1 Samuel 20:12

12 Then Jonathan said to David, "Yahweh the God of Israel [is my witness] that I will question my father {by this time the day after tomorrow}. And look, {if he is well disposed toward you}, will I not send [word] to you and {disclose it to you}?

1 Samuel 20:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:12

And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel
Or by the Lord God of Israel, I swear unto thee; for this is the form of the oath, as Jarchi and Kimchi observe:

when I have sounded my father about tomorrow any time, [or] the third
[day];
searched, inquired, and found out how his disposition is:

and, behold, [if there be] good toward David;
if he is well disposed to him, as may appear by speaking respectfully of him, or kindly inquiring after him, and by being satisfied with the account given him:

and I then send not unto thee, and show it thee;
then let the vengeance of God fall upon me in some remarkable manner or another, as follows; or "shall I not then send unto thee, and show it thee" ^F20? certainly I will; that is, I will send a messenger to thee to acquaint thee with it, who shall tell it, and cause thee to hear it, as from myself.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 (Kyla xlva za alw) "an non tune mitterem?" Junius & Tremellius; "nonne tunc mittam ad te?" so some in Vatablus.

1 Samuel 20:12 In-Context

10 Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if what your father answers you [is] harsh?"

11 And Jonathan said to David, "Come, let us go out to the field." So the two of them went out to the field.

12 Then Jonathan said to David, "Yahweh the God of Israel [is my witness] that I will question my father {by this time the day after tomorrow}. And look, {if he is well disposed toward you}, will I not send [word] to you and {disclose it to you}?

13 {So may Yahweh punish Jonathan and more} if {my father decides to do you harm} and if {I fail to disclose it to you} and send word to you that you can go safely. And may Yahweh be with you, as he has been with my father.

14 And not while I am still alive, will you not show the loyal love of Yahweh with me, that I may not die?

Footnotes

• [a]. The phrase "is my witness" is supplied based on the Syriac version
• [b]. Literally "as the time tomorrow the third"
• [c]. Literally "[if he is] good to David"
• [d]. Literally "I will reveal [it to] your ear"