1 Samuel 20:22

22 And if thus I say to the young man, Lo, the arrows [are] beyond thee, -- go, for Jehovah hath sent thee 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 `And I shoot three of the arrows at the side, sending out for myself at a mark;
21 and lo, I send the youth: Go, find the arrows. If I at all say to the youth, Lo, the arrows [are] on this side of thee -- take them, -- then come thou, for peace [is] for thee, and there is nothing; Jehovah liveth.
22 And if thus I say to the young man, Lo, the arrows [are] beyond thee, -- go, for Jehovah hath sent thee away;
23 as to the thing which we have spoken, I and thou, lo, Jehovah [is] between me and thee -- unto the age.'
24 And David is hidden in the field, and it is the new moon, and the king sitteth down by the food to eat,
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.