1 Samuel 20

David complaineth to Jonathan of Saul, ver.1, &c. Jonathan comferteth David, and can hardly believe that Saul sought to kill him, 2. But David affirmeth it for a truth, 3. David desireth Jonathan to excuse his absence unto Saul, 5. Jonathan promiseth to give David notice, 9. Yea, he certifieth it with an oath, 13. He requireth the like kindness of David, 14. They renew the Covenant of friendship one with another, 16. Which David ratifieth with an oath, 17. They agree together, how Jonathan should discover to him his Fathers mind and purpose, 19. Saul asked for David at the feast of the new moon, 27. Jonathan excuseth David, 28. Saul incensed here at, revileth Jonathan, and endevoureth to kill him, 30. Jonathan advertiseth David, by shooting the arrows, 35. They part with much grief and teares one from another, 41.

1. Then David fled from Najoth by Rama: [viz. When Saul being thus ravished in his spirit, prophesied, and abode a day and a night at Najoth] and he came, [Viz. to Gibea of Saul, where Jonathan then kept Court, being his Fathers Deputy] and said before the face of Jonathan, What have I done? What is mine offence, and what is my sinne before the face of thy father, that he seeketh my soul? [i.e. that he seeketh my life; as Mat.2.20]

2. On the contrary he said unto him: God forbid, thou shalt not die, behold, ny father doth no great thing, nor small thing, which he revealeth not before mine ear. [See the annotate on Ruth chap 4.v.4. Good Jonathan was deceived in his opinion, having too good a conceit of his Father, who discovered not to him his will and intent against David] why then should my father hide this thing from me? [or, before me] that’s not (so).

3. Then sware David further, and said, Thy Father knoweth very well, [Heb. Knowing knoweth] that I have found grace in thine eyes, therefore he said, [viz. with himself in his own heart; i.e. he thought] Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be troubled (at it): [Or, lest it grieve him} and surely (as true as) the LORD liveth, and thy soul liveth, there is but as it were a step between me, and between death. [i.e. I am assuredly in danger of death.]

4. Now Jonathan said unto David: What thy soul [i.e. Desire; see Gen.34.ver.3.] saith, that I will do unto thee.

5. And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, [On which day they were wont to feast; and to make merry together, after they had offered thank-offerings] that I should surely sit down. [Heb. that I sitting should sit; to wit, after the slay-offering that is kept; see Numb.10.10.] to eat with the King: therefore let me go, that I may hide me in the field unto the third evening. [i.e. give me leave to stay until the evening of the third day of the new Moon, then will I be in the field: but I will first go to Bethlehem, to keep there the Feast of the new Moon with my kindred: see v.19.35.]

6. If thy father do certainly misse me; then thou shalt say, David had greatly desired [Heb. Desiring desired] of me, that he might run to his City Bethlehem, [i.e. to Bethlehem where he was born; as Job.7.42. see Genes.23.v.0. and chap.34.ver.10.] for there is a yearly offering [Heb. an offering of days; i.e. of a full and compleat year: see Lev.25.ver.29. namely, thank-offering, wherewith a feast was then kept: see the annotate. Above chap 9.v.2.] for the whole family.

7. If he saith thus, It is good, then thy servant [i.e. I] hath peace: but if he be at all kindled, [Heb. being kindled, be kindled] then know that evil is fully determined by him.

8. Shew then mercy to thy servant, [i.e. Do me this favour and kindness, that thou advertise, or give me notice betimes] for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thy self: but if there be an offence in me, then do thou kill me, why shouldest thou now bring me to thy father? [viz. to be put to death by him: as if he had said Thou thyself hast power to put me to death, if I have deserved it, without bringing me to thy father, to be put to death by him.]

9. Then said Jonathan, Far be it from me, [viz. That thou shouldest be put to death] but if I knew certainly, that this evil were fully determined by my father, that it should come upon thee, would I not then make it known unto thee?

10. Now then David said unto Jonathan, Who shall make it known to me, if thy father answer thee some hard thing? [viz. that he threatened to slay me, or the like. Oth. Who shall make (the good thing) known to me, or, if, &c.]

11. Then said Jonathan unto David, Come, let us go forth into the field: and they went both forth into the field.

12. And Jonathan said unto David, The LORD, the God of Israel, [Others, O Lord, God of Israel: and thus did Jonathan call upon God, to be witnesse of his sincerity] if I shall have sounded my father tomorrow about this time, (or) the day after tomorrow, [This was the second day after the new moon; for this communication of Jonathan with David, happened the day before the new moon, ver.5.] and behold, it is good for David, and I then send not unto thee, and reveal it before thine ear.

