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1 Samuel
Chapter Twenty
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 20
David
fleeing from Naioth came to Jonathan, and acquainted him with his
circumstances, and entreated his favour, 1 Samuel 20:1;
which Jonathan promised, and renewed the covenant with him, 1 Samuel 20:9; a
scheme was formed between them, by which David might know whether Saul was
reconciled to him, and he might come to court, 1 Samuel 20:18;
which being tried, Jonathan found it was not safe for him to appear, 1 Samuel 20:24; of
which he gave notice by the signals agreed on, 1 Samuel 20:35; and
they took their leave of one another with strong expressions of affection and
attachment to each other, 1 Samuel 20:41.
1 Samuel 20:1 Then David fled
from Naioth in Ramah, and went and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is
my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my
life?”
YLT
1And David fleeth from
Naioth in Ramah, and cometh, and saith before Jonathan, `What have