1 Samuel 20:22 — Meaning and Application

King James Version

“But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows {are} beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.”

1 Samuel 20:22

bookmark_border Save Verse

menu_book Verse in Context

Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:

And I will shoot three arrows on the side {thereof}, as though I shot at a mark.

And, behold, I will send a lad, {saying}, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows {are} on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for {there is} peace to thee, and no hurt; {as} the LORD liveth. {no hurt: Heb. not any thing}

But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows {are} beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.

And {as touching} the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD {be} between thee and me for ever.

So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.

Get Personalized Biblical Guidance

Save your favorite verses, get AI-powered insights tailored to your life, and discover related scripture for your spiritual journey.

person_add Create Free Account library_books Explore Topics

From This Chapter

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}"

Important Disclaimer: This biblical guidance is not a substitute for professional mental health care. If you're experiencing crisis symptoms, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or seek immediate professional help.

Bible Guided provides faith-based guidance and should complement, not replace, professional therapeutic support.

shareShare Your Journey

menu_book Verse in Context

Get Personalized Biblical Guidance

From This Chapter