13. Let the LORD do so unto Jonathan, and let him so adde thereunto! [See of this phrase, Ruth 1:17.] When evil towards thee pleaseth my father, [i.e. If I perceive that my father hath an intention to hurt thee] then will I discover it to thine ear, and I will let thee depart, that thou mayest go thy ways in peace: and th e LORD be with thee, [viz. when thou shalt be King after my Fathers decease. Hence may be gathered, that Jonathan well knew that David should be King, as being already anointed by Samuel. Jonathan was ready and willing to yield obedience to the Ordinance of God, although he was Sauls eldest son, and the next heir apparent to the Crown] according as he was with my father. [viz. when he blessed him, and gave him victory.]

14. And wilt thou not, if I then yet live, [viz. When thou art King] yea wilt thou not shew me the kindnesse of the LORD, [i.e. a kindnesse that is acceptable and well-pleasing to the Lord: or, he meaneth the amity and servency which they had sworn one to another before the Lord] that I die not? [i.e. that thou put me not to death, suffering me to smart for the evil and mischief that my father intendeth towards thee]

15. Also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from mine house [i.e. family, kindered, kinsmen,] for ever: neither, when the LORD shall have cut off from the earth, every one of the enemies of David.

16. So Jonathan made (a covenant) with the house of David, [i.e. he renewed and ratified the covenant, formerly entred into with David, I Sam.18.3.] (saying) Let the LORD require it at the hand of Davids enemies of which number he should be accounted one, if he came to break the covenant. Some take it thus, that Jonathan here adjureth David, that God will require it at Davids hand if on his part he should break the covenant, naming Davids enemies, instead of David himself. Compare below chap.25.22. with the annotate. Some translate it thus: (But the Lord required it at the hand of Davids enemies) intimating that David indeed kept this covenant, as much as in him lay, but that God notwithstanding executed his just judgement upon Sauls house.]

17. And Jonathan proceeded, in causing David to swear, [First Jonathan sware unto David, and vowed to protect him, vers.13. Now Jonathan requireth, that David would promise him, and satisfy his promise with an oath, that he will shew mercy and kindness both to him and his, when he should come to the King,] because he loved him: for he loved him with the love of his (own) soul. [i.e. he loved him so, as he did his own soul: i.e. he loved him so entirely as he did himself.]

18. Afterward Jonathan said unto him, To morrow is the new Moon: then they will misse thee, for thy seat will be found empty.

19. And when thou shall have tarried out the three days, come down quickly, [viz. from Bethlehem] and go to that place, where thou didst hide thy self in the day of this transaction; [viz. when I should speak to my father in thy befall. See above chap.19.2.] and tarry by the stone Ezel. Oth. by the stone that sheweth the way; i.e. a stone that standeth by the way-side, and sheweth the Traveller which way he must go: or, by the stone of going, i.e. whither thou and I are wont to go, when we have occasion to talk together in private.]

20. Then will I shoot three arrows on the side (thereof,) as if I shot at a mark. [Oth. at the but]

21. And behold, I will send the youth, (saying) Go thy ways, seek the arrows: [Heb. finde the arrows: i.e. seek the arrows till thou hast found them] if I say expressely [Heb. saying say] to the youth, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take him, [viz. the youth. Oth. take them, viz. the arrows] and come thou, for there is peace for thee, and there is nothing, [viz. in thy way, to hinder thee, or, that thou needest to be afraid] (as truly as) the LORD liveth.

22. But if I say thus to the youth, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee: go thy ways, for the LORD set thee to go. [As if he should say, by these words, or by this token thou mayest know and gather, that it’s Gods will that thou shouldst for a while keep out of the way, and not come to Court.]

23. And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of: behold, the LORD be [Viz: witness] between me, and between thee for ever.

24. Now David hid himself in the field [viz. Till the appointed time, whereof mention is made above vers.5. and 10. During which time was affected that, which is related in the eleven following verses] and when it was new moon, the King sat at meat, [Heb. at the bread, as vers.27.] to eat.

