King James Version

1 Samuel 20:2

And 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.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…ל֣וֹlvotoל֣וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toחָלִילָה֮chalilahbe farחָלִילָהparticle, interjection, paragogic he — “be far”H2486literal fora profaned thing; used (interj.) far be it!be far, ([idiom] God) forbid.לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תָמוּת֒tamutdieמוּתverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “die”, an unfinished actionH4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill[idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) w…הִנֵּ֡הhinehloהִנֵּהparticle, demonstrative — “lo”H2009lo!behold, lo, see.לוlvtoלוpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toעשהshhdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “do”, a completed actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…לֹֽאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יַעֲשֶׂ֨הyaasehdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “do”, an unfinished actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…אָבִ֜יavifatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.דָּבָ֣רdavarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cause”, the ordinary formH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…גָּד֗וֹלgadolgreatגָּדוֹלadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “great”, the ordinary formH1419great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent[phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very.א֚וֹvoalsoאוֹconjunction — “also”H176desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also ifalso, and, either, if, at the least, [idiom] nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.דָּבָ֣רdavarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cause”, the ordinary formH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…קָטֹ֔ןqatonleastקָטָןadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “least”, the ordinary formH6996abbreviated, i.e. diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in age or importance)least, less(-er), little (one), small(-est, one, quantity, thing), young(-er, -est).וְלֹ֥אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יִגְלֶ֖הyiglehexileגָּלָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “exile”, an unfinished actionH1540to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal[phrase] advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, [idiom] plainly, publish, remove, reveal, [idiom] shamelessly, shew, [idiom] surely, tell, uncover.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אָזְנִ֑יazeniearאֹזֶןnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “ear”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH241broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)[phrase] advertise, audience, [phrase] displease, ear, hearing, [phrase] show.וּמַדּוּעַ֩umaduaand whyמַדּוּעַconjunction, particle, interrogative — “and why”H4069what (is) known?; i.e. (by implication) (adverbially) why?how, wherefore, why.יַסְתִּ֨ירyastirhideסָתַרverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “hide”, an unfinished actionH5641to hide (by covering), literally or figurativelybe absent, keep close, conceal, hide (self), (keep) secret, [idiom] surely.אָבִ֥יavifatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.מִמֶּ֛נִּיmimenifromמִןpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “from”H4480properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many sensesabove, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הַדָּבָ֥רhadavarthe causeדָּבָרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the cause”, the ordinary formH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…הַזֶּ֖הhazehthe the one...the otherזֶהdefinite article, pronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…אֵ֥יןeynelseאַיִןparticle, negative — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).זֹֽאתzotthisזֹאתpronoun, demonstrative, feminine, singular — “this”H2063this (often used adverb)hereby (-in, -with), it, likewise, the one (other, same), she, so (much), such (deed), that, therefore, these, this (thing), thus.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And he said unto him: 'Far from it; thou shalt not die; behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And he said unto him, Far from it; thou shalt not die: behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

Young’s Literal Translation

And he saith to him, 'Far be it! thou dost not die; lo, my father doth not do anything great or small and doth not uncover mine ear; and wherefore doth my father hide from me this thing? this [thing] is not.'

World English Bible

He said to him, “Far from it; you will not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me. Why would my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.”

Darby Translation

And he said to him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, and not apprise me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

Douay-Rheims

And he said to him: God forbid, thou shalt not die: for my father will do nothing great or little, without first telling me: hath then my father hid this word only from me? no, this shall not be.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And 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 .

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἰωνάθαν, μηδαμῶς σοι, οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃς· ἰδοὺ οὐ μὴ ποιήσῃ ὁ πατήρ μου ῥῆμα μέγα ἢ μικρὸν, καὶ οὐκ ἀποκαλύψει τὸ ὠτίον μου· καὶ τί ὅτι κρύψει ὁ πατήρ μου ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο; οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο.