1 Samuel 20:13
in 1 Samuel 20But if my father intends to bring evil on you, then may the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if I do not tell you and send you on your way in safety. May the LORD be with you, just as He has been with my father.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and Jehovah be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
KJV
The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 20
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThe Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father - From this, and other passages here it is evident that Jonathan knew that the Lord had appointed David to the kingdom.
This site's exposition
I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow
on 1 Samuel 20:12-13
Jonathan swears "By the LORD, the God of Israel" that he will sound out his father and send word either way, binding the promise with a curse on himself. His closing line, "May the LORD be with you, just as He has been with my father," is spoken by Saul's own heir. Clarke takes it as evidence that Jonathan already knew the kingdom had been appointed to David.
This site's exposition
may the LORD punish me, and ever so severely
Jonathan binds himself with the oath form Saul swore against him at 14:44, when the king vowed his son's death over the honey. Saul swore it to kill, and Jonathan swears it to save. Adam Clarke notes that the Septuagint, Syriac and Arabic frame the opening of the oath with the LORD as knower or witness.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
But good will also goes together with generosity, for generosity really starts from it, seeing that the habit of giving comes after the desire to give. But generosity may be distinguished from good will. For where generosity is lacking, there good may abide—the parent, as it were, of all in common, uniting and binding friendships together. It is faithful in counsel, joyful in times of prosperity, and in times of sorrow sad. So it happens that any one trusts himself to the counsels of a man of good will rather than to those of a wise one, as David did.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Descend therefore quickly, etc. That is, on the day when it was allowed to work up to the Kalends, he would go; so that through the Kalends, on which he said all should be silent, he would sit quietly. Jonathan therefore says to David that …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
); and thus he would help to deliver him from the evil if it were real and from the fear of evil if it were but imaginary. For the confirmation of his promise he appeals to God, 1.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
), if I speak deceitfully, or break my word with my friend." He expressed himself thus solemnly that David might be abundantly assured of his sincerity. And thus God has confirmed his promises to us, that we might have strong consolation, Heb. vi.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
I will not [ask of you] if I still be alive. An expression of request, as in and if only [ וָלאׁ ] it will be given to your bondsman.' 8 II Melachim:17.
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
26 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| יַעֲשֶׂה֩ | yaaseh | may he do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| יְהוָ֨ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לִֽיהוֹנָתָ֜ן | lihonatan | to Jonathan | H3083 → | 81 times |
| וְכֹ֣ה | vekhoh | and thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| יֹסִ֗יף | yosif | may he add | H3254 → | 212 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | if | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יֵיטִ֨ב | yeitiv | it will make good | H3190 → | 117 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אָבִ֤י | ʾavi | father my | H1 → | 1212 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָֽרָעָה֙ | haraah | <the> harm | H7451 → | 662 times |
| עָלֶ֔יךָ | ʾaleikha | on you | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וְגָלִ֙יתִי֙ | vegaliti | and I will uncover | H1540 → | 186 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אָזְנֶ֔ךָ | ʾazenekha | ear your | H241 → | 187 times |
| וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֖יךָ | veshilachtikha | and I will send away you | H7971 → | 845 times |
| וְהָלַכְתָּ֣ | vehalakhta | and you will go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| לְשָׁל֑וֹם | leshalom | to peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
| וִיהִ֤י | vihi | and may he be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עִמָּ֔ךְ | ʾimakh | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָיָ֖ה | hayah | he has been | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| אָבִֽי׃ | ʾavi | father my | H1 → | 1212 times |
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
יַעֲשֶׂה֩may he do
yaasehH6213 →2628 times
יְהוָ֨הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לִֽיהוֹנָתָ֜ןto Jonathan
lihonatanH3083 →81 times
וְכֹ֣הand thus
vekhohH3541 →577 times
יֹסִ֗יףmay he add
yosifH3254 →212 times
כִּֽי־if
ki-H3588 →4482 times
יֵיטִ֨בit will make good
yeitivH3190 →117 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אָבִ֤יfather my
ʾaviH1 →1212 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָֽרָעָה֙<the> harm
haraahH7451 →662 times
עָלֶ֔יךָon you
ʾaleikhaH5921 →5755 times
וְגָלִ֙יתִי֙and I will uncover
vegalitiH1540 →186 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אָזְנֶ֔ךָear your
ʾazenekhaH241 →187 times
וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֖יךָand I will send away you
veshilachtikhaH7971 →845 times
וְהָלַכְתָּ֣and you will go
vehalakhtaH1980 →1546 times
לְשָׁל֑וֹםto peace
leshalomH7965 →236 times
וִיהִ֤יand may he be
vihiH1961 →3559 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עִמָּ֔ךְwith you
ʾimakhH5973 →1050 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
הָיָ֖הhe has been
hayahH1961 →3559 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
אָבִֽי׃father my
ʾaviH1 →1212 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Joshua 1:5No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
it leads to
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Deuteronomy 31:6–8
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- Matthew 28:20
and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
- Isaiah 41:10–14
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Joshua 1:9
Through
1 Samuel 17:37David added, “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” “Go,” said Saul, “and may the LORD be with…
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:17–18
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of…
- Psalms 138:7–8
If I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve me from the anger of my foes; You extend Your hand, and Your right hand saves me.
- 2 Timothy 4:17–18
Through
Ruth 1:17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 3:17
“What was the message He gave you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God punish you, and ever so severely, if you hide from me anything He said to you.”
- 1 Samuel 3:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 1.32.167; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.