1 Samuel 20:22

22 But if I say this to the young man, 'Look, the arrows [are] {beyond you},' go, for Yahweh has sent you away.

1 Samuel 20:22 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:22

But if I say thus unto the young man, behold, the arrows [are]
beyond thee
Being shot to a greater distance than where the young man was:

go thy way, for the Lord hath sent thee away;
then he was to depart directly, without staying to have any conversation with Jonathan, which would not be safe for either of them, and so make the best of his way into the country, and escape for his life; for so it was ordered by the providence of God, that he must not stay, but be gone immediately: the signals were these, that if things were favourable, then he would shoot his arrows on one side of the lad, and David might come out and show himself at once; but if not, he would shoot them beyond him, by which he might know that he must flee for his life.

1 Samuel 20:22 In-Context

20 I will shoot three arrows [to the] side as [if] I were shooting at a target.
21 {Then} I will send [word to] my servant, 'Go, find the arrows!' If I clearly say to the boy, 'Look, the arrows [are] {on this side of you}; {bring} it,' then come, for [it means] peace for you. And there is no problem, {as Yahweh lives}.
22 But if I say this to the young man, 'Look, the arrows [are] {beyond you},' go, for Yahweh has sent you away.
23 And [as for] the matter about which you and I spoke, look, Yahweh [is] between you and me forever."
24 So David hid himself in the field. {When the new moon came}, {the king was seated at the feast}.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "from you and beyond"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.