The Meaning of 1 Samuel 20:9 Explained

1 Samuel 20:9

KJV: And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

YLT: And Jonathan saith, 'Far be it from thee! for I certainly do not know that the evil hath been determined by my father to come upon thee, and I do not declare it to thee.'

Darby: And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for, if I knew with certainty that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, would I not tell it thee?

ASV: And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Jonathan  said,  Far be it from thee:  for if I knew  certainly  that evil  were determined  by my father  to come  upon thee, then would not I tell  it thee? 

What does 1 Samuel 20:9 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 20:1-16 - Friendship's Covenant
Life becomes intolerable when suspense is long drawn out; hence David's appeal to his friend. Besides, he yearned for one more glimpse of the dear home at Bethlehem, and to drink of "the well which was by the gate." The talk between the friends was heart-breaking to both. Only those who have experienced the severance of loving communion and intercourse can fathom the depth and bitterness of the waters that began to roll between the two friends.
Jonathan is one of the noblest types of manhood presented in Scripture biography. Whether in private or public life, he shone with peerless beauty, as a star in a dark sky. David said of him that he was "lovely and pleasant." Jonathan had a clear prevision of David's coming greatness, but it gave him no pang of jealousy. He loved his friend better than himself, so much, indeed, that it was a richer ecstasy for Jonathan to see David crowned and exalted than to ascend the throne himself. Love casts out jealousy. This friendship was ideal; and we can only ask that we may realize something of its sweetness, and know the love of Christ after the same fashion. [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 20:9 mean?

But said Jonathan Far be it from you for if surely I knew that was determined evil by my father to come upon you then not - would I tell you -
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן חָלִ֣ילָה לָּ֑ךְ כִּ֣י ׀ אִם־ יָדֹ֣עַ אֵדַ֗ע כִּֽי־ כָלְתָ֨ה הָרָעָ֜ה מֵעִ֤ם אָבִי֙ לָב֣וֹא עָלֶ֔יךָ וְלֹ֥א אֹתָ֖הּ אַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ ס

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר  But  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן  Jonathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
חָלִ֣ילָה  Far  be  it 
Parse: Interjection, third person feminine singular
Root: חָלִיל  
Sense: far be it (from me), God forbid that, let it not be.
לָּ֑ךְ  from  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
יָדֹ֣עַ  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אֵדַ֗ע  I  knew 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
כָלְתָ֨ה  was  determined 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
הָרָעָ֜ה  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
אָבִי֙  my  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
לָב֣וֹא  to  come 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עָלֶ֔יךָ  upon  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וְלֹ֥א  then  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אֹתָ֖הּ  - 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person feminine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אַגִּ֥יד  would  I  tell 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation

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