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1 Samuel 20:9

in 1 Samuel 20

“Never!” Jonathan replied. “If I ever found out that my father had evil intentions against you, would I not tell you?”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

KJV

And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

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This verse in 1 Samuel 20

Commentary

3 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

then your servant is safe

on 1 Samuel 20:7-9

David reads Saul’s temper as the sign itself, calm meaning safety and rage meaning a settled purpose to kill. He reminds Jonathan, "you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD." He offers to let Jonathan kill him himself if iniquity is found in him.

This site's exposition

If I ever found out that my father had evil intentions against you

Jonathan's promise to tell David sets up the problem of the next verse. John Gill notes that a harsh answer from Saul would make it unsafe for Jonathan to come in person or to trust a messenger. The arrows of verses 20 to 22 solve both.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And Jonathan said, far be it from thee,.... To entertain such a thought of me, or to have the least suspicion of me, that I should conceal my father's ill intentions against thee, if known to me: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would I not tell it thee? certainly I would; canst thou doubt of my kindness and fidelity? surely thou hast no reason, when such a covenant of friendship subsists between us, and there has not been the least breach of it on either side.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

Then said David to Jonathan, “Who will tell me, whether perhaps your father answers you with harsh words?”
Targum · Targum Jonathan on I Samuel 20:10, via Sefaria, The Targum of Samuel; trans. E. van Staalduine-Sulman. Leiden: Brill, 2002

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

19 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיֹּ֥אמֶרand he said

    vaiyomerH559 →5305 times

  • יְהוֹנָתָ֖ןJonathan

    yehonatanH3083 →81 times

  • חָלִ֣ילָהfar be it

    chalilahH2486 →21 times

  • לָּ֑ךְto <the> you

    lakh

  • כִּ֣י׀that

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • אִם־if

    ʾim-H518 →1069 times

  • יָדֹ֣עַever <to know>

    yadoa'H3045 →945 times

  • אֵדַ֗עI will know

    ʾeda'H3045 →945 times

  • כִּֽי־that

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • כָלְתָ֨הit has been determined

    khaltahH3615 →208 times

  • הָרָעָ֜ה<the> harm

    haraahH7451 →662 times

  • מֵעִ֤םfrom with

    meimH5973 →1050 times

  • אָבִי֙father my

    ʾaviH1 →1212 times

  • לָב֣וֹאto come

    lavo'H935 →2568 times

  • עָלֶ֔יךָon you

    ʾaleikhaH5921 →5755 times

  • וְלֹ֥אand not

    velo'H3808 →5168 times

  • אֹתָ֖הּ<obj.> it

    ʾotahH853 →10935 times

  • אַגִּ֥ידwill I tell

    ʾagidH5046 →370 times

  • לָֽךְ׃ סto <the> you[?]

    lakh

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

7 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Samuel 19:3I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, so I can ask about you. And if I find out anything, I will tell you.”3 works1 Samuel 20:42And 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.2 works1 Samuel 20:38Then Jonathan cried out, “Hurry! Make haste! Do not delay!” So the boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master.2 works1 Samuel 19:2so he warned David, saying, “My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning; find a secret place and hide there.2 works1 Samuel 20:7If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he is enraged, you will know he has evil intentions.2 works1 Samuel 25:17Now consider carefully what you must do, because disaster looms over our master and all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that nobody can speak to him!”2 works
The other 1 cross-references, with their words ▾
Esther 7:7In his fury, the king arose from drinking his wine and went to the palace garden, while Haman stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he realized that the king was planning a terrible fate for him.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 20:42

    And 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…

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 1:17

      “Go in peace,” Eli replied, “and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him.”

    • 1 Samuel 23:18

      So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.

    • 1 Samuel 20:22–23

      But if I say to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then you must go, for the LORD has sent you away.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 19:2

    so he warned David, saying, “My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning; find a secret place and hide there.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 17:17

      A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

    • Acts 9:24

      but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.

    • 1 Samuel 20:2

      “Far from it!” Jonathan replied. “You will not die. Indeed, my father does nothing, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This cannot be true!”

  • Through

    1 Samuel 20:38

    Then Jonathan cried out, “Hurry! Make haste! Do not delay!” So the boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master.

    it leads to

    • Mark 13:14–16

      So when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

    • Matthew 24:16–18

      then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Samuel

David and Jonathan — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
David and Jonathan — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
1 Samuel: the study guide →Read 1 Samuel 20 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).

Read on in 1 Samuel 20 →