Christian Standard Bible
1 Samuel 20:12
12“By the Lord, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If I find out that 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
10So David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?” 11He answered David, “Come on, let’s go out to the countryside.” So both of them went out to the countryside. “By the Lord, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If I find out that he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you? 13If my father intends to bring evil on you, may the Lord punish Jonathan and do so severely if I do not tell you and send you away so you may leave safely. May the Lord be with you, just as he was with my father. 14If I continue to live, show me kindness from the Lord, but if I 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָןyehônâthân · JonathanH3083
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- O Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- when I have soundedחָקַרchâqar · to searchH2713
- my fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- about to morrowמָחָרmâchâr · tomorrowH4279
- any timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- the thirdשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
- goodטוֹבţôb · be pleasingH2895
- and I then sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- not unto thee, and shewאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: to earsH241
- not unto thee, and shewגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: revealH1540
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 20:12
- Joshua 22:22“The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows, and may Israel also know. Do not spare us today, if it was in rebellion or treachery against the Lord
- Job 31:4Does he not see my ways and number all my steps?
- Psalms 17:3You have tested my heart; you have examined me at night. You have tried me and found nothing evil; I have determined that my mouth will not sin.
- Psalms 139:1Lord, you have searched me and known me.
- Proverbs 20:5Counsel in a person’s heart is deep water; but a person of understanding draws it out.
- Proverbs 25:2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
- 1 Samuel 20:2Jonathan said to him, “No, you won’t die. Listen, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This can’t 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
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries