What Does 1 Samuel 20:12 Mean in the King James?

And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;

1 Samuel 20:12 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

Jonathan’s “shew it thee” is literally an uncovering of David’s ear: the promise sends hidden knowledge into hearing.

THE MEANING

Jonathan (⁨יְהוֹנָתָן⁩, Yehonatan, “YHWH has given”) speaks for David (⁨דָּוִד⁩, David, “beloved”), vowing to send what he learns and uncover David’s ear to it. For the reader now, care appears as hidden knowledge made available to the beloved. What is known becomes shared through disclosure.

THE ROOT

וְגָלִיתִי

ve-galiti

GROWS FROM

גלה

Uncover, expose, disclose.

The Hebrew says “I will uncover your ear,” where the KJV says “shew it thee.” Disclosure is pictured as removing a covering so what is hidden can enter hearing; the same root also describes revealing a secret.

ALSO GROWS

Uncover your ear: Uncover your ear; disclose something to you.

וְגָלִיתִי אֶת־אָזְנֶךָ

This is the phrase Jonathan uses: revealing the news means opening David’s ear to it.

ve-galah: And he reveals or discloses.

וְגָלָה

Amos uses the same root for making a hidden secret known, linking revelation with uncovering.

אֶשְׁלַח

eshlaḥ

GROWS FROM

שלח

Send forth, release, let go.

“send” in this verse is eshlaḥ. Jonathan’s news is not left held within him: he sends it out to David. The root carries both sending and release, so the promise gives hidden knowledge a way to move toward the one who needs to hear it.

ALSO GROWS

shalach: Send away or release.

שָׁלַח

The same verb can name letting something go; here, Jonathan releases the news from secrecy by sending it.

Shiloach: Sent; the name of the pool called Siloam in John 9:7.

שִׁלֹחַ

The name preserves the root’s sense of being sent forth, connecting Jonathan’s message with the wider language of sending.

THE PATTERN

Disclosure uncovers what is hidden and brings it into hearing.

Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,

1 Samuel 9:15 · KJVThe Hebrew uses the same uncovering-of-the-ear image: hidden knowledge is brought within Samuel’s hearing.

For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

2 Samuel 7:27 · KJV“Revealed” carries the same root, presenting disclosure as uncovering what was hidden.

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

Amos 3:7 · KJVThe same root describes a secret being brought into the open.

THE THREAD

Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,

1 Samuel 9:15 · KJV

The Hebrew phrase here also means that the LORD uncovered Samuel’s ear. Jonathan promises to do the same for David by sending him what he learns; in both verses, revelation opens hearing to what was hidden.

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