1 Samuel 20:13

But if my father intends to bring evil on you, then may the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if I do not tell you and send you on your way in safety. May the LORD be with you, just as He has been with my father.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jonathan addresses David immediately after promising to sound out his father’s intentions toward him. The statement functions as a conditional guarantee of David’s safety during their clandestine meeting.

The words — The Hebrew כֹּֽה־ (koh-) means “thus” and יֹסִ֗יף (yo.Sif) means “may he add,” framing a severe oath formula. יְהוָ֨ה (Yah.weh) identifies Yahweh as the witness who will punish Jonathan if he fails to warn and safely dispatch David.

The thread — This “may the LORD punish me” oath structure parallels Ruth 1:17, while the promise of divine accompaniment echoes Joshua 1:5. The covenant loyalty Jonathan demands in 1 Samuel 20:14 extends the relational bond established here.

Why it lands — The text states that Jonathan will risk divine punishment if he withholds warning or fails to secure David’s escape. It asks a reader to recognize that covenant loyalty requires active, costly intervention rather than passive goodwill.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כֹּֽה־koh-thus יַעֲשֶׂה֩ya.'a.Sehmay he do יְהוָ֨הYah.wehYahweh לִֽיהוֹנָתָ֜ןli./ho.na.Tanto/ Jonathan וְכֹ֣הve./Khohand/ thus יֹסִ֗יףyo.Sifmay he add כִּֽי־ki-if יֵיטִ֨בyei.Tivit will make good אֶל־'el-to אָבִ֤י'a.V/ifather/ my אֶת־'et-<obj.>הָֽרָעָה֙ha./ra.'Ah<the>/ harm עָלֶ֔יךָ'a.Lei./khaon/ you וְגָלִ֙יתִי֙ve./ga.Li.tiand/ I will uncover אֶת־'et-<obj.>אָזְנֶ֔ךָ'a.ze.Ne./khaear/ your וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֖יךָve./shi.lach.Ti./khaand/ I will send away/ you וְהָלַכְתָּ֣ve./ha.lakh.Taand/ you will go לְשָׁל֑וֹםle./sha.Lomto/ peace וִיהִ֤יvi./Hiand/ may he be יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahweh עִמָּ֔ךְ'i.Ma/khwith/ you כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka./'a.Sherjust/ as הָיָ֖הha.Yahhe has been עִם־'im-with אָבִֽי׃'a.V/ifather/ my

King James Version

The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew 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.

Cross-references

Joshua 1:5 No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Ruth 1:17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
1 Samuel 17:37 David added, “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” “Go,” said Saul, “and may the LORD be with you.”
1 Chronicles 22:11 Now, my son, may the LORD be with you, and may you succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as He said you would.
1 Chronicles 22:16 in gold and silver, bronze and iron—craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and may the LORD be with you.”
1 Samuel 3:17 “What was the message He gave you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God punish you, and ever so severely, if you hide from me anything He said to you.”
1 Samuel 10:7 When these signs have come, do as the occasion demands, for God is with you.
1 Samuel 11:6 When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he burned with great anger.
1 Samuel 14:47 After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them.
1 Samuel 18:12 So Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.

People named

Jonathan