1 Samuel 20:12

1 Samuel 20:12

And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;

a. NLT: Then Jonathan told David, “I promise by the LORD, the God of Israel, that by this time tomorrow, or the next day at the latest, I will talk to my father and let you know at once how he feels about you. If he speaks favorably about you, I will let you know.

b. NIV: Then Jonathan said to David, “I swear by the LORD, the God of Israel, that I will surely sound out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know?

c. YLT: And Jonathan saith unto David, 'Jehovah, God of Israel -- when I search my father, about this time to-morrow or the third day, and lo, good is towards David, and I do not then send unto thee, and have uncovered thine ear --

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Jonathan said to David, The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness. When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well inclined toward David, and I do not send and let you know it,

e. Septuagint: And Jonathan said to David, the Lord God of Israel knows that I will sound my father as I have an opportunity, three several times, and, behold, [if good] should be determined concerning David, and I do not send to thee to the field, 

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Jonathan said to David”[I swear by] HASHEM the God of Israel that I will probe my father at this time on the third day from now, and behold, if it is good for David will I not then send for you and reveal it to you?

1. “And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel…”

a. Jonathan [3083 * Yhownathan] [Strong: from 3068 and 5414; Jehovah-given; Jehonathan, the name of four Israelites:--Jonathan.]

b. said [559 * ‘amar] [Strong: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

c. unto David [1732 * David; or Daviyd] [Strong: from the same as 1730; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:--David.]

d. O LORD [3068 * Yhovah] [Strong: from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

e. God [430 * 'elohiym] [Strong: plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.]

f. of Israel [3478 * Yisra'el yis-raw-ale' from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity: --Israel.]

1). Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsh Commentary: In the field, where they were both entirely free from observation, Jonathan first of all renewed his covenant with David, by vowing to him on oath that he would give him information of his father's feelings towards him.

2). Jonathan was clearly speaking in a covenant manner, vowing with a oath to Daved and calling on God to be a witness that he would let David know concerning Saul’s feelings toward David.

2. “…when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David…”

a. when I have sounded [2713 * chaqar] [Strong: a primitive root; properly, to penetrate; hence, to examine intimately:--find out, (make) search (out), seek (out), sound, try.]

b. father [1 * ‘ab] [Strong: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application):--chief, (fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal.]

c. about to morrow [4279 * Machar] [Strong: probably from 309; properly, deferred, i.e. the morrow; usually (adverbially) tomorrow; indefinitely, hereafter:--time to come, tomorrow.]

d. any time [6256 * `eth] [Strong: from 5703; time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.:--+ after, (al-)ways, X certain, + continually, + evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-)tide, ((meal-)), what) time, when.]

e. the third day [7992 * shliyshiy] [Strong: ordinal from 7969; third; feminine a third (part); by extension, a third (day, year or time); specifically, a third-story cell):--third (part, rank, time), three (years old).]

f. and behold if there be good [2895 *  towb] [Strong: a primitive root, to be (transitively, do or make) good (or well) in the widest sense:--be (do) better, cheer, be (do, seem) good, (make) goodly, X please, (be, do, go, play) well.]

g. toward David [1732 * David; or Daviyd] [Strong: from the same as 1730; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:--David.]

3. “…and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;”

a. and I then send unto thee [7971 * shalach] [Strong: a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).]

b. and shew [1540 * galah] [Strong: a primitive root; to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal:--+ advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, X plainly, publish, remove, reveal, X shamelessly, shew, X surely, tell, uncover.]

c. shew [241 * 'ozen] [Strong: from 238; broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man):--+ advertise, audience, + displease, ear, hearing, + show.]