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 Living Translation (NLT)Then I will send a boy to bring the arrows back. If you hear me tell him, ‘They’re on this side,’ then you will know, as surely as the Lord lives, that all is well, and there is no trouble.

Context of 1 Samuel 20:21

19And when you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed; and remain by the stone Ezel. 20Then I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target; 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. 22But if I say thus to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you’—go your way, for the Lord has sent you away. 23And as for the matter which you and I have spoken of, indeed the Lord be between you and me forever.”

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 4:2And you shall swear, ‘The Lord lives,’ In truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; The nations shall bless themselves in Him, And in Him they shall glory.”
• Jeremiah 5:2Though they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’ Surely they swear falsely.”
• Jeremiah 12:16And it shall be, if they will learn carefully the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be established in the midst of My people.
• Amos 8:14Those who swear by the sin of Samaria, Who say, ‘As your god lives, O Dan!’ And, ‘As the way of Beersheba lives!’ They shall fall and never rise 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