King James Version

1 Samuel 20:12

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;

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…יְהוֹנָתָ֜ןyehonatanJonathan. Compare H3129יְהוֹנָתָןnoun, proper name — “Jonathan. Compare H3129”H3083Jehonathan, the name of four IsraelitesJonathan. Compare H3129 (יוֹנָתָן).אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).דָּוִ֗דdavidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.יְהוָ֞הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).אֱלֹהֵ֤יeloheGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “God”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.יִשְׂרָאֵל֙yisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…אֶחְקֹ֣רechqorfind outחָקַרverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “find out”, an unfinished actionH2713properly, to penetrate; hence, to examine intimatelyfind out, (make) search (out), seek (out), sound, try.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אָבִ֗יavifatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.כָּעֵ֤תkaetas whenעֵתpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “as when”, the ordinary formH6256time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.[phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when.מָחָר֙machartomorrowמָחָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “tomorrow”, the ordinary formH4279properly, deferred, i.e. the morrow; usually (adverbially) tomorrow; indefinitely, hereaftertime to come, tomorrow.הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֔יתhashlishitthe thirdשְׁלִישִׁיdefinite article, adjective, ordinal, feminine, singular, absolute — “the third”, the ordinary formH7992third; feminine athird (part); by extension, a third (day, year or time); specifically, a third-story cell)third (part, rank, time), three (years old).וְהִנֵּהvehinehand loהִנֵּהconjunction, particle, demonstrative — “and lo”H2009lo!behold, lo, see.ט֖וֹבtovgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).דָּוִ֑דdavidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.וְלֹֽאveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…אָז֙azat which timeאָזadverb — “at which time”H227at that time or place; also as a conjunction, thereforebeginning, for, from, hitherto, now, of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.אֶשְׁלַ֣חeshlachsendשָׁלַחverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “send”, an unfinished actionH7971to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)[idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, ou…אֵלֶ֔יךָeleykhaamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).וְגָלִ֖יתִיvegalitiand exileגָּלָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “and exile”, a completed action in a sequenceH1540to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal[phrase] advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, [idiom] plainly, publish, remove, reveal, [idiom] shamelessly, shew, [idiom] surely, tell, uncover.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אָזְנֶֽךָazenekhaearאֹזֶןnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “ear”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH241broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)[phrase] advertise, audience, [phrase] displease, ear, hearing, [phrase] show.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Jonathan said unto David: 'The LORD, the God of Israel — 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?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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?

Young’s Literal Translation

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 —

World English Bible

Jonathan said to David, “By Yahweh, the God of Israel, when I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, won’t I then send to you and disclose it to you?

Darby Translation

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,

Douay-Rheims

Jonathan said to David: O Lord God of Israel, if I shall discover my father’s mind, tomorrow or the day after, and there be any thing good for David, and I send not immediately to thee, and make it known to thee,

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Jonathan said to David, The Lord God of Israel knows that I will sound my father as I have an opportunity, three several times, and, behold, if good should be determined concerning David, and I do not send to thee to the field,

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωνάθαν πρὸς Δαυὶδ, Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ οἶδεν, ὅτι ἀνακρινῶ τὸν πάτερα μου ὡς ἂν ὁ καιρὸς, τρισσῶς, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀγαθὸν ᾖ περὶ Δαυὶδ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποστείλω πρὸς σὲ εἰς ἀγρὸν,