1 Samuel 20:10 — Meaning and Application

King James Version

“Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what {if} thy father answer thee roughly?”

1 Samuel 20:10

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Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:

Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what {if} thy father answer thee roughly?

And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.

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; {sounded: Heb. searched} {shew...: Heb. uncover thine ear}

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1 Samuel 20:1

"And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what {is} mine iniquity? and what {is} my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?"

1 Samuel 20:2

"And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it {is} not {so}. {shew...: Heb. uncover mine ear}"

1 Samuel 20:3

"And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly {as} the LORD liveth, and {as} thy soul liveth, {there is} but a step between me and death."

1 Samuel 20:4

"Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do {it} for thee. {Whatsoever...: or, Say what is thy mind and I will do, etc} {desireth: Heb. speaketh, or, thinketh}"

1 Samuel 20:5

"And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow {is} the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third {day} at even."

1 Samuel 20:6

"If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked {leave} of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for {there is} a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. {sacrifice: or, feast}"

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