The Meaning of 1 Samuel 20:12 Explained

1 Samuel 20:12

KJV: 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;

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 --

Darby: And Jonathan said to David, Jehovah, God of Israel, when I sound my father about this time to-morrow, or the next day, and behold, there be good toward David, and I then send not to thee, and apprise thee of it,

ASV: And Jonathan said unto David, Jehovah, the God of Israel, be witness : when I have sounded my father about this time to-morrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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; 

What does 1 Samuel 20:12 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 20:1-16 - Friendship's Covenant
Life becomes intolerable when suspense is long drawn out; hence David's appeal to his friend. Besides, he yearned for one more glimpse of the dear home at Bethlehem, and to drink of "the well which was by the gate." The talk between the friends was heart-breaking to both. Only those who have experienced the severance of loving communion and intercourse can fathom the depth and bitterness of the waters that began to roll between the two friends.
Jonathan is one of the noblest types of manhood presented in Scripture biography. Whether in private or public life, he shone with peerless beauty, as a star in a dark sky. David said of him that he was "lovely and pleasant." Jonathan had a clear prevision of David's coming greatness, but it gave him no pang of jealousy. He loved his friend better than himself, so much, indeed, that it was a richer ecstasy for Jonathan to see David crowned and exalted than to ascend the throne himself. Love casts out jealousy. This friendship was ideal; and we can only ask that we may realize something of its sweetness, and know the love of Christ after the same fashion. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 20

1  David consults with Jonathan for his safety
11  Jonathan and David renew their covenant by oath
18  Jonathan's token to David
23  Saul, missing David, seeks to kill Jonathan
35  Jonathan affectionately takes his leave of David

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 20:12 mean?

And said Jonathan to David Yahweh [is witness] God of Israel when I have sounded out - my father sometime tomorrow [or] the third [day] and indeed [there is] good toward David and not I then I do send to you and tell you
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוֹנָתָ֜ן אֶל־ דָּוִ֗ד יְהוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּֽי־ אֶחְקֹ֣ר אֶת־ אָבִ֗י כָּעֵ֤ת ׀ מָחָר֙ הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֔ית וְהִנֵּה־ ט֖וֹב אֶל־ דָּוִ֑ד וְלֹֽא־ אָז֙ אֶשְׁלַ֣ח אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְגָלִ֖יתִי אָזְנֶֽךָ

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוֹנָתָ֜ן  Jonathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
דָּוִ֗ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
יְהוָ֞ה  Yahweh  [is  witness] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֤י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אֶחְקֹ֣ר  I  have  sounded  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: חָקַר  
Sense: to search, search for, search out, examine, investigate.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אָבִ֗י  my  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
כָּעֵ֤ת ׀  sometime 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, common singular construct
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
מָחָר֙  tomorrow 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מָחָר  
Sense: tomorrow, in time to come, in the future.
הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֔ית  [or]  the  third  [day] 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal feminine singular
Root: שְׁלִישִׁי 
Sense: third, one third, third part, third time.
וְהִנֵּה־  and  indeed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
ט֖וֹב  [there  is]  good 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
אֶל־  toward 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
דָּוִ֑ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אָז֙  I  then 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אָז  
Sense: then, at that time.
אֶשְׁלַ֣ח  I  do  send 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֵלֶ֔יךָ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וְגָלִ֖יתִי  and  tell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: גָּלָה  
Sense: to uncover, remove.