1 Samuel 20:13 kjv
The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will show it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
1 Samuel 20:13 nkjv
may the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the LORD be with you as He has been with my father.
1 Samuel 20:13 niv
But if my father intends to harm you, may the LORD deal with Jonathan, be it ever so severely, if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.
1 Samuel 20:13 esv
But should it please my father to do you harm, the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. May the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.
1 Samuel 20:13 nlt
But if he is angry and wants you killed, may the LORD strike me and even kill me if I don't warn you so you can escape and live. May the LORD be with you as he used to be with my father.
1 Samuel 20 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 26:3 | "...I will be with you and will bless you..." | God's promise of presence and blessing. |
| Exod 33:14 | "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." | God's assuring presence. |
| Num 14:43 | "...because you have turned back from the Lord. Therefore the Lord will not be with you." | God's presence as conditional. |
| Deut 20:1 | "...for the LORD your God is with you..." | Assurance of God's aid in battle. |
| Judg 6:12 | "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." | God's presence affirmed for Gideon. |
| 1 Sam 3:17 | "May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything..." | A similar oath formula. |
| 1 Sam 14:44 | "So may God do to me and more also if you surely die, Jonathan!" | Another instance of a formal oath involving Jonathan. |
| 1 Sam 16:13 | "...and the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward." | God's anointing and presence upon David. |
| 1 Sam 16:14 | "Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul..." | God's presence removed from Saul. |
| 1 Sam 18:3 | "Then Jonathan made a covenant with David..." | Establishment of their enduring friendship covenant. |
| 1 Sam 23:18 | "And the two of them made a covenant before the LORD." | Renewal and confirmation of their covenant. |
| 2 Sam 3:9 | "...may God do so to Abner and more also, if I do not bring about for David what the LORD has sworn to him..." | Another powerful oath by Abner. |
| 2 Sam 7:3 | "...for the LORD is with you." | Nathan confirms God's presence with David. |
| 2 Sam 7:9 | "And I have been with you wherever you have gone..." | God's past and continuing presence with David. |
| Psa 23:4 | "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me..." | Confidence in God's protecting presence. |
| Prov 16:7 | "When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." | Safety results from pleasing God. |
| Isa 41:10 | "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God..." | God's comforting and empowering presence. |
| Jer 1:8 | "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord." | God's protective presence for his servants. |
| Matt 28:20 | "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." | Christ's perpetual presence with believers. |
| Phil 4:9 | "What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." | God's peace accompanies obedient lives. |
| Heb 13:5 | "I will never leave you nor forsake you." | God's unfailing promise of presence. |
1 Samuel 20 verses
1 Samuel 20 13 Meaning
1 Samuel 20:13 is Jonathan's solemn declaration to David, an oath before God concerning his plan to ascertain Saul's intentions and, if hostile, to ensure David's safe escape. He invokes the covenant Lord to bring judgment upon himself if he fails to inform David of Saul's malicious intent to kill him and facilitate his secure departure. Furthermore, Jonathan offers a profound prayer and blessing for David, expressing his fervent hope and prophecy that the Lord, who once powerfully stood with his own father, King Saul, would now remain continually with David, indicating the transfer of divine favor.
1 Samuel 20 13 Context
1 Samuel 20:13 is a pivotal part of the intense, final conversations between David and Jonathan as David flees from Saul's murderous pursuit. Chapter 19 details Saul's escalating jealousy and attempts to kill David, which become more overt. In Chapter 20, David seeks Jonathan's help to discern his father's true intentions regarding his life. Jonathan, initially unwilling to believe his father would harm David, ultimately agrees to a dangerous plan. The setting is one of high stakes, fear for David's life, and a deeply loyal, unbreakable friendship. This specific verse forms part of Jonathan's sworn commitment to David, where he invokes God's judgment upon himself if he does not fully protect David and facilitate his escape. It also carries the poignant implication of Jonathan's awareness of God's hand moving from his own lineage to David, as it prophesies God's presence with David in his future kingship.
1 Samuel 20 13 Word analysis
May the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also (יְהוָה יַעֲשֶׂה כֵּן לְיוֹנָתָן וְכֹה יוֹסֵף)
- LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH): The personal, covenant name of God in Israel, emphasizing His faithfulness and active involvement in human affairs. By invoking YHWH, Jonathan makes the oath a matter of divine witness and judgment, not just a human promise.
