1 Samuel 20:3

3 And David said, Truly thy father knoweth, that I have found grace in thine eyes, and he shall say, Jonathan know not this, lest peradventure he be sorry; certainly the Lord liveth, and thy soul liveth, for, that I say so, I and death be parted only by one degree. (And David said, Truly thy father knoweth that I have found favour in thy sight, and he shall say, I will not let Jonathan know this, lest he become angry, or upset; truly, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I say that I and death be separated by only one degree.)

1 Samuel 20:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:3

And David sware moreover, and said
To assure Jonathan of the truth of it, that he did most certainly seek after his life, of which, as he had no doubt himself, by an oath he endeavoured to remove any that might be in Jonathan, who was not willing to believe his father could be guilty of so foul a crime:

thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes:
that he was high in his favour, that he had a great value for him, and he had a large share in his love and friendship, and that was the reason why he hid from him his base intentions:

and he saith, let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved;
as he would be, both for the evil his father would be guilty of, and the danger David, his beloved friend, would be in:

but truly, [as] the Lord liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, [there is]
but a step between me and death;
as appeared by his casting a javelin at him, ( 1 Samuel 18:11 ) , sending messengers to his own house to slay him, ( 1 Samuel 19:11 ) , and others to Naioth to seize him, ( 1 Samuel 19:20 ) , and coming himself thither with an intention to kill him, ( 1 Samuel 19:22 1 Samuel 19:23 ) , and in each of these instances he had a narrow escape for his life; and this he declared in the most solemn manner by an oath, for the confirmation of the truth of it to Jonathan.

1 Samuel 20:3 In-Context

1 Forsooth David fled from Naioth, which is in Ramah, and came and spake before Jonathan (and came and said to Jonathan), What have I done? what is my wickedness, and what is my sin against thy father, for (that) he seeketh my life?

2 And Jonathan said to him, Far be it from thee, thou shalt not die, for my father shall not do anything great either little, no but he show first to me; therefore, (would) my father (have) kept privy from me this word only, forsooth it shall not be. And again he swore to David. (And Jonathan said to him, Far be it from thee, thou shalt not die, for my father shall not do anything great or small, no but first he tell it to me; would my father have only kept secret this word from me? no, it is not so. And again he swore to David.)

3 And David said, Truly thy father knoweth, that I have found grace in thine eyes, and he shall say, Jonathan know not this, lest peradventure he be sorry; certainly the Lord liveth, and thy soul liveth, for, that I say so, I and death be parted only by one degree. (And David said, Truly thy father knoweth that I have found favour in thy sight, and he shall say, I will not let Jonathan know this, lest he become angry, or upset; truly, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I say that I and death be separated by only one degree.)

4 And Jonathan said to David, Whatever thing thy soul shall say to me, I shall do it to thee. (And Jonathan said to David, Whatever thou shalt ask me, I shall do it for thee.)

5 And David said to Jonathan, Lo! calends be tomorrow, that is the feast of the new moon, and by custom I am wont to sit by the king to eat; therefore suffer thou me, that I be hid in the field till to [the] eventide of the third day (but instead, allow me to hide in the field until the evening of the third day).