The Meaning of 1 Samuel 20:31 Explained

1 Samuel 20:31

KJV: For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

YLT: for all the days that the son of Jesse liveth on the ground thou art not established, thou and thy kingdom; and now, send and bring him unto me, for he is a son of death.'

Darby: For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon earth, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. And now send and fetch him to me, for he must die.

ASV: For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For as long as  the son  of Jesse  liveth  upon the ground,  thou shalt not be established,  nor thy kingdom.  Wherefore now send  and fetch  him unto me, for he shall surely die. 

What does 1 Samuel 20:31 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 20:30-42 - The Sign Of The Arrow
It had become clear that the arrows were against David. It was useless to endeavor to fight against the force of irresistible circumstances. We are to hold our ground till the Captain, by an indubitable sign, tells us that we may retire. But, when the hour of parting came, the two fond hearts were well-nigh broken. How little the lad realized the tragedy which was taking place beneath the calm beauty of that morning dawn! The birds were singing and the flowers were unfolding to the sun as usual; but to the two friends the sun was darkened and a pall lay over nature. Yet God was leading David forth to lay the foundations of the kingdom of the Messiah, and the two were still joined in God. The Lord was between them, as the ocean is between the United States and Great Britain-not as a divider, but as a medium of communication.
Are the arrows beyond thee? Be of good cheer; there is something beyond their farthest reach. God is beyond, a kingdom is beyond, songs of overflowing ecstasy are beyond! Arise and go forth into the unknown. If thou shalt take the wings of the morning, thou canst not outstrip the love of God. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 20

1  David consults with Jonathan for his safety
11  Jonathan and David renew their covenant by oath
18  Jonathan's token to David
23  Saul, missing David, seeks to kill Jonathan
35  Jonathan affectionately takes his leave of David

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 20:31 mean?

for all as long as which the son of Jesse lives on the earth not shall be established you nor your kingdom Therefore now send and bring him to me a son shall surely die he -
כִּ֣י כָל־ הַיָּמִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר בֶּן־ יִשַׁי֙ חַ֣י עַל־ הָאֲדָמָ֔ה לֹ֥א תִכּ֖וֹן אַתָּ֣ה וּמַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָ וְעַתָּ֗ה שְׁלַ֨ח וְקַ֤ח אֹתוֹ֙ אֵלַ֔י בֶן־ מָ֖וֶת הֽוּא ס

הַיָּמִ֗ים  as  long  as 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
בֶּן־  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשַׁי֙  of  Jesse 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישַׁי 
Sense: son of Boaz and the father of king David.
חַ֣י  lives 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
הָאֲדָמָ֔ה  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
תִכּ֖וֹן  shall  be  established 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: כּוּן 
Sense: to be firm, be stable, be established.
וּמַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָ  nor  your  kingdom 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מַלְכוּת  
Sense: royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom, sovereign power.
וְעַתָּ֗ה  Therefore  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
שְׁלַ֨ח  send 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
וְקַ֤ח  and  bring 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֵלַ֔י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בֶן־  a  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מָ֖וֶת  shall  surely  die 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation