1 Samuel 20 · Verse 29

1 Samuel 20:29

And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table.
1 Samuel 20:29, King James Version

1 Samuel 20:29 in other translations

BSBsaying, ‘Please let me go, because our clan is holding a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has told me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go and see my brothers.’ That is why he did not come to the king’s table.”
WEBHe said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city. My brother has commanded me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go away and see my brothers.’ Therefore he has not come to the king’s table.”
ASVand he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he is not come unto the king’s table.
YLTand he saith, Send me away, I pray thee, for a family sacrifice we have in the city, and my brother himself hath given command to me, and now, if I have found grace in thine eyes, let me go away, I pray thee, and see my brethren; therefore he hath not come unto the table of the king.'
DARBYand said, Let me go, I pray thee; for we have a family sacrifice in the city; and my brother himself has commanded me to be there; and now, if I have found favour in thy sight, let me go away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. He has therefore not come to the king's table.
BBESaying, Our family is making an offering in the town, and my brothers have given me orders to be there: so now, if I have grace in your eyes, let me go away and see my brothers. This is why he has not come to the king's table.
WebsterAnd he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother he hath commanded me to be there: and now if I have found favor in thy eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not to the king's table.

What does 1 Samuel 20:29 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 29 Our family hath a sacrifice - Such sacrifices were undoubtedly festal ones; the beasts slain for the occasion were first offered to God, and their blood poured out before him; afterwards all that were bidden to the feast ate of the flesh. This was a family entertainment, at the commencement of which God was peculiarly honored.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 20:24-34

None were more constant than David in attending holy duties; nor had he been absent, but self-preservation obliged him to withdraw. In great peril present opportunities for Divine ordinances may be waved. But it is bad for us, except in case of necessity, to omit any opportunity of statedly attending on them. Jonathan did wisely and well for himself and family, to secure an interest in David, yet for this he is…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 20:24-34 →

1 Samuel 20:29 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֡אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
שַׁלְּחֵ֣נִיsha.le.Che.nilet go meH7971
נָ֡אna'pleaseH4994
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
זֶבַח֩ze.Vacha sacrifice ofH2077
מִשְׁפָּחָ֨הmish.pa.Chah[the] clanH4940
לָ֜נוּLa.nu[belongs] to <the> us
בָּעִ֗ירba.'Irin the cityH5892
וְה֤וּאve.Hu'and heH1931
צִוָּֽה\־tzi.vah-he has commandedH6680
לִי֙lito <the> me
אָחִ֔י'a.Chibrother myH251
וְעַתָּ֗הve.'a.Tahand thereforeH6258
אִם\־'im-ifH518
מָצָ֤אתִיma.Tza.tiI have foundH4672
חֵן֙chenfavorH2580
בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָbe.'ei.Nei.khain view yourH5869
אִמָּ֥לְטָה'i.Mal.tahlet me slip awayH4422
נָּ֖אna'pleaseH4994
וְאֶרְאֶ֣הve.'er.'Ehso I may seeH7200
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֶחָ֑י'e.Chaibrothers myH251
עַל\־'al-there-H5921
כֵּ֣ןken-foreH3651
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
בָ֔אVa'he has comeH935
אֶל\־'el-toH413
שֻׁלְחַ֖ןshul.Chan[the] table ofH7979
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ\׃\ \סha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 20:29

  • 1 Samuel 17:28

    And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
my brother.
17:28

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 20:28

    And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth–lehem:

  • 1 Samuel 20:29

    And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table.

  • 1 Samuel 20:30

    Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness?

Read all of 1 Samuel 20

1 Samuel 20:29 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y dijo: Ruégote que me dejes ir, porque tenemos sacrificio los de nuestro linaje en la ciudad, y mi hermano mismo me lo ha mandado; por tanto, si he hallado gracia en tus ojos, haré una escapada ahora, y visitaré á mis hermanos. Por esto pues no ha venido á la mesa del rey.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
et il m’a dit: Laisse-moi aller, je te prie, car nous avons un sacrifice de famille dans la ville, et mon frère même m’a commandé de m’y trouver; et maintenant, je te prie, si j’ai trouvé grâce à tes yeux, je me sauverai, et je verrai mes frères. C’est pourquoi il n’est pas venu à la table du roi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Laß mich doch gehen, denn wir haben ein Familienopfer in der Stadt; und mein Bruder selbst hat mich entboten; und nun, wenn ich Gnade gefunden habe in deinen Augen, so laß mich doch gehen, daß ich meine Brüder sehe! Darum ist er nicht an den Tisch des Königs gekommen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
et ait: Dimitte me, quoniam sacrificium solemne est in civitate, unus de fratribus meis accersivit me: nunc ergo si inveni gratiam in oculis tuis, vadam cito, et videbo fratres meos. Ob hanc causam non venit ad mensam regis.