1 Samuel 20:20-23 Meaning: Arrows, a Covenant, and the God Who Stands Between
20I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark.
21Behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows!’ If I tell the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you. Take them;’ then come, for there is peace to you and no danger, as Yahweh lives.
22But if I say this to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go your way, for Yahweh has sent you away.
23Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, Yahweh is between you and me forever.”
20And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
21And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the Lord liveth.
22But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away.
23And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me for ever.
20And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
21And, behold, I will send the lad, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take them, and come; for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as Jehovah liveth.
22But if I say thus unto the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way; for Jehovah hath sent thee away.
23And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between thee and me for ever.
20`And I shoot three of the arrows at the side, sending out for myself at a mark;
21and lo, I send the youth: Go, find the arrows. If I at all say to the youth, Lo, the arrows are on this side of thee--take them, --then come thou, for peace is for thee, and there is nothing; Jehovah liveth.
22And if thus I say to the young man, Lo, the arrows are beyond thee, --go, for Jehovah hath sent thee away;
23as to the thing which we have spoken, I and thou, lo, Jehovah is between me and thee--unto the age.'
20And I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.
21And behold, I will send the lad, [saying,] Go, find the arrows. If I expressly say to the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come, for there is peace for thee, and it is nothing; [as] Jehovah liveth.
22But if I say thus to the youth: Behold, the arrows are beyond thee, — go thy way; for Jehovah sends thee away.
23And as to the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between me and thee for ever.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Jonathan shoot arrows for David? Discover the life-or-death signal, the meaning of shalom, and what it means to have God between friends forever.
Context
David is a hunted man. King Saul's jealousy has turned murderous, and Jonathan, Saul's son, has sworn to protect his friend. But if Jonathan meets David openly, both could die. So the two men devise a signal. Jonathan will go out to a field with a servant boy and practice archery. The flight of the arrows, whether they land near the boy or beyond him, will tell David, hiding at the stone Ezel, whether he may return to court or must flee for his life. It is a desperate plan born of real danger and a love that refuses to let go.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words anchor this passage. First, shalom, often translated “peace,” but it means far more: wholeness, well-being, safety with nothing missing. Jonathan says “shalom to you” if the arrows land close; he is saying David is whole and has nothing to fear. The word carries the full weight of a life that is right and complete.
Second, hinneh, “behold.” It appears four times here. This is not a quiet word; it says, “Stop. Pay attention. Something important is happening.” Jonathan uses it to mark each stage of the code: the arrow shot, the boy sent, the message given. He wants David to see clearly, not miss a thing.
Third, the verb shalach, “to send away.” When danger comes, Jonathan says, “Yahweh has sent you away.” It is not a rejection. It is permission to leave, stamped with God's own hand. The same God who leads us into safety also leads us out of it, and both are acts of care.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have seen this passage as a model of covenantal friendship sealed by God. Anglican commentators note how the signal protected David from Saul's spies, preventing a direct meeting that would have put both men at risk. Methodist expositors like Adam Clarke point out the practical wisdom of using archery practice as a cover. Reformed interpreters highlight Jonathan's trust in God's sovereignty: when he says “the Lord has sent you away,” he is accepting that God has another path for David. Across these readings, there is a shared conviction: the covenant between Jonathan and David is not just a human promise, God himself is present as witness and protector.
A common misunderstanding
Some imagine that Jonathan's arrow shooting was just a clever way to pass the time or a casual game. In fact, every shot carried a life-or-death message for David. The arrows were a prearranged code: near meant safety, beyond meant flee. Jonathan's elaborate plan shows how real the threat from Saul had become, and how seriously he took his promise to protect his friend.
Living This Out
This week, think of one relationship where you have made a promise of loyalty, a friend, a spouse, a family member, even a church community. What would it look like to hold that bond with the same care Jonathan showed? Maybe it means choosing a hard conversation instead of silence. Maybe it means protecting someone at personal cost. Or simply letting someone know, “God is between us, no matter what distance comes.” The details may look different, but the commitment is the same: a love that places God as the witness, and a willingness to act for the other's safety, even when no one else understands.
Main takeaway: True friendship places God as the enduring witness between us, even when danger or distance forces us apart.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jonathan loved his friend David very much. He shot arrows to tell David if it was safe or if he needed to run away. God was watching over both of them, even when they had to be apart.
For ages 9, 12
Jonathan and David made a promise to be friends forever. But because King Saul was angry, they couldn't meet openly. So Jonathan came up with a secret signal using arrows and a servant boy. The signal told David: if the arrows fall close, you are safe; if they fall far, you must run. Jonathan trusted that God was between them no matter what. Sometimes our friendships need careful, wise planning, especially when things are hard. The most important thing is that God sees and holds our promises.
Questions People Ask
Why did Jonathan shoot three arrows instead of one?
Jonathan shot three arrows to make the archery practice look natural and to avoid suspicion from Saul's spies. Three shots also helped David be absolutely sure of the message, it wasn't just a stray arrow. The number may also connect to the three days David had been missing, according to some commentators.
What does 'Yahweh is between me and you forever' mean?
This was a way of saying that God himself was the witness to their covenant. In ancient Israel, people often called on God to watch over agreements, because only God could see everything and hold both parties accountable. Jonathan was saying that their bond was not just human, it was permanent because God stood with them.
Was Jonathan deceiving his father Saul by using the arrow signal?
Jonathan was not being deceitful in a selfish way. He was protecting David, who was innocent and whom Saul wanted to kill unjustly. Jonathan also loved his father and tried to reason with him first. The signal was a careful way to warn David without openly defying Saul in a way that would get both men killed.
Did David ever return to Saul's court after this?
No. When Jonathan gave the signal that the arrows were beyond the boy, David understood he had to flee. From this point on, David became a fugitive, living in caves and foreign lands until Saul died. He never again served in Saul's court.
Why did Jonathan go along with David's escape instead of taking his father's side?
Jonathan saw that David had done nothing wrong. He also recognized that God had chosen David to be the next king of Israel, not himself. Jonathan's love for David and his faithfulness to God's plan led him to protect David, even though it meant opposing his own father.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study