1 Samuel 20:23

And as for the matter you and I have discussed, the LORD is a witness between you and me forever.”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jonathan addresses David immediately after finalizing a coded arrow signal to evade Saul’s pursuit. He closes their clandestine meeting by invoking divine testimony to seal their pact.

The words — The Hebrew דִּבַּרְנוּ (dibbarênu, "we have spoken") and הִנֵּה (hinnêh, "behold") frame the declaration that Yahweh stands as a permanent witness between the two men.

The thread — The same covenantal witness motif appears in 1 Samuel 20:14 and 1 Samuel 20:42, and echoes the divine oversight warning in Genesis 31:50 regarding human vows.

Why it lands — The text states that Yahweh actively witnesses sworn agreements, which requires readers to treat interpersonal commitments as binding before God rather than merely social arrangements.

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

וְהַ֨דָּבָ֔רve./Ha./da.Varand/ the/ matter אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich דִּבַּ֖רְנוּdi.Bar.nuwe have spoken אֲנִ֣י'a.NiI וָאָ֑תָּהva./'A.tahand/ you הִנֵּ֧הhi.Nehhere!יְהוָ֛הYah.wehYahweh בֵּינִ֥יbei./Ni[will be] between/ me וּבֵינְךָ֖u./vei.ne./Khaand/ between/ you עַד־'ad-until עוֹלָֽם׃ סo.Lamperpetuity

King James Version

And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me for ever.

Cross-references

1 Samuel 20:14 And as long as I live, treat me with the LORD’s loving devotion, that I may not die,
1 Samuel 20:42 And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be a witness between you and me, and between your descendants and mine forever.’” Then David got up and departed, and Jonathan went back into the city.
Genesis 31:50 If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, although no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.”
Genesis 16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me.”