The Meaning of 1 Samuel 20:42 Explained

1 Samuel 20:42

KJV: And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

YLT: and Jonathan saith to David, 'Go in peace, in that we have sworn -- we two -- in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah is between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed -- unto the age;' and he riseth and goeth; and Jonathan hath gone in to the city.

Darby: And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have both of us sworn in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever! And he arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.

ASV: And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed, for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Jonathan  said  to David,  Go  in peace,  forasmuch as we have sworn  both  of us in the name  of the LORD,  saying,  The LORD  be between me and thee, and between my seed  and thy seed  for  ever.  And he arose  and departed:  and Jonathan  went  into the city. 

What does 1 Samuel 20:42 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 20:42 mean?

And said Jonathan to David go in peace since have sworn the two of us we in the name of Yahweh saying Yahweh May be between me and you and between my descendants and your descendants for ever -
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יְהוֹנָתָ֛ן לְדָוִ֖ד לֵ֣ךְ לְשָׁל֑וֹם אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨עְנוּ שְׁנֵ֜ינוּ אֲנַ֗חְנוּ בְּשֵׁ֤ם יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְהוָ֞ה יִֽהְיֶ֣ה ׀ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעִ֛י וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־ עוֹלָֽם פ

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוֹנָתָ֛ן  Jonathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
לְדָוִ֖ד  to  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לֵ֣ךְ  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְשָׁל֑וֹם  in  peace 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
אֲשֶׁר֩  since 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נִשְׁבַּ֨עְנוּ  have  sworn 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
שְׁנֵ֜ינוּ  the  two  of  us 
Parse: Number, mdc, first person common plural
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
בְּשֵׁ֤ם  in  the  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יְהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֞ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יִֽהְיֶ֣ה ׀  May  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בֵּינִ֣י  between  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּבֵ֥ין  and  between 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
זַרְעִ֛י  my  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
זַרְעֲךָ֖  your  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
עוֹלָֽם  ever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation