1 Samuel 20:35-42
The Arrow and the Goodbye
Read the passage
35In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for the appointment with David, and a small boy was with him.
36He said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows I shoot.” And as the boy ran, Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him.
37When the boy reached the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called to him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?”
38Then Jonathan cried out, “Hurry! Make haste! Do not delay!” So the boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master.
39But the boy did not know anything; only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement.
40Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the boy and said, “Go, take it back to the city.”
41When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone, fell facedown, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept together—though David wept more.
42And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be a witness between you and me, and between your descendants and mine forever.’” Then David got up and departed, and Jonathan went back into the city.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Jonathan goes into the field at the time agreed with David, taking a little boy with him. He shoots an arrow beyond the boy and calls that the arrow is beyond him. Earlier in the chapter, in verses 20–22, Jonathan arranged this signal with David: it means David must leave.
Jonathan gives his weapons to the boy and sends him back. David rises from beside the stone, bows three times, and the two men kiss and weep, David weeping most of all. Their friendship has been tested by danger, and the goodbye is not sentimental; David's life depends on leaving.
Jonathan says, “Go in peace,” because both of them have sworn in the name of the LORD that the LORD will be between them and their offspring forever.
Only Jonathan and David know what the signal means. Once the boy has gone, David comes out and they can say goodbye privately. Their tears belong alongside their promise: parting does not end their responsibility to one another. By calling on the LORD as witness, they entrust their friendship and their descendants to Him even as their paths separate.
Questions
1 What signal does Jonathan give David with the arrows?
AnswerJonathan shoots an arrow beyond the boy and calls, “Isn't the arrow beyond you?” Under their earlier arrangement in verses 20–22, that signal tells David he must leave.
2 Why does Jonathan send the boy away before meeting David?
AnswerSending the boy back to the city allows Jonathan and David to meet privately. The boy knows nothing of their arrangement, and David comes out only after he has gone.
3 What do David and Jonathan promise one another as they say goodbye?
AnswerDavid and Jonathan renew their oath of friendship before the LORD. They promise that the LORD will be between them and between their descendants forever, and then they part in tears.
4 How can our household say goodbye faithfully when circumstances prevent an easy resolution?
AnswerSupport a person who must leave an unsafe situation. Do not confuse sadness about the separation with evidence that leaving was wrong.
What This Means for Us
Jonathan takes care with what he communicates in front of someone who does not know the situation. Wisdom can include privacy when another person's safety is at stake.
The friends weep, but they do not let emotion erase the truth. David must go, and Jonathan must return. Some faithful choices bring real loss before they bring clarity.
If someone is facing a necessary separation, offer practical support rather than pressuring them to stay so others can feel better.
Prayer
LORD, be between people who must part for the sake of safety or faithfulness. Give our household courage to release one another wisely, grieve honestly, and keep promises that serve life. Amen.