The Meaning of 1 Samuel 20:27 Explained

1 Samuel 20:27

KJV: And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?

YLT: And it cometh to pass on the second morrow of the new moon, that David's place is looked after, and Saul saith unto Jonathan his son, 'Wherefore hath the son of Jesse not come in, either yesterday or to-day, unto the food?'

Darby: And it came to pass the next day after the new moon, the second day of the month, as David's place was empty, that Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has not the son of Jesse come to table, neither yesterday nor to-day?

ASV: And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, which was the second day , that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to-day?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass on the morrow,  [which was] the second  [day] of the month,  that David's  place  was empty:  and Saul  said  unto Jonathan  his son,  Wherefore cometh  not the son  of Jesse  to meat,  neither yesterday,  nor to day? 

What does 1 Samuel 20:27 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 20:17-29 - A Friend At Court
Jonathan most have been strongly tempted to ally himself with his friend, that they might face the world together; but he clung loyally to his father's fortunes, though he knew that he was courting failure and overthrow. At the same time he stood nobly forth at the banquet in defense of his friend. What a rebuke for some of us! The Prince of the kings of the earth is not ashamed to call us brethren, but alas, how often we shrink from acknowledging and confessing Him when in company which refuses to own His supremacy. We are silent when His honor is flouted, we flinch before the rising storm; if we do not take sides against Him, we at least do not speak up on His behalf. Such cowards are we in spite of our covenants!
Saul's jealousy broke out with volcanic vehemence. The king and father abused his son with vile epithets, such as are still employed by Orientals. He demanded David's instant execution, and ended by seeking to take Jonathan's life. Truly it may be said of him, as was afterward said of Judas-Satan had entered into him. Be watchful not to give the smallest foothold to the devil. [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 20:27 mean?

And it came to pass the next day the month the second [day] of that was empty place of David - and said Saul to Jonathan his son why not has come the son of Jesse either yesterday or today eat
וַיְהִ֗י מִֽמָּחֳרַ֤ת הַחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י וַיִּפָּקֵ֖ד מְק֣וֹם דָּוִ֑ד ס וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שָׁאוּל֙ אֶל־ יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן בְּנ֔וֹ מַדּ֜וּעַ לֹא־ בָ֧א בֶן־ יִשַׁ֛י גַּם־ תְּמ֥וֹל גַּם־ ؟ הַיּ֖וֹם הַלָּֽחֶם

וַיְהִ֗י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מִֽמָּחֳרַ֤ת  the  next  day 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מָחֳרָת  
Sense: the morrow, the day after.
הַחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙  the  month 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: the new moon, month, monthly.
הַשֵּׁנִ֔י  the  second  [day] 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal masculine singular
Root: שֵׁנִי  
Sense: second.
וַיִּפָּקֵ֖ד  of  that  was  empty 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
מְק֣וֹם  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
דָּוִ֑ד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שָׁאוּל֙  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן  Jonathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
בְּנ֔וֹ  his  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מַדּ֜וּעַ  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מַדּוּעַ  
Sense: why?, on what account?, wherefore?.
בָ֧א  has  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בֶן־  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשַׁ֛י  of  Jesse 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישַׁי 
Sense: son of Boaz and the father of king David.
גַּם־  either 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
תְּמ֥וֹל  yesterday 
Parse: Adverb
Root: תְּמֹול  
Sense: before, before that time, beforetime, heretofore, of late, of old, these days, time(s) past, yesterday, day before yesterday, recently, formerly.
؟ הַיּ֖וֹם  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַלָּֽחֶם  eat 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.