1 Samuel 20:21

1 Samuel 20:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the Lord liveth.
• New International Version (NIV)Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,’ then come, because, as surely as the Lord lives, you are safe; there is no danger.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And behold, I will send the boy, saying, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I say to the boy, 'Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,' then you are to come, for, as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and there I will send a lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I expressly say to the lad, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them and come’—then, as the Lord lives, there is safety for you and no harm.

Context of 1 Samuel 20:21

19The day after tomorrow, go back to the place where you hid the other time. Wait beside the rock called Ezel. 20I will shoot three arrows towards the rock to see where they go. Then I will send a boy to find the arrows. If you are not in danger I will say to the boy, “The arrows are on this side of you. Come and bring them here.” That will mean that you are safe. You can then come out from the place where you are hiding. As surely as the Lord lives, I promise that you will not be in trouble. 22But if I say to the boy, “Look, the arrows are beyond you,” you must run away. It will mean that the Lord has sent you away. 23But never forget the promise that we have made to each other. The Lord will make sure that we are faithful to each other.’

1 Samuel 20:21 word by word

וְהִנֵּה֙ אֶשְׁלַ֣ח אֶת־הַנַּ֔עַר לֵ֖ךְ מְצָ֣א אֶת־הַחִצִּ֑ים אִם־אָמֹר֩ אֹמַ֨ר לַנַּ֜עַר הִנֵּ֥ה הַחִצִּ֣ים׀ מִמְּךָ֣ וָהֵ֗נָּה קָחֶ֧נּוּ׀ וָבֹ֛אָה כִּֽי־שָׁל֥וֹם לְךָ֛ וְאֵ֥ין דָּבָ֖ר חַי־יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And, behold, I will sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• a ladנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• Goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• find outמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• the arrowsחֵץchêts · arrowH2671
• If I expresslyאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• on this side of thee, takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• them; then comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peace: well-beingH7965
• to thee, and no hurtדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• livethחַיchay · aliveH2416

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 20:21

• Jeremiah 4:2You must be honest and do what is right. You must do what you promise to do. You can show that your promise is true when you add, “As surely as the Lord is alive.” Then other nations will see that I have blessed you. They will pray that I will bless them too. and they will praise me.’
• Jeremiah 5:2They make promises and they say, “I will do it, as surely as the Lord lives.” But what they say is all lies.’
• Jeremiah 12:16But they must learn to live in the way that my people live. At one time they taught my people to use Baal's name when they made promises. But now they must give honour to me as the true God. When they make a promise, they must say, “I promise to do this, as surely as the Lord lives.” If they do these things, they will belong among my people.
• Amos 8:14They worship Samaria's idols. They use the names of those false gods to make promises. They say, “In the name of the god of Dan,” or “In the name of the god of Beersheba.” Those people will fall down and they will never get up again.’

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 20:21

• 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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-22Jonathan's plan would allow David to get the message even if there could be no face-to-face meeting. The boy's presence reduced suspicion and gave Jonathan an excuse to go to the field. As it happened, only the boy went with Jonathan to the field. When the boy left, David could talk to Jonathan directly (1 Samuel 20:40–42).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 20:21

• Arrow
• Symbols and Similitudes

In the dictionaries

• Artillery
• David
• Require
• Jesse
• Jonathan (2)
• Samuel, Books of
• New Moon

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