1 Samuel 20:39

39 and utterly the child knew not what was done; for only Jonathan and David knew the thing. (and utterly the boy could not understand what had happened; but Jonathan and David knew what the words really meant.)

1 Samuel 20:39 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:39

But the lad knew not anything
What was meant by shooting the arrows, and by shooting them beyond where he was, and by bidding him make haste to bring them:

only Jonathan and David knew the matter;
what was signified by them, those being signs agreed upon between them.

1 Samuel 20:39 In-Context

37 Therefore when the child came to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried behind the back of the child, and said, Lo! the arrow is not there, certainly it is beyond thee. (And so when the boy came to the place where the arrows were that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried behind the boy's back, and said, Lo! the arrows be not there, but they be beyond thee.)

38 And Jonathan cried again behind the back of the child, Haste thou swiftly, stand thou not. Soothly the child gathered up the arrows of Jonathan, and brought them to his lord, (And Jonathan cried again behind the back of the boy, Run thou quickly, do not thou stand still. And the boy gathered up the arrows of Jonathan, and brought them back to his lord,)

39 and utterly the child knew not what was done; for only Jonathan and David knew the thing. (and utterly the boy could not understand what had happened; but Jonathan and David knew what the words really meant.)

40 Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the child, and said to him, Go thou, bear these into the city. (Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy, and said to him, Go thou, carry these back to the city.)

41 And when the child had gone, David rose from the place that went to the south; and he felled low upon the earth, and worshipped the third time, and they kissed themselves together, and wept together; but David wept more. (And when the boy had gone, David rose up from a place toward the south; and he fell low on the ground, and bowed three times, and then they kissed one another, and wept together; but David wept more.)