1 Samuel 20:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.

NIV: I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target.

NASB: And I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target.

CSB: I will shoot three arrows beside it as if I’m aiming at a target.

NLT: I will come out and shoot three arrows to the side of the stone pile as though I were shooting at a target.

KJV: And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.

NKJV: Then I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target;

First Samuel 20:18–23 explains how Jonathan refines David's plan to discover if King Saul wants to kill David. Jonathan doesn't believe his father is that evil, but he is deeply loyal to David and agrees to find the truth (1 Samuel 20:1–17). If Saul flies into a rage because David doesn't come to the new moon feast, Jonathan will warn David that he isn't safe. This is exactly what happens, and Jonathan is heartbroken for himself and his friend (1 Samuel 20:24–42).

In 1 Samuel 20, David flees Saul for good. David goes to Jonathan at Gibeah to ask why Saul is trying to kill him. Jonathan agrees to find out. The two swear oaths of commitment to each other and plan to learn Saul's intentions. At the feast of the new moon, Saul becomes enraged at David's absence, as well as Jonathan's misplaced loyalty, and Jonathan knows David is in danger. The next day, Jonathan signals to David that he must flee. They part with tears and affirmations of their sworn friendship to each other.

David knows Saul wants to kill him (1 Samuel 19), but Jonathan can't accept it. The two decide to prove the king's intent, and Jonathan finally admits David's right. They part, trusting in their oath of friendship. David flees to Nob, where he tricks the priest out of bread and Goliath's sword, and makes a short visit to Gath. Eventually, David goes to the wilderness where his brothers meet him—along with four hundred men and their families who are in dire straits: the beginning of David's army (1 Samuel 21:1—22:5).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.

Accessed 9/13/2025 10:26:26 PM