Berean Standard Bible
1 Samuel 20:12
12and Jonathan said, “By the LORD, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you?
1 Samuel 20:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;
- New International Version (NIV)Then Jonathan said to David, “I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel, that I will surely sound out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know?
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Jonathan said to David, "The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Jonathan said to David: “The Lord God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you,
Context of 1 Samuel 20:12
10Then David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?” 11“Come,” he replied, “let us go out to the field.” So the two of them went out into the field, and Jonathan said, “By the LORD, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you? 13But 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. 14And as long as I live, treat me with the LORD’s loving devotion, that I may not die,
Read all of 1 Samuel 201 Samuel 20:12 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוֹנָתָ֜ן אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד יְהוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּֽי־אֶחְקֹ֣ר אֶת־אָבִ֗י כָּעֵ֤ת׀ מָחָר֙ הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֔ית וְהִנֵּה־ט֖וֹב אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וְלֹֽא־אָז֙ אֶשְׁלַ֣ח אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְגָלִ֖יתִי אֶת־אָזְנֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
- and Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָןyehônâthân · JonathanH3083
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- ·אֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- ·דָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- By the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- the Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- of Israelכִּיkîy · forH3588
- I will sound outחָקַרchâqar · to searchH2713
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- my fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- by this timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- tomorrowמָחָרmâchâr · tomorrowH4279
- or the next dayשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
- Ifהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
- he is favorableטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- will I notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- will I notאָז'âz · thenH227
- sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- and tellגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: revealH1540
- youאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: to earsH241
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 20:12
- Joshua 22:22“The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today.
- Job 31:4Does He not see my ways and count my every step?
- Psalms 17:3You have tried my heart; You have visited me in the night. You have tested me and found no evil; I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.
- Psalms 139:1O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
- Proverbs 20:5The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
- Proverbs 25:2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.
- 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!”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 20:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Jonathan said - O Lord God of Israel - There is, most evidently, something wanting in this verse. The Septuagint has, The Lord God of Israel doth Know. The Syriac and Arabic, The Lord God of Israel is Witness. Either of these makes a good sense. But two of Dr. Kennicott's MSS. supply the word חי chai, "liveth;" and the text reads thus, As the Lord God of Israel Liveth, when I have sounded my father - if there be good, and I then send not unto thee, and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-23Verses 11-23 Jonathan faithfully promises that he would let David know how he found his father affected towards him. It will be kindness to ourselves and to ours, to secure an interest in those whom God favours, and to make his friends ours. True friendship rests on a firm basis, and is able to silence ambition, self-love, and undue regard for others. But who can fully understand the love of Jesus, who gave himself as a sacrifice for rebellious, polluted…Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
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Commentaries