Discovery Box1 Samuel 20:3-6 
Context20:3 Taking an oath, David again 1 said, “Your father is very much aware of the fact 2 that I have found favor with you, and he has thought, 3 ‘Don’t let Jonathan know about this, or he will be upset.’ But as surely as the Lord lives and you live, there is about one step between me and death!” 20:4 Jonathan replied to David, “Tell me what I can do for you.” 4
20:5 David said to Jonathan, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and I am certainly expected to join the king for a meal. 5 You must send me away so I can hide in the field until the third evening from now. 20:6 If your father happens to miss me, you should say, ‘David urgently requested me to let him go 6 to his city Bethlehem, 7 for there is an annual sacrifice there for his entire family.’
1 tc The LXX and the Syriac Peshitta lack the word “again.”
2 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
3 tn Heb “said,” that is, to himself. So also in v. 25.
4 tn Heb “whatever your soul says, I will do for you.”
5 tn Heb “and I must surely sit with the king to eat.” The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
6 tn Heb “to run.”