- do so to (יַעֲשֶׂה כֵּן - ya'aseh ken): A common, severe oath formula in ancient Israel (e.g., Ruth 1:17, 1 Sam 3:17, 25:22). The phrase implicitly refers to an unspecified but understood punishment, typically a divine curse or calamity, to befall the oath-taker if the oath is broken. It reflects a deep reverence for solemn promises made before God.
- and more also (וְכֹה יוֹסֵף - vekho yosef): An intensifier to the oath, signifying that the invoked punishment would be not just severe, but compounded or added to. It stresses the gravity and unbreakability of Jonathan's promise. This reveals the immense weight Jonathan places on his commitment to David.
if I do not make it known to you when your father searches for your life tomorrow or the day after, and I do not send you away so that you may go in safety.
- searches for your life (מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־נַפְשֶׁךָ - mevakkesh et-nafshekha): "Searching for life" is an idiomatic expression for seeking to kill or destroy someone. It underscores the active, malevolent intent of King Saul.
- tomorrow or the day after: Indicates a very precise and immediate timeline for the test and potential danger, highlighting the urgency of David's situation.
- send you away (וְשִׁלַּחְתִּיךָ - veshillakhtikha): From the root שָׁלַח (shalach), meaning to send forth, let go, dismiss. Jonathan pledges not merely to warn David but to actively facilitate his escape, indicating his proactive commitment to David's safety.
- in safety (לְשָׁלוֹם - leshalom): From שָׁלוֹם (shalom), meaning peace, completeness, well-being, wholeness, safety. Jonathan desires David's entire well-being in his escape, not just physical protection but comprehensive flourishing. This isn't merely a dismissal but a wish for a secure and prosperous departure.
And may the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.
- may the LORD be with you (וִיהִי יְהוָה עִמָּךְ - vihi YHWH 'immakh): A common biblical blessing and prayer (Gen 26:3, Josh 1:5, Judg 6:12). It expresses a deep wish for divine presence, favor, and assistance to accompany David. It’s a profound recognition of where true power and blessing reside.
- as he has been with my father: This is the most poignant and theologically significant phrase. Jonathan acknowledges the undeniable truth that the Lord had been with Saul (as demonstrated in Saul's early victories and anointing) but had since departed (1 Sam 16:14). This phrase reveals Jonathan's humble and Spirit-discerned acceptance that God's favor had shifted from his own lineage to David. It is a tacit recognition of David’s divine election as the next king and implicitly an act of surrender to God's will, even when it means disinheriting himself. It shows profound faith and selflessness, aligning himself with God's purpose rather than his own dynastic ambitions.
1 Samuel 20 13 Bonus section
- Jonathan's full acceptance of God's will: This verse implicitly portrays Jonathan's understanding that God had chosen David over the house of Saul, even his own claim to the throne. His willingness to not only protect David but also pray for God's continuing presence with him as it had been with Saul demonstrates remarkable humility and faith, truly laying down his life (metaphorically for the crown) for his friend.
- Foreshadowing of God's kingdom: The transfer of God's presence "as He has been with my father" powerfully foreshadows the establishment of the Davidic dynasty, a crucial line leading to the ultimate King, Jesus Christ. Jonathan’s statement implicitly recognizes God’s hand in kingship and its transfer according to divine purpose, not human inheritance alone.
- Ethical weight of oaths: The verse strongly emphasizes the grave nature of an oath made before God, reflecting the strong emphasis in the Old Testament on the integrity of spoken vows. Breaking such an oath incurred severe divine consequences.
1 Samuel 20 13 Commentary
1 Samuel 20:13 serves as a profound demonstration of Jonathan's selfless loyalty, his theological discernment, and the strength of the covenant friendship he forged with David. His willingness to invoke a divine curse upon himself underscores the absolute seriousness and purity of his intention to protect David. This verse highlights Jonathan's character, setting him apart from the increasingly paranoid and divinely rejected King Saul. Jonathan, unlike his father, recognized God's hand on David. His prayer for God's presence to be with David, explicitly paralleled with God's earlier presence with Saul, reveals his acceptance of God's choice regarding the kingship. It's an almost prophetic utterance, confirming David's divine appointment while acknowledging the spiritual shift away from Saul's dynasty. This act of blessing David despite it meaning his own forfeiture of the throne shows remarkable faith and obedience to God's unseen plan, prioritizing God's will over personal ambition. Jonathan exemplifies genuine sacrificial love, echoing future Christian principles.