1 Samuel 20:41
New International Version
After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most.

New Living Translation
As soon as the boy was gone, David came out from where he had been hiding near the stone pile. Then David bowed three times to Jonathan with his face to the ground. Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said good-bye, especially David.

English Standard Version
And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most.

Berean Standard Bible
When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone, fell facedown, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept together—though David wept more.

King James Bible
And 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.

New King James Version
As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so.

New American Standard Bible
When the boy was gone, David got up from the south side, then he fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, until David wept immeasurably.

NASB 1995
When the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but David wept the more.

NASB 1977
When the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but David more.

Legacy Standard Bible
When the young man was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but David wept more.

Amplified Bible
As soon as the boy was gone, David got up from the south side [beside the mound of stones] and fell on his face to the ground [in submission and respect], and bowed three times. Then they kissed one another and wept together, but David wept more.

Christian Standard Bible
When the servant had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone Ezel, fell facedown to the ground, and paid homage three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept with each other, though David wept more.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone Ezel, fell with his face to the ground, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept with each other, though David wept more.

American Standard Version
And 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The boy went in and David arose from the presence of the rock and came to Jonathan and he fell on his face on the ground and he bowed three times, and they kissed each man his companion, and they wept each man over his companion, however, David exceeded

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And 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.

Contemporary English Version
After the boy had gone, David got up from beside the mound and bowed very low three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and cried, but David cried louder.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the boy was gone, David rose out of his place, which was towards the south, and falling on his face to the ground, adored thrice: and kissing one another, they wept together, but David more.

English Revised Version
And 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When the boy had left, David came out from the south side [of the rock] and quickly bowed down three times with his face touching the ground. Then they kissed each other and cried together, but David cried the loudest.

Good News Translation
After the boy had left, David got up from behind the pile of stones, fell on his knees and bowed with his face to the ground three times. Both he and Jonathan were crying as they kissed each other; David's grief was even greater than Jonathan's.

International Standard Version
The servant went. Then David came out from the south side of the rock, fell on his face, and bowed down three times. The men kissed each other, and both of them cried, but David even more.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And 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 down three times; and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

Literal Standard Version
The youth has gone, and David has risen from Ezel, at the south, and falls on his face to the earth, and bows himself three times, and they kiss one another, and they weep with one another, until David exerted himself;

Majority Standard Bible
When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone, fell facedown, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept together—though David wept more.

New American Bible
When the boy had gone, David rose from beside the mound and fell on his face to the ground three times in homage. They kissed each other and wept aloud together.

NET Bible
When the servant had left, David got up from beside the mound, knelt with his face to the ground, and bowed three times. Then they kissed each other and they both wept, especially David.

New Revised Standard Version
As soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He bowed three times, and they kissed each other, and wept with each other; David wept the more.

New Heart English Bible
As soon as the boy was gone, David arose from beside the mound, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another, and wept one with another, and David wept the most.

Webster's Bible Translation
And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place towards 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.

World English Bible
As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another and wept with one another, and David wept the most.

Young's Literal Translation
The youth hath gone, and David hath risen from Ezel, at the south, and falleth on his face to the earth, and boweth himself three times, and they kiss one another, and they weep one with another, till David exerted himself;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul Seeks to Kill Jonathan
40Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the boy and said, “Go, take it back to the city.” 41When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone, fell facedown, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept together though David wept more. 42And 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 your descendants and mine forever.’ ” Then David got up and departed, and Jonathan went back into the city.…

Cross References
Genesis 42:6
Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.

1 Samuel 18:3
Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

1 Samuel 20:40
Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the boy and said, "Go, take it back to the city."

1 Samuel 25:23
When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him.


Treasury of Scripture

And 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.

and fell

1 Samuel 25:23
And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,

Genesis 43:28
And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

2 Samuel 9:6
Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

and they kissed

1 Samuel 10:1
Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

Genesis 29:11,13
And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept…

Genesis 45:15
Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

David exceeded

1 Samuel 18:3
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

2 Samuel 1:26
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

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1 Samuel 20
1. David consults with Jonathan for his safety
11. Jonathan and David renew their covenant by oath
18. Jonathan's token to David
23. Saul, missing David, seeks to kill Jonathan
35. Jonathan affectionately takes his leave of David














(41) David arose out of a place toward the south.--If the text be correct here, which is very doubtful, we must understand these words as signifying that as soon as David perceived that Jonathan was alone (as soon as the lad was gone), he rose from the south side of the rock, where he had been lying concealed. [The "arrow" sign would have been enough to have warned David; and had he not seen that Jonathan was alone and waiting for him, David would, from his place of hiding, have made his escape unseen.] The Chaldee here reads, "from the stone of the sign (or the stone Atha) which is on the south;" the LXX. (Vat. MS.), "from the Argab;" Alex. MS., "from sleep." The different versions, more or less, have repeated the statement in 1Samuel 20:19, failing altogether to understand the two Hebrew words meetzel hannegev, translated in our English Version, "out of a place toward the south."

And fell on his face.--Josephus' words, in his traditional account of the event, explain David's reason for this. "He did obeisance, and called him the saviour of his life."

Until David exceeded.--The expression is a strange one, and apparently signifies either simply that while Jonathan wept bitterly at the parting, David wept still more, or else that "David broke down," that is, "was completely mastered by his grief."--Dean Payne Smith. The LXX. translators here are quite unintelligible in their rendering, which represents David as weeping "until a (or the) great consummation."



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When the young man
הַנַּעַר֮ (han·na·‘ar)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer

had gone,
בָּא֒ (bā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

David
וְדָוִ֗ד (wə·ḏā·wiḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

got up
קָ֚ם (qām)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

from the south
הַנֶּ֔גֶב (han·ne·ḡeḇ)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5045: South country, the Negeb, south

side [of the stone],
מֵאֵ֣צֶל (mê·’ê·ṣel)
Preposition-m
Strong's 681: A joining together, proximity

fell
וַיִּפֹּ֨ל (way·yip·pōl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

facedown,
לְאַפָּ֥יו (lə·’ap·pāw)
Preposition-l | Noun - mdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire

and bowed
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ (way·yiš·ta·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7812: To depress, prostrate

three
שָׁלֹ֣שׁ (šā·lōš)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

times.
פְּעָמִ֑ים (pə·‘ā·mîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 6471: A beat, foot, anvil, occurrence

Then he and Jonathan kissed
וַֽיִּשְּׁק֣וּ ׀ (way·yiš·šə·qū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5401: To kiss, to equip with weapons

each
אִ֣ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

other
רֵעֵ֗הוּ (rê·‘ê·hū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow

and wept
וַיִּבְכּוּ֙ (way·yiḇ·kū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1058: To weep, to bemoan

together—
אִ֣ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

though
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

David
דָּוִ֖ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

wept more.
הִגְדִּֽיל׃ (hiḡ·dîl)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1431: To grow up, become great


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OT History: 1 Samuel 20:41 As soon as the boy was gone (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 20:40
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