What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 20:39? But - The single word signals a sharp contrast with what just happened in the field (1 Samuel 20:37–38). - Jonathan had loudly called to the lad, “Is not the arrow beyond you?”, a phrase loaded with secret meaning for David but sounding like ordinary instructions to everyone else. - Scripture often uses a brief “but” to mark a decisive turning point—think of “But God remembered Noah” (Genesis 8:1) or “But as for you, you meant evil… but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). Here the term pivots from public action to private understanding. the boy did not know anything - The lad, likely a young servant, remained completely unaware of the life-and-death drama unfolding beside him. - Jonathan’s deliberate choice to keep him uninformed protected both the servant and the secret (compare 2 Samuel 15:34, where secrecy also shields the innocent). - God sometimes hides crucial truths from uninvolved parties for their safety or for the unfolding of His plan (Matthew 11:25; John 16:12). - Practical takeaway: discretion can be an act of love when knowledge would endanger another. only Jonathan and David - The verse highlights the exclusivity of their covenant friendship (1 Samuel 18:3-4; 20:16-17). - By narrowing the circle to two, Jonathan safeguards David from Saul’s murderous rage (1 Samuel 20:30-33). - Their bond pictures loyalty that places another’s welfare above personal cost—foreshadowing the self-sacrifice later expressed in John 15:13. - The loyalty of two righteous men stands in contrast to the hostility of a king who had abandoned God’s ways (1 Samuel 15:23). knew the arrangement - “The arrangement” refers to the pre-planned signal using arrows (1 Samuel 20:19-22). • Arrow falls short = safety. • Arrow goes beyond = flee. - This simple code let Jonathan communicate danger without words, in plain sight yet hidden—reminiscent of Proverbs 25:2: “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter.” - Their secret plan illustrates: • Faith working through wise strategy (Nehemiah 4:9). • The balance between trusting God and taking prudent action (Psalm 37:32-33). - Though Saul’s palace teemed with spies, the Lord preserved His anointed through this discreet signal, keeping the messianic line intact (Ruth 4:21-22; 2 Samuel 7:12-13). summary 1 Samuel 20:39 showcases the power of godly discretion. A single servant hears commands he cannot decode, while two covenant friends share a life-saving secret. The verse draws a clear line between innocent ignorance and purposeful knowledge, underscoring loyalty, strategic wisdom, and God’s protective hand over David’s future. |
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