1 Samuel 20:13

13 then may God punish Jonathan and do so severely. If my father intends to bring evil on you, then I will tell you,^[a] and I will send you away, and you will go in peace. May the Lord be with you, just as He was with my father.

1 Samuel 20:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:13

The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan
Recompense evil more than can be thought of and expressed, should he neglect to inform David of the good disposition of Saul unto him:

but if it please my father [to do] thee evil;
if he seems determined upon it to take away thy life:

then I will show it thee;
not by a messenger, by whom it would not be safe to communicate it, lest by that means Saul would know where he was, and come and slay him; but Jonathan would come himself, and acquaint him with it:

and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace;
give him leave, and advise him to depart, and provide for his own safety, adding his blessing on him, and prayer for him:

and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father;
in the beginning of his reign, giving him counsel and advice in all things, and victory over his enemies, succeeding and prospering him in whatsoever he engaged in; the Targum is,

``the Word of the Lord be for thy help''

Jonathan seemed to be fully apprized that David was to succeed in the kingdom.

1 Samuel 20:13 In-Context

11 He answered David, "Come on, let's go out to the field." So both of them went out to the field.

12 "By the Lord, the God of Israel, if I sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day and I find out that he is favorable toward you, and if I do not send for you and tell you,

13 then may God punish Jonathan and do so severely. If my father intends to bring evil on you, then I will tell you, and I will send you away, and you will go in peace. May the Lord be with you, just as He was with my father.

14 If I continue to live, treat me with the Lord's faithful love, but if I die,

15 don't ever withdraw your faithful love from my household-not even when the Lord cuts off every one of David's enemies from the face of the earth."

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit will uncover your ears