1 Samuel 20:7

7 If he says, 'Very good,' then your servant will be all right. But if he gets angry, you will know that he has planned something bad.

1 Samuel 20:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:7

If he say thus, [it is] well
It is very well, it is very good and right in him to do so:

thy servant shall have peace;
it will be a token that the wrath of the king was removed, and that his mind was well disposed towards David, and things had taken an happy turn, and would issue in his peace and prosperity:

but if he be very wroth;
with Jonathan for giving leave, and with David for going away:

[then] be sure that evil is determined by him;
that he has a settled obstinate malice in his heart, which is become implacable and inveterate, and confirmed in him; and that it is a determined point with him to slay David if possible, which he hoped to have an opportunity of doing at that time in which he was disappointed, and caused such wrath in him.

1 Samuel 20:7 In-Context

5 David answered Y'honatan, "Look, tomorrow is Rosh-Hodesh, and I ought to be dining with the king. Instead, let me go and hide myself in the countryside until evening of the third day.
6 If your father misses me at all, say, 'David begged me to let him hurry to Beit-Lechem, his city; because it's the annual sacrifice there for his whole family.'
7 If he says, 'Very good,' then your servant will be all right. But if he gets angry, you will know that he has planned something bad.
8 Therefore show kindness to your servant, for you bound your servant to yourself by a covenant before ADONAI. But if I have done something wrong, kill me yourself! Why turn me over to your father?"
9 Y'honatan said, "Heaven forbid! If I ever were to learn that my father had definitely decided to do you harm, wouldn't I tell you?"
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.