24 So David H1732 hid H5641 himself in the field: H7704 and when the new moon H2320 was come, the king H4428 sat him down H3427 to eat H398 meat. H3899
25 And the king H4428 sat H3427 upon his seat, H4186 as at other times, H6471 even upon a seat H4186 by the wall: H7023 and Jonathan H3083 arose, H6965 and Abner H74 sat H3427 by Saul's H7586 side, H6654 and David's H1732 place H4725 was empty. H6485
26 Nevertheless Saul H7586 spake H1696 not any thing H3972 that day: H3117 for he thought, H559 Something hath befallen H4745 him, he is not H1115 clean; H2889 surely he is not clean. H2889
27 And it came to pass on the morrow, H4283 which was the second H8145 day of the month, H2320 that David's H1732 place H4725 was empty: H6485 and Saul H7586 said H559 unto Jonathan H3083 his son, H1121 Wherefore cometh H935 not the son H1121 of Jesse H3448 to meat, H3899 neither yesterday, H8543 nor to day? H3117
28 And Jonathan H3083 answered H6030 Saul, H7586 David H1732 earnestly H7592 asked H7592 leave of me H5978 to go to Bethlehem: H1035
29 And he said, H559 Let me go, H7971 I pray thee; for our family H4940 hath a sacrifice H2077 in the city; H5892 and my brother, H251 he hath commanded H6680 me to be there: and now, if I have found H4672 favour H2580 in thine eyes, H5869 let me get away, H4422 I pray thee, and see H7200 my brethren. H251 Therefore he cometh H935 not unto the king's H4428 table. H7979
30 Then Saul's H7586 anger H639 was kindled H2734 against Jonathan, H3083 and he said H559 unto him, Thou son H1121 of the perverse H5753 rebellious H4780 woman, do not I know H3045 that thou hast chosen H977 the son H1121 of Jesse H3448 to thine own confusion, H1322 and unto the confusion H1322 of thy mother's H517 nakedness? H6172
31 For as long as H3117 the son H1121 of Jesse H3448 liveth H2425 upon the ground, H127 thou shalt not be established, H3559 nor thy kingdom. H4438 Wherefore now send H7971 and fetch H3947 him unto me, for he shall surely die. H1121 H4194
32 And Jonathan H3083 answered H6030 Saul H7586 his father, H1 and said H559 unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? H4191 what hath he done? H6213
33 And Saul H7586 cast H2904 a javelin H2595 at him to smite H5221 him: whereby Jonathan H3083 knew H3045 that it was determined H3617 of his father H1 to slay H4191 David. H1732
34 So Jonathan H3083 arose H6965 from the table H7979 in fierce H2750 anger, H639 and did eat H398 no meat H3899 the second H8145 day H3117 of the month: H2320 for he was grieved H6087 for David, H1732 because his father H1 had done him shame. H3637
35 And it came to pass in the morning, H1242 that Jonathan H3083 went out H3318 into the field H7704 at the time appointed H4150 with David, H1732 and a little H6996 lad H5288 with him.
36 And he said H559 unto his lad, H5288 Run, H7323 find out H4672 now the arrows H2671 which I shoot. H3384 And as the lad H5288 ran, H7323 he shot H3384 an arrow H2678 beyond H5674 him.
37 And when the lad H5288 was come H935 to the place H4725 of the arrow H2678 which Jonathan H3083 had shot, H3384 Jonathan H3083 cried H7121 after H310 the lad, H5288 and said, H559 Is not the arrow H2678 beyond H1973 thee?
38 And Jonathan H3083 cried H7121 after H310 the lad, H5288 Make speed, H4120 haste, H2363 stay H5975 not. And Jonathan's H3083 lad H5288 gathered up H3950 the arrows, H2671 H2678 and came H935 to his master. H113
39 But the lad H5288 knew H3045 not any thing: H3972 only Jonathan H3083 and David H1732 knew H3045 the matter. H1697
40 And Jonathan H3083 gave H5414 his artillery H3627 unto his lad, H5288 and said H559 unto him, Go, H3212 carry H935 them to the city. H5892
41 And as soon as the lad H5288 was gone, H935 David H1732 arose H6965 out of a place toward H681 the south, H5045 and fell H5307 on his face H639 to the ground, H776 and bowed H7812 himself three H7969 times: H6471 and they kissed H5401 one H376 another, H7453 and wept H1058 one H376 with another, H7453 until David H1732 exceeded. H1431
42 And Jonathan H3083 said H559 to David, H1732 Go H3212 in peace, H7965 forasmuch as we have sworn H7650 both H8147 of us in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 be between me and thee, and between my seed H2233 and thy seed H2233 for H5704 ever. H5769 And he arose H6965 and departed: H3212 and Jonathan H3083 went H935 into the city. H5892
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 20
Commentary on 1 Samuel 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
1Sa 20:1-10. David Consults with Jonathan for His Safety.
1-3. David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan—He could not remain in Naioth, for he had strong reason to fear that when the religious fit, if we may so call it, was over, Saul would relapse into his usual fell and sanguinary temper. It may be thought that David acted imprudently in directing his flight to Gibeah. But he was evidently prompted to go thither by the most generous feelings—to inform his friend of what had recently occurred, and to obtain that friend's sanction to the course he was compelled to adopt. Jonathan could not be persuaded there was any real danger after the oath his father had taken; at all events, he felt assured his father would do nothing without telling him. Filial attachment naturally blinded the prince to defects in the parental character and made him reluctant to believe his father capable of such atrocity. David repeated his unshaken convictions of Saul's murderous purpose, but in terms delicately chosen (1Sa 20:3), not to wound the filial feelings of his friend; while Jonathan, clinging, it would seem, to a hope that the extraordinary scene enacted at Naioth might have wrought a sanctified improvement on Saul's temper and feelings, undertook to inform David of the result of his observations at home.
5. David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat—The beginning of a new month or moon was always celebrated by special sacrifices, followed by feasting, at which the head of a family expected all its members to be present. David, both as the king's son-in-law and a distinguished courtier, dined on such occasions at the royal table, and from its being generally known that David had returned to Gibeah, his presence in the palace would be naturally expected. This occasion was chosen by the two friends for testing the king's state of feeling. As a suitable pretext for David's absence, it was arranged that he should visit his family at Beth-lehem, and thus create an opportunity of ascertaining how his non-appearance would be viewed. The time and place were fixed for Jonathan reporting to David; but as circumstances might render another interview unsafe, it was deemed expedient to communicate by a concerted signal.
1Sa 20:11-23. Their Covenant Renewed by Oath.
11. Jonathan said to David, Come, let us go into the field—The private dialogue, which is here detailed at full length, presents a most beautiful exhibition of these two amiable and noble-minded friends. Jonathan was led, in the circumstances, to be the chief speaker. The strength of his attachment, his pure disinterestedness, his warm piety, his invocation to God (consisting of a prayer and a solemn oath combined), the calm and full expression he gave of his conviction that his own family were, by the divine will, to be disinherited, and David elevated to the possession of the throne, the covenant entered into with David on behalf of his descendants, and the imprecation (1Sa 20:16) denounced on any of them who should violate his part of the conditions, the reiteration of this covenant on both sides (1Sa 20:17) to make it indissoluble—all this indicates such a power of mutual affection, such magnetic attractiveness in the character of David, such susceptibility and elevation of feeling in the heart of Jonathan, that this interview for dramatic interest and moral beauty stands unrivalled in the records of human friendship.
19. when thou hast stayed three days—either with your family at Beth-lehem, or wherever you find it convenient.
come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand—Hebrew, "in the day," or "time of the business," when the same matter was under inquiry formerly (1Sa 19:22).
remain by the stone Ezel—Hebrew, "the stone of the way"; a sort of milestone which directed travellers. He was to conceal himself in some cave or hiding-place near that spot.
23. as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of—The plan being concerted, the friends separated for a time, and the amiable character of Jonathan again peers out in his parting allusion to their covenant of friendship.
1Sa 20:24-40. Saul, Missing David, Seeks to Kill Jonahan.
25. the king sat upon his seat, as at other times … by the wall—The left-hand corner at the upper end of a room was and still is in the East, the most honorable place. The person seated there has his left arm confined by the wall, but his right hand is at full liberty. From Abner's position next the king, and David's seat being left empty, it would seem that a state etiquette was observed at the royal table, each of the courtiers and ministers having places assigned them according to their respective gradations of rank.
Jonathan arose—either as a mark of respect on the entrance of the king, or in conformity with the usual Oriental custom for a son to stand in presence of his father.
26. he is not clean—No notice was taken of David's absence, as he might be laboring under some ceremonial defilement.
27. on the morrow, which was the second day of the month—The time of the moon's appearance being uncertain—whether at midday, in the evening, or at midnight, the festival was extended over two days. Custom, not the law, had introduced this.
Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse—The question was asked, as it were, casually, and with as great an air of indifference as he could assume. And Jonathan having replied that David had asked and obtained his permission to attend a family anniversary at Beth-lehem [Ac 20:28, 29], the pent-up passions of the king burst out in a most violent storm of rage and invective against his son.
30. Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman—This is a striking Oriental form of abuse. Saul was not angry with his wife; it was the son alone, upon whom he meant, by this style of address, to discharge his resentment. The principle on which it is founded seems to be, that to a genuine filial instinct it is a more inexpiable offense to hear the name or character of a parent traduced, than any personal reproach. This was, undoubtedly, one cause of "the fierce anger" in which the high-minded prince left the table without tasting a morsel.
33. Saul cast a javelin at him—This is a sad proof of the maniacal frenzy into which the unhappy monarch was transported.
35. Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed—or, "at the place appointed."
36. he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot—The direction given aloud to the attendant was the signal preconcerted with David. It implied danger.
40. Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad—that is, his missive weapons. The French word artillerie, signifies "archery." The term is still used in England, in the designation of the "artillery company of London," the association of archers, though they have long disused bows and arrows. Jonathan's boy being despatched out of the way, the friends enjoyed the satisfaction of a final meeting.
1Sa 20:41, 42. Jonathan and David Lovingly Part.
41, 42. David … fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times—a token of homage to the prince's rank; but on a close approach, every other consideration was sunk in the full flow of the purest brotherly affection.
42. Jonathan said to David, Go in peace—The interview being a stolen one, and every moment precious, it was kindness in Jonathan to hasten his friend's departure.