1 Samuel 20:23

23 Either way, the LORD is witness between us forever regarding the promise we made to each other."

1 Samuel 20:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:23

And [as touching] the matter which thou and I have spoken
of
The covenant they had made between them and their families:

behold, the Lord [be] between me and thee for ever:
as a witness of the covenant, and a revenger of those that should break it; so the Targum,

``behold, the Word of the Lord be between me and thee a witness for ever.''

1 Samuel 20:23 In-Context

21 Then I'll send the servant boy, saying, ‘Go retrieve the arrow.' If I yell to the boy, ‘Hey! The arrow is on this side of you. Get it!' then you can come out because it will be safe for you. There won't be any trouble—I make a pledge on the LORD's life.

22 But if I yell to the young man, ‘Hey! The arrow is past you,' then run for it, because the LORD has sent you away.

23 Either way, the LORD is witness between us forever regarding the promise we made to each other."

24 So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat at the feast to eat.

25 He took his customary seat by the wall. Jonathan sat opposite him while Abner sat beside Saul. David's seat was empty.

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX; MT lacks witness; also in 20:42.