1 Samuel 20:36

36 He said to his lad, "¹Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot." As the lad was running, he shot an arrow past him.

1 Samuel 20:36 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:36

And he said unto his lad, run, find out now the arrows which
I shoot
He no doubt told him the mark which he should shoot at, the stone Ezel, and bid him look out about that for them:

[and] as the lad ran;
before he had got to the mark:

he shot an arrow beyond him:
or it; beyond the lad, or beyond the mark he shot at; purposely shooting with great strength, that he might exceed, and thereby give notice to David how things stood, which was the sign agreed on.

1 Samuel 20:36 In-Context

34 Then Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him.

35 Now it came about in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little lad was with him.

36 He said to his lad, "Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot." As the lad was running, he shot an arrow past him.

37 When the lad reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, "Is not the arrow beyond you?"

38 And Jonathan called after the lad, "Hurry, be quick, do not stay!" And Jonathan's lad picked up the arrow and came to his master.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 20:20, 21

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "the"