1 Samuel 20:20

20 I will come out and shoot three arrows to the side of the stone pile as though I were shooting at a target.

1 Samuel 20:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:20

And I will shoot three arrows on the side [thereof]
On the side of the stone Ezel; three are pitched upon, according to the number of the days David was missing:

as though I shot at a mark;
as if he made the stone the mark he shot at; so that his shooting would not be taken notice of.

1 Samuel 20:20 In-Context

18 Then Jonathan said, “Tomorrow we celebrate the new moon festival. You will be missed when your place at the table is empty.

19 The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid before, and wait there by the stone pile.

20 I will come out and shoot three arrows to the side of the stone pile as though I were shooting at a target.

21 Then I will send a boy to bring the arrows back. If you hear me tell him, ‘They’re on this side,’ then you will know, as surely as the LORD lives, that all is well, and there is no trouble.

22 But if I tell him, ‘Go farther—the arrows are still ahead of you,’ then it will mean that you must leave immediately, for the LORD is sending you away.