The Meaning of 1 Samuel 24:20 Explained

1 Samuel 24:20

KJV: And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

YLT: 'And, now, lo, I have known that thou dost certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel hath stood in thy hand;

Darby: And now behold, I know that thou shalt certainly be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.

ASV: And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And now, behold, I know well  that thou shalt surely  be king,  and that the kingdom  of Israel  shall be established  in thine hand. 

What does 1 Samuel 24:20 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 24:16-22 - Kindness Wakens A Better Spirit
David's noble self-restraint, followed as it was by no less noble words, awoke the best side of Saul's nature. Chords began to vibrate that had long been silent. The memory of happier days, before their intercourse had become clouded by jealousy and hatred, came trooping back, and Saul was himself again. Indeed, David's appeal called forth from Saul a confession of his sin; and he went so far as to ask David to spare his house in the coming days, when David would assuredly be king. But, as the sequel proved, this better spirit was but temporary. It was a change of mood, not of will. Let us not form the habit of trusting in our emotional life. Nothing is permanent save the will that is energized by the will of God. Psalms 142:1-7 throws a light on David's state of heart at this period.
The death of a good man is a serious loss at any time, but to Israel, governed by a cruel, wayward king, Samuel's death was cause for special lamentation. His holy life, his fearless denunciation of wrong, his self-sacrifice for the people's welfare, and especially his power in intercessory prayer, made him one of the most important national assets. Let us so live that we may be missed when we go home! [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 24

1  David, in a cave at En Gedi, spares his life
8  He shows thereby his innocence,
16  Saul, acknowledging his fault, takes an oath of David, and departs

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 24:20 mean?

Now indeed I know that surely you shall be king that shall be established in your hand the kingdom of Israel
וְעַתָּה֙ הִנֵּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י מָלֹ֖ךְ תִּמְל֑וֹךְ וְקָ֙מָה֙ בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔ מַמְלֶ֖כֶת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וְעַתָּה֙  Now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
הִנֵּ֣ה  indeed 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
יָדַ֔עְתִּי  I  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מָלֹ֖ךְ  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
תִּמְל֑וֹךְ  you  shall  be  king 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
וְקָ֙מָה֙  that  shall  be  established 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔  in  your  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
מַמְלֶ֖כֶת  the  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  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.