25. When the King had set him (down) his seat, at this time, as at other times, [Heb. as time in time, as Num.24.1. and Judg.6.20.] on the place by the wall, then Jonathan rose up, [viz. to give place to Abner, to let him sit above him, for Abner was Sauls Uncle, and besides Captain General] and Abner sat by Sauls side: And Davids place was found empty.

26. And Saul spake nothing that day, [viz. of David; i.e. he asked not why David was not come to meal] for he said, [viz. with himself; i.e. he thought] Something hath be fallen him, [Heb. it is an accident] that he is not clean, [Many things are recorded in the Law, that made men unclean: See Levit.11.24. and 15.16. Now the unclean persons were forbidden to eat of the flesh which was offered up unto the Lord, Levit.7.19,20,21. Yea they were to obtain from the society of other men, that others by means of them might not be made unclean] surely he is not clean. [Understand withal, and therefore he is not come.]

27. Now it came to passé the next day, the second (day) of the new moon, when Davids place was found empty, that Saul said unto his son Jonathan, Wherefore is the son of Isai [Thus he calleth David in a scornful and contemptible manner, not once thinking, that he himself was the son of Kiss] not come to meat, [Heb. to the bread, or, at meat, as above vers.24.] neither yesterday, nor to day. [Saul might well think, that David had great cause to tarry out of his sight, seeing Saul had sought to take away his life: But he thought that David would ascribe it to his madness or phrensie, and would not be afraid of him, seeing he was now come to his right senses again]

28. And Jonathan answered Saul: David desired earnestly of me, that he might go to Bethlehem.

29. And he said, Let me go, I pray thee, for our family hath an offering in the City, and my brother himself hath commanded me [viz. in my fathers name, whom I am bound to obey] (to do) it; now if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me I pray thee get away, that I may see my brethren, for this cause is he not come to the Kings table.

30. Then Sauls anger kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse in Rebellion: [i.e. of a preserve Rebellious mother] do not I know, that thou hast chosen the son of Isai to thy shame, and to the shame of thy mothers nakedness? [As if Saul should say, doing thus, thou wilt not be held to be my legitimate son, but a bastard, whom thy mother hath conceived and brought forth out of wedlock or marriage estate.]

31. For all the days that the son of Isai shall live on the earth, neither thou, nor thy Kingdom shall be established: now therefore send away, and fetch him unto me, for he is a child of death. [As if he should say, he is a dead man; i.e. he is worthy of death, he shall surely die. So it’s said, Ephes.2.2. children of wrath. See 2 Sam.12.5.]

32. Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, wherefore shall he put to death? What hath he done?

33. Then Saul shot the spear on him, [Oth. at, toward him,] to smite him: [even as he meant to have done to David] Thus Jonathan perceived, that this was fully determined by his father, to slay David.

34. Wherefore Jonathan arose from the table inheat of anger: and he did eat no bread on the second day of the new moon, for he was troubled for David, because his father had done him shame.

35. And it came to passé in the morning, [viz. On the third day of the new moon] that Jonathan went into the field, at the time which was appointed to David: [see above vers.19.] and there was a little youth with him.

36. And he said unto his youth, Run, seek, [Heb. finde. See vers.21.] now the arrows, which I shall shoot: the youth ran his ways, and he [viz. Jonathan] shot one arrow, which he made to fly over him.

37. When the youth was come to the place of the arrow, which Jonathan had shot: then Jonathan called after the youth, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?

38. Again Jonathan called after the youth, haste thee, make speed, stand not still: now Jonathan youth took up the arrow, and he came to his Lord.

39. But the youth, knew nothing of it: only Jonathan and David knew of the matter.

40. Then Jonathan gave his furniture [Oth. artillery, armour: Heb. vessels; i.e. his bow, quiver, and arrows. With these Jonathan sent his youth to the City, that being alone, he might the more freely talk with David] to the youth that he had: and he said unto him, Go thy ways, carry them into the City.

41. When the youth was gone away, then David arose from the south-side; [Understand here the South side of the field, wherein they were: or, the South-side of the stone, by which David had hid himself] and he fell on his face to the ground, and he bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, [Heb. the man his neighbour] and wept one with another, until David made it exceeding much. [Heb. until David made it great, viz.. with weeping.]

42. Then said Jonathan unto David, Go in peace: that which we both have sworn in the Name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between thy seed, be for ever.

43. Afterward he [viz. David] arose, and went his way: and Jonathan came into the City. [viz. at Gibea of Saul, where his house was, as may be gathered below, chap.23.18,19.]