1 Samuel 20:12
“Jonathan said to David, “By Yahweh, the God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, won’t I then send to you, and disclose it to you?”
What does 1 Samuel 20:12 mean?
Jonathan is making a solemn promise to his friend David, swearing by God himself that he will find out where his father King Saul really stands regarding David. David is in danger, suspected of being a threat to the throne, and needs to know if the king's anger toward him is passing or if he must flee for his life. Jonathan, as the king's son, is in a unique position to discover the truth by carefully watching his father's mood. What makes this moment tender is that Jonathan is willing to risk his own safety and his relationship with his father to help David. He's committing to do the hard, delicate work of investigation and then to deliver dangerous news if necessary. For anyone facing uncertainty about where they stand with someone important to them, Jonathan's willingness to seek truth and share it honestly, even at cost to himself, shows what genuine loyalty looks like.