1SA 20

1 Samuel 20:9

WEB

Jonathan said, “Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn’t I tell you that?”

BSB

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

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?

Matthew Henry

Verses 9–23

1 Samuel 20:9–23

Here, I. Jonathan protests his fidelity to David in his distress. Notwithstanding the strong confidence David had in Jonathan, yet, because he might have some reason to fear that his father's influence, and his own interest, should make him warp, or grow cool towards him, Jonathan thought it requisite solemnly to renew the professions of his friendship to him (Sa1 20:9): "Far be it from thee to think that I suspect thee of any crime for which I should either slay thee myself or deliver thee to my father; no, if thou hast any jealousy of that, Come let us go into the field (Sa1 20:11), and talk it over more fully." He did not challenge him to the field to fight him for an affront, but to fix him in his friendship. He faithfully promised him that he would let him know how, upon trial, he found his father affected towards him, and would make the matter neither better nor worse than it was. "If there be good towards thee, I will show it thee, that thou mayest be easy (Sa1 20:12), if evil, I will send thee away, that thou mayest be safe" (Sa1 20:13); 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. As a witness (Sa1 20:12): "O Lord God of Israel, thou knowest I mean sincerely, and think as I speak." The strength of his passion made the manner of his speaking concise and abrupt. 2. As a judge: "The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan (Sa1 20:13), 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 6:17, Heb 6:18. Jonathan adds to his protestations his hearty prayers: "The Lord be with thee, to protect and prosper thee, as he has been formerly with my father, though now he has withdrawn." Thus he imitates his belief that David would be in his father's place, and his good wishes that he might prosper in it better than his father now did.

II. He provides for the entail of the covenant of friendship with David upon his posterity, Sa1 20:14-16. He engages David to be a friend to his family when he was gone (Sa1 20:15): Thou shalt promise that thou wilt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever. This he spoke from a natural affection he had to his children, whom he desired it might go well with after his decease, and for whose future welfare he desired to improve his present interest. It also intimates his firm belief of David's advancement, and that it would be in the power of his hand to do a kindness or unkindness to his seed; for, in process of time, the Lord would cut off his enemies, Saul himself was not expected; then "Do not thou cut off thy kindness from my house, nor revenge my father's wrongs upon my children." The house of David must likewise be bound to the house of Jonathan from generation to generation; he made a covenant (Sa1 20:16) with the house of David. Note, True friends cannot but covet to transmit to theirs after them their mutual affections. Thy own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not. This kindness, 1. He calls the kindness of the Lord, because it is such kindness as God shows to those he takes into covenant with himself; for he is a God to them and to their seed; they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 2. He secures it by an imprecation (Sa1 20:16): The Lord require it at the hand of David's seed (for of David himself he had no suspicion) if they prove so far David's enemies as to deal wrongfully with the posterity of Jonathan, David's friend. He feared lest David, or some of his, should hereafter be tempted, for the clearing and confirming of their title to the throne, to do by his seed as Abimelech had done by the sons of Gideon (Jdg 9:5), and this he would effectually prevent; but the reason given (Sa1 20:17) why Jonathan was so earnest to have the friendship entailed is purely generous, and has nothing of self in it; it was because he loved him as he loved his own soul, and therefore desired that he and his might be beloved by him. David, though now in disgrace at court and in distress, was as amiable in the eyes of Jonathan as ever he had been, and he loved him never the less for his father's hating him, so pure were the principles on which his friendship was built. Having himself sworn to David, he caused David to swear to him, and (as we read it) to swear again, which David consented to (for he that bears an honest mind does not startle at assurances), to swear by his love to him, which he looked upon as a sacred thing. Jonathan's heart was so much upon it that, when they parted this time, he concluded with a solemn appeal to God: The Lord be between me and thee for ever (Sa1 20:23), that is, "God himself be judge between us and our families for ever, if on either side this league of friendship be violated." It was in remembrance of this covenant that David was kind to Mephibosheth, Sa2 9:7; Sa2 21:7. It will be a kindness to ourselves and ours to secure an interest in those whom God favours and to make his friends ours.

III. He settles the method of intelligence, and by what signs and tokens he would give him notice how his father stood affected towards him. David would be missed the first day, or at least the second day, of the new moon, and would be enquired after, Sa1 20:18. On the third day, by which time he would have returned from Bethlehem, he must be at such a place (Sa1 20:19), and Jonathan would come towards that place with his bow and arrows to shoot for diversion (Sa1 20:20), would send his lad to fetch his arrows, and, if they were shot short of the lad, David must take it for a signal of safety, and not be afraid to show his head (Sa1 20:21); but, if he shot beyond the lad, it was a signal of danger, and he must shift for his safety, Sa1 20:22. This expedient he fixed lest he should not have the opportunity, which yet it proved he had, of talking with David, and making the report by word of mouth.

Cross-references: 1Sam 20:9 · 1Sam 20:11 · 1Sam 20:12 · 1Sam 20:13 · Heb 6:17 · Heb 6:18 · 1Sam 20:14 · 1Sam 20:15 · 1Sam 20:16 · Judg 9:5 · 1Sam 20:17 · 1Sam 20:23 · 2Sam 9:7 · 2Sam 21:7 · 1Sam 20:18 · 1Sam 20:19 · 1Sam 20:20 · 1Sam 20:21 · 1Sam 20:22

Hebrew interlinear

לָּ֑ךְlakheprep + suffix · pronominal · 2nd · fem · sing
לָֽךְlakheprep + suffix · pronominal · 2nd · fem · sing

H559

אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/

v — say

Derivation: a primitive root;

to say (used with great latitude)

KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.

אָמַר

vb — utter

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

1. Say

2. Say in the heart (= think)

3. Promise

4. Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

H3083

יְהוֹנָתָןYᵉhôwnâthân/yeh-ho-naw-thawn'/

n-pr-m — Jehonathan

Derivation: from 3068 and 5414; Jehovah-given;

Jehonathan, the name of four Israelites

KJV: Jonathan. Compare 3129.

יְהוֹנָתָן

n.pr.m — Jonathan. Compare

יְהוֹנָתָן, יוֹנָתָן n.pr.m. (י׳ hath given)

1. son of Saul

2. son of Abiathar

3. nephew of David

4. of David, i.e. his uncle?

5. one of David’s heroes

6. one of David’s treasurers

7. a scribe

8. Levites

9. a priest

10. priest to the tribe of Dan, son of Gershom

11. a Judaite captain, after fall of Jerus.

12. a Judaite

13. father of Ebed

14. son of Asahel

15. a priest

16. son of Joiada

H2486

חָלִילָהchâlîylâh/khaw-lee'-law/

inj — profaned, far be it!

Derivation: or חָלִלָה; a directive from 2490;

literal for a profaned thing; used (interj.) far be it!

KJV: be far, (× God) forbid.

חָלִ֫ילָה

subst — ad profanum!

חָלִ֫ילָה subst. used as exclam. lit. ad profanum! i.e. far be it

H3588

כִּיkîy/kee/

conj — relative conjunction

Derivation: a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent;

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

KJV: and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

כִּי

conj — that

כִּי conj. that, for, when

1. that

2.

a. Of time, when, of the past

b. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

c. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

3. Because, since

כִּי אם־

relative conjunction

כִּי אם־

1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

a. that if

b. for if

2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

a. limiting the prec. clause, except

b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

c. after an oath, surely

כִּי עַל כֵּן

forasmuch as

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

H518

אִםʼim/eem/

prt — lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

Derivation: a primitive particle;

used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not

KJV: (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, + more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, + save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more, none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when, whereas, whether, while, + yet.

אִם

conj — if

אִם conj.

1. hypoth. part. if

2. Interrog. part.

כִּי אם־

relative conjunction

כִּי אם־

1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

a. that if

b. for if

2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

a. limiting the prec. clause, except

b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

c. after an oath, surely

H3045

יָדַעyâdaʻ/yaw-dah'/

v — know, seeing, observation, care, recognition, instruction, designation, punishment

Derivation: a primitive root;

to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)

KJV: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, × could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, be learned, lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, × prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), × will be, wist, wit, wot.

יָדַע

vb — know

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

1.

a. know, learn to know

b. perceive

c. perceive and see; find out and discern

d. discriminate, distinguish

e. know by experience

f. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

g. consider

h. not know = not expect

2. know a person, be acquainted with

3. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

4.

a. know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

b. be skilful in

5. abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

1. be made known, be or become known, of things

2. make oneself known of pers.

3. be perceived

4. be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

H3615

כָּלָהkâlâh/kaw-law'/

v — end, cease, be finished, perish, complete, prepare, consume

Derivation: a primitive root;

to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitive (to complete, prepare, consume)

KJV: accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine, destroy (utterly), be (when... were) done, (be an) end (of), expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, × fully, × have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.

כָּלָה

vb — be complete

כָּלָה 204 vb. be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent

Qal

1.

a. be complete, at an end, of a period of time

b. be completed, finished, of a work

c. be accomplished, fulfilled

d. be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted

2.

a. be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water

b. waste away, be exhausted, fail

c. come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed

Pi.

1.

a. complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.

b. complete a period of time

c. finish doing a thing

d. make an end, end

e. accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass

f. accomplish in thought, determine

2.

a. put an end to, cause to cease

b. cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend

c. destroy, sts. exterminate

H7451

רַעraʻ/rah/

a n-m n-f — bad, evil

Derivation: from 7489;

bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

KJV: adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), exceedingly, × great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.).

רַע

n.m — evil

רַע 126 n.m. evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity

1. evil, distress, adversity

2. evil, injury, wrong

3. ethical evil

רַע

adj — bad

רַע 228 adj. bad, evil

1. bad, disagreeable, malignant

2. bad, unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery

3. evil, displeasing

4. bad of its kind

5. bad, , i.e. of low value

6. מִן comp., worse than

7. sad, unhappy

8. devise evil (hurtful) device

9. bad, unkind, vicious in disposition or temper

10. ethically bad, evil, wicked

רָעָה

n.f — evil

רָעָה 310 n.f. evil, misery, distress, injury

1. evil, misery, distress

2. evil, injury, wrong

3. ethical evil

H5973

עִםʻim/eem/

prep — with, equally with

Derivation: from 6004;

adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)

KJV: accompanying, against, and, as (× long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al).

מֵעִם

from with

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

עִם

prep — with

עִם prep. with

1. of fellowship and companionship

a. of aid

b. Of actions done jointly with another

c. If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

d. Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

e. Of a common lot together with the wicked

f. Of equality or resemblance generally aid

g. Of time, as long as

2. Of a locality, close to, beside

3. Of persons, עִם is spec.

a. in the house or family or service of

b. In possession of

c. In the custody or care of

d. Beside = except

e. With = friendly with

4. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

5. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H1

אָבʼâb/awb/

n-m — father

Derivation: a primitive word;

father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application

KJV: chief, (fore-) father(-less), × patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.

אָב

n.m — father

אָב 1101 n.m. father

1. father of individual

2. of God as father of his people

3. head of household, family or clan

4. ancestor

5. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

6. fig. of producer, generator

7. fig. of benevolence & protection

8. term of respect & honor

9. specif., ruler, chief (late)

H935

בּוֹאbôwʼ/bo/

v — go, come

Derivation: a primitive root;

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

KJV: abide, apply, attain, × be, befall, besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, × certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, × doubtless again, eat, employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, have, × indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, × (well) stricken (in age), × surely, take (in), way.

בּוֹא

vb — come in

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

1. come in

2. come (approach, arrive)

3. go, i.e. walk, associate with

4. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

1. cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

2. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

a. be brought in (of pers. and things)

b. be brought

c. be introduced, put

H5921

עַלʻal/al/

prep — above, over, upon, against

Derivation: properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following);

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, × as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, × both and, by (reason of), × had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, × with.

כִּי עַל כֵּן

forasmuch as

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

עַל

subst — above

עַל, עָ֑ל

I. subst. height

II. As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1. Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

a.

(a). of clothing, etc., which any one wears

(b). With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

b. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

c. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

d. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

e. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

f. Of the ground or basis, on which a thing is done

2. It expresses excess

3. It denotes elevation or pre-eminence

4. It expresses addition

5. It expresses the idea of being extended, or suspended over anything, without however being in contact with it, above, over

6. From the sense of inclining or impending over, על comes to denote contiguity or proximity, Engl. by (or sts. on)

7. In connection with verbs of motion (actual or fig.)

8. By writers of the silver age, על is sts. used with the force of a dative

9. With other particles:

III. As conj.

a. עַל אֲשֶׁר because that

b. עַל כִּי similar in meaning, but less frequent

c. עַל alone:

(a). because

(b). notwithstanding that, although

IV. Compounds:

1. with כְּ (rare and late)

a. as concerning, as upon

b. the like of their deeds is the like of (that which) he will repay

2. מֵעַל from upon, from over, from by

H3808

לֹאlôʼ/lo/

adv — not, no

Derivation: or לוֹא; or לֹה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

KJV: × before, or else, ere, except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (× as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, surely, as truly as, of a truth, verily, for want, whether, without.

לֹא

adv — not

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

H853

אֵתʼêth/ayth/

prt — self, even, namely

Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].

אֵת

mark of the accusative

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

H5046

נָגַדnâgad/naw-gad'/

v — front, manifest, announce, expose, predict, explain, praise

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise

KJV: bewray, × certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, × fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, × surely, tell, utter.

נָגַד

vb — be conspicuous

[נָגַד] 363 vb. be conspicuous

Hiph. declare, tell

Hoph. be told, announced, reported

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