1 Samuel

1 Samuel 20:12–17

12and Jonathan said, “By the LORD, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you? 13But if my father intends to bring evil on you, then may the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if I do not tell you and send you on your way in safety. May the LORD be with you, just as He has been with my father. 14And as long as I live, treat me with the LORD’s loving devotion,b that I may not die, 15and do not ever cut off your loving devotion from my household— not even when the LORD cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”

16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD hold David’s enemies accountable.” 17And Jonathan had David reaffirm his vow out of love for him, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.

Footnotes

  • b 20:14 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.

Read all of 1 Samuel 20

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 20:12

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
and Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָ֜ןyə·hō·w·nā·ṯānNoun - proper - masculine singularH3083 Jehonathan
saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
By the LORDיְהוָ֞הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
the Godאֱלֹהֵ֤י’ĕ·lō·hêNoun - masculine plural constructH430 God
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙yiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
I will sound outאֶחְקֹ֣ר’eḥ·qōrVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH2713 search
my fatherאָבִ֗י’ā·ḇîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1 father
by this timeכָּעֵ֤ת׀kā·‘êṯPreposition-k, Article; Noun - common singular constructH6256 time
tomorrowמָחָר֙mā·ḥārAdverbH4279 tomorrow, in time to come
or the next dayהַשְּׁלִשִׁ֔יתhaš·šə·li·šîṯArticle; Number - ordinal feminine singularH7992 third
Ifוְהִנֵּה־wə·hin·nêh-Conjunctive waw; InterjectionH2009 lo! behold!
he is favorableט֖וֹבṭō·wḇAdjective - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
towardאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
will I notוְלֹֽא־wə·lō-Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
sendאֶשְׁלַ֣ח’eš·laḥVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH7971 send
for youאֵלֶ֔יךָ’ê·le·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singularH413 motion to
and tellוְגָלִ֖יתִיwə·ḡā·lî·ṯîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH1540 uncover, remove
youאָזְנֶֽךָ׃’ā·zə·ne·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH241 ear

1 Samuel 20:13

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But ifכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
my fatherאָבִ֤י’ā·ḇîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1 father
intendsיֵיטִ֨בyê·ṭiḇVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3190 be good, well, glad, pleasing
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
bring evilהָֽרָעָה֙hā·rā·‘āhArticle; Adjective - feminine singularH7451 bad, evil
on youעָלֶ֔יךָ‘ā·le·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singularH5921 height
then may the LORDיְהוָ֨הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
punishכֹּֽה־kōh-AdverbH3541 thus, here
meלִֽיהוֹנָתָ֜ןlî·hō·w·nā·ṯānPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3083 Jehonathan
and ever soוְכֹ֣הwə·ḵōhConjunctive waw; AdverbH3541 thus, here
severelyיֹסִ֗יףyō·sîp̄Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3254 add
if I do not tellוְגָלִ֙יתִי֙wə·ḡā·lî·ṯîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH1540 uncover, remove
youאָזְנֶ֔ךָ’ā·zə·ne·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH241 ear
and send you on your wayוְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֖יךָwə·šil·laḥ·tî·ḵāConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singularH7971 send
in safetyלְשָׁל֑וֹםlə·šā·lō·wmPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH7965 completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
May the LORDיְהוָה֙Yah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
beוִיהִ֤יwî·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
with youעִמָּ֔ךְ‘im·māḵPreposition; second person feminine singularH5973 with
just asכַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka·’ă·šerPreposition-k; Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
He has beenהָיָ֖הhā·yāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
withעִם־‘im-PrepositionH5973 with
my fatherאָבִֽי׃’ā·ḇîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1 father

1 Samuel 20:14

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Andוְלֹ֖אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
as long asאִם־’im-ConjunctionH518 if
I liveחָ֑יḥāyAdjective - masculine singularH2416 alive, living
treatתַעֲשֶׂ֧הṯa·‘ă·śehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH6213 do, make
meעִמָּדִ֛י‘im·mā·ḏîPreposition; first person common singularH5978 along with
with the LORD’sיְהוָ֖הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
loving devotionחֶ֥סֶדḥe·seḏNoun - masculine singular constructH2617 goodness, kindness
that I may notוְלֹ֥אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
dieאָמֽוּת׃’ā·mūṯVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH4191 die

1 Samuel 20:15

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
and do notוְלֹֽא־wə·lō-Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
everעַד־‘aḏ-PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
cut offתַכְרִ֧תṯaḵ·riṯVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH3772 cut off, cut down
your loving devotionחַסְדְּךָ֛ḥas·də·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH2617 goodness, kindness
fromמֵעִ֥םmê·‘imPreposition-mH5973 with
my householdבֵּיתִ֖יbê·ṯîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1004 house
notוְלֹ֗אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
even when the LORDיְהוָה֙Yah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
cuts offבְּהַכְרִ֤תbə·haḵ·riṯPreposition-b; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH3772 cut off, cut down
every oneאִ֕ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
of David’sדָוִ֔דḏā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
enemiesאֹיְבֵ֣י’ō·yə·ḇêVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructH341 be hostile to
fromמֵעַ֖לmê·‘alPreposition-mH5921 height
the faceפְּנֵ֥יpə·nêNoun - common plural constructH6440 face, before
of the earthהָאֲדָמָֽה׃hā·’ă·ḏā·māhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH127 ground, land

1 Samuel 20:16

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָ֖ןyə·hō·w·nā·ṯānNoun - proper - masculine singularH3083 Jehonathan
made a covenantוַיִּכְרֹ֥תway·yiḵ·rōṯConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3772 cut off, cut down
withעִם־‘im-PrepositionH5973 with
the houseבֵּ֣יתbêṯNoun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
of Davidדָּוִ֑דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
May the LORDיְהוָ֔הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
holdמִיַּ֖דmî·yaḏPreposition-m; Noun - feminine singular constructH3027 hand
David’sדָוִֽד׃ḏā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
enemiesאֹיְבֵ֥י’ō·yə·ḇêVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructH341 be hostile to
accountableוּבִקֵּ֣שׁū·ḇiq·qêšConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH1245 seek

1 Samuel 20:17

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And Jonathanיְהֽוֹנָתָן֙yə·hō·w·nā·ṯānNoun - proper - masculine singularH3083 Jehonathan
had Davidדָּוִ֔דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
reaffirmוַיּ֤וֹסֶףway·yō·w·sep̄Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3254 add
his vowלְהַשְׁבִּ֣יעַlə·haš·bî·a‘Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH7650 swear
out of loveבְּאַהֲבָת֖וֹbə·’a·hă·ḇā·ṯōwPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH160 love
for himאֹת֑וֹ’ō·ṯōwDirect object marker; third person masculine singularH853 mark of the accusative
forכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
lovedאֲהֵבֽוֹ׃ס’ă·hê·ḇōwVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH157 love
as he lovedאַהֲבַ֥ת’a·hă·ḇaṯNoun - feminine singular constructH160 love
himselfנַפְשׁ֖וֹnap̄·šōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 20:13 Ruth 1:17 · Joshua 1:5 · 1 Samuel 17:37 · 1 Chronicles 22:16 · 1 Chronicles 22:11 · 1 Samuel 3:17

1 Samuel 20:14 2 Samuel 9:3 · Ephesians 5:1–2

1 Samuel 20:15 2 Samuel 21:7

1 Samuel 20:16 1 Samuel 25:22 · 1 Samuel 18:3

1 Samuel 20:17 Proverbs 18:24 · 1 Samuel 18:3 · 1 Samuel 18:1 · 2 Samuel 1:26

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.