The Meaning of 1 Samuel 20:1 Explained

1 Samuel 20:1

KJV: And 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?

YLT: And David fleeth from Naioth in Ramah, and cometh, and saith before Jonathan, 'What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what my sin before thy father, that he is seeking my life?'

Darby: And David fled from Naioth by 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 seeks my life?

ASV: And 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?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And 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? 

What does 1 Samuel 20:1 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 20:1-16 - Friendship's Covenant
Life becomes intolerable when suspense is long drawn out; hence David's appeal to his friend. Besides, he yearned for one more glimpse of the dear home at Bethlehem, and to drink of "the well which was by the gate." The talk between the friends was heart-breaking to both. Only those who have experienced the severance of loving communion and intercourse can fathom the depth and bitterness of the waters that began to roll between the two friends.
Jonathan is one of the noblest types of manhood presented in Scripture biography. Whether in private or public life, he shone with peerless beauty, as a star in a dark sky. David said of him that he was "lovely and pleasant." Jonathan had a clear prevision of David's coming greatness, but it gave him no pang of jealousy. He loved his friend better than himself, so much, indeed, that it was a richer ecstasy for Jonathan to see David crowned and exalted than to ascend the throne himself. Love casts out jealousy. This friendship was ideal; and we can only ask that we may realize something of its sweetness, and know the love of Christ after the same fashion. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 20:1 mean?

and fled David Naioth from Naioth in Ramah and went and said to Jonathan what have I done what [is] my iniquity and what [is] my sin before your father that he seeks - my life
וַיִּבְרַ֣ח דָּוִ֔ד [מנוות] (מִנָּי֖וֹת) בָּרָמָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֞א וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוֹנָתָ֗ן מֶ֤ה ؟ עָשִׂ֙יתִי֙ מֶֽה־ ؟ עֲוֺנִ֤י וּמֶֽה־ חַטָּאתִי֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ כִּ֥י מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־ ؟ נַפְשִֽׁי

וַיִּבְרַ֣ח  and  fled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַח 
Sense: to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away.
דָּוִ֔ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
[מנוות]  Naioth 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
(מִנָּי֖וֹת)  from  Naioth 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: נָוֹות 
Sense: a dwelling place of prophets in the time of Samuel.
בָּרָמָ֑ה  in  Ramah 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָמָה 
Sense: a town in Benjamin on the border of Ephraim about 5 miles (8 km) from Jerusalem and near to Gibeah.
וַיָּבֹ֞א  and  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוֹנָתָ֗ן  Jonathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
؟ עָשִׂ֙יתִי֙  have  I  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מֶֽה־  what  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
؟ עֲוֺנִ֤י  my  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
וּמֶֽה־  and  what  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
חַטָּאתִי֙  my  sin 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אָבִ֔יךָ  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ  he  seeks 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
؟ נַפְשִֽׁי  my  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.