "What do I do now? What wrong have I inflicted on your father that makes him so determined to kill me?"H1732H1272H5121H7414H935H559H6440H3083H6213H5771H2403H6440H1H1245H5315 2"Nothing," said Jonathan. "You've done nothing wrong. And you're not going to die. Really, you're not! My father tells me everything. He does nothing, whether big or little, without confiding in me. So why would he do this behind my back? It can't be."H559H2486H4191H1H6213H6213H1697H1419H6996H1540H241H1H5641H1697 3But David said, "Your father knows that we are the best of friends. So he says to himself, 'Jonathan must know nothing of this. If he does, he'll side with David.' But it's true—as sure as GOD lives, and as sure as you're alive before me right now—he's determined to kill me."H1732H7650H559H1H3045H3045H4672H2580H5869H559H3083H3045H6087H199H3068H2416H5315H2416H6587H4194 4Jonathan said, "Tell me what you have in mind. I'll do anything for you."H559H3083H1732H5315H559H6213 5David said, "Tomorrow marks the New Moon. I'm scheduled to eat dinner with the king. Instead, I'll go hide in the field until the evening of the third.H1732H559H3083H4279H2320H3427H3427H4428H398H7971H5641H7704H7992H6153 6If your father misses me, say, 'David asked if he could run down to Bethlehem, his hometown, for an anniversary reunion, and worship with his family.'H1H6485H6485H559H1732H7592H7592H7323H1035H5892H3117H2077H4940 7If he says, 'Good!' then I'm safe. But if he gets angry, you'll know for sure that he's made up his mind to kill me.H559H2896H5650H7965H2734H2734H3045H7451H3615 8Oh, stick with me in this. You've entered into a covenant of GOD with me, remember! If I'm in the wrong, go ahead and kill me yourself. Why bother giving me up to your father?"H6213H2617H5650H935H5650H1285H3068H3426H5771H4191H935H1 9"Never!" exclaimed Jonathan. "I'd never do that! If I get the slightest hint that my father is fixated on killing you, I'll tell you."H3083H559H2486H3045H3045H7451H3615H1H935H5046 10David asked, "And whom will you get to tell me if your father comes back with a harsh answer?"H559H1732H3083H5046H1H6030H7186 11"Come outside," said Jonathan. "Let's go to the field." When the two of them were out in the field,H3083H559H1732H3212H3318H7704H3318H8147H7704 12Jonathan said, "As GOD, the God of Israel, is my witness, by this time tomorrow I'll get it out of my father how he feels about you. Then I'll let you know what I learn.H3083H559H1732H3068H430H3478H2713H1H4279H6256H7992H2895H1732H7971H1540H241 13May GOD do his worst to me if I let you down! If my father still intends to kill you, I'll tell you and get you out of here in one piece. And GOD be with you as he's been with my father!H3068H6213H3541H3254H3083H3190H1H7451H1540H241H7971H1980H7965H3068H1 14If I make it through this alive, continue to be my covenant friend. And if I die,H518H2416H6213H2617H3068H4191 15keep the covenant friendship with my family—forever. And when GOD finally rids the earth of David's enemies, stay loyal to Jonathan!"H3772H2617H1004H5704H5769H3068H3772H341H1732H376H6440H127 16(SEE 20:15)H3083H3772H1004H1732H3068H1245H3027H1732H341 17Jonathan repeated his pledge of love and friendship for David. He loved David more than his own soul!H3083H1732H7650H3254H160H157H160H5315 18Jonathan then laid out his plan: "Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you'll be missed when you don't show up for dinner.H3083H559H1732H4279H2320H6485H4186H6485 19On the third day, when they've quit expecting you, come to the place where you hid before, and wait beside that big boulder.H8027H3381H3966H935H4725H5641H3117H4639H3427H681H68H237 20I'll shoot three arrows in the direction of the boulder.H3384H7969H2671H6654H7971H4307 21Then I'll send off my servant, 'Go find the arrows.' If I yell after the servant, 'The arrows are on this side! Retrieve them!' that's the signal that you can return safely—as GOD lives, not a thing to fear!H7971H5288H3212H4672H2671H559H559H5288H2671H3947H935H7965H1697H3068H2416 22But if I yell, 'The arrows are farther out!' then run for it—GOD wants you out of here!H559H5958H2671H1973H3212H3068H7971 23Regarding all the things we've discussed, remember that GOD's in on this with us to the very end!"H1697H1696H3068H5704H5769 24David hid in the field. On the holiday of the New Moon, the king came to the table to eat.H1732H5641H7704H2320H4428H3427H398H3899 25He sat where he always sat, the place against the wall, with Jonathan across the table and Abner at Saul's side. But David's seat was empty.H4428H3427H4186H6471H4186H7023H3083H6965H74H3427H7586H6654H1732H4725H6485 26Saul didn't mention it at the time, thinking, "Something's happened that's made him unclean. That's it—he's probably unclean for the holy meal."H7586H1696H3972H3117H559H4745H1115H2889H2889 27But the day after the New Moon, day two of the holiday, David's seat was still empty. Saul asked Jonathan his son, "So where's that son of Jesse? He hasn't eaten with us either yesterday or today."H4283H8145H2320H1732H4725H6485H7586H559H3083H1121H935H1121H3448H3899H8543H3117 28Jonathan said, "David asked my special permission to go to Bethlehem.H3083H6030H7586H1732H7592H7592H5978H1035 29He said, 'Give me leave to attend a family reunion back home. My brothers have ordered me to be there. If it seems all right to you, let me go and see my brothers.' That's why he's not here at the king's table."H559H7971H4940H2077H5892H251H6680H4672H2580H5869H4422H7200H251H935H4428H7979 30Saul exploded in anger at Jonathan: "You son of a slut! Don't you think I know that you're in cahoots with the son of Jesse, disgracing both you and your mother?H7586H639H2734H3083H559H1121H5753H4780H3045H977H1121H3448H1322H1322H517H6172 31For as long as the son of Jesse is walking around free on this earth, your future in this kingdom is at risk. Now go get him. Bring him here. From this moment, he's as good as dead!"H3117H1121H3448H2425H127H3559H4438H7971H3947H1121H4194 32Jonathan stood up to his father. "Why dead? What's he done?"H3083H6030H7586H1H559H4191H6213 33Saul threw his spear at him to kill him. That convinced Jonathan that his father was fixated on killing David.H7586H2904H2595H5221H3083H3045H3617H1H4191H1732 34Jonathan stormed from the table, furiously angry, and ate nothing the rest of the day, upset for David and smarting under the humiliation from his father.H3083H6965H7979H2750H639H398H3899H8145H3117H2320H6087H1732H1H3637 35In the morning, Jonathan went to the field for the appointment with David. He had his young servant with him.H1242H3083H3318H7704H4150H1732H6996H5288 36He told the servant, "Run and get the arrows I'm about to shoot." The boy started running and Jonathan shot an arrow way beyond him.H559H5288H7323H4672H2671H3384H5288H7323H3384H2678H5674 37As the boy came to the area where the arrow had been shot, Jonathan yelled out, "Isn't the arrow farther out?"H5288H935H4725H2678H3083H3384H3083H7121H310H5288H559H2678H1973 38He yelled again, "Hurry! Quickly! Don't just stand there!" Jonathan's servant then picked up the arrow and brought it to his master.H3083H7121H310H5288H4120H2363H5975H3083H5288H3950H2671H2678H935H113 39The boy, of course, knew nothing of what was going on. Only Jonathan and David knew.H5288H3045H3972H3083H1732H3045H1697 40Jonathan gave his quiver and bow to the boy and sent him back to town.H3083H5414H3627H5288H559H3212H935H5892 41After the servant was gone, David got up from his hiding place beside the boulder, then fell on his face to the ground—three times prostrating himself! And then they kissed one another and wept, friend over friend, David weeping especially hard.H5288H935H1732H6965H681H5045H5307H639H776H7812H7969H6471H5401H376H7453H1058H376H7453H1732H1431 42Jonathan said, "Go in peace! The two of us have vowed friendship in GOD's name, saying, 'GOD will be the bond between me and you, and between my children and your children forever!'"H3083H559H1732H3212H7965H7650H8147H8034H3068H559H3068H2233H2233H5704H5769H6965H3212H3083H935H5892


The Message (MSG). All Scripture quotations are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. More details.
Old Testament
  • 25. Lamentations (5)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 29. Joel (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 31. Obadiah (1)
  • 1
  • 34. Nahum (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 35. Habakkuk (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 36. Zephaniah (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 37. Haggai (2)
  • 1
  • 2

New Testament
  • 50. Philippians (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 51. Colossians (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 52. 1 Thessalonians (5)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 53. 2 Thessalonians (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 55. 2 Timothy (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 56. Titus (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 57. Philemon (1)
  • 1
  • 61. 2 Peter (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 63. 2 John (1)
  • 1
  • 64. 3 John (1)
  • 1
  • 65. Jude (1)
  • 1
Please login to see history of your searches
Table of Contents
Hide Subtitles
Hide Footnotes
Spacing: 0 1 2 3
Verse Numbers Toggle
Strong Numbers Toggle
Info Language ArrowReturn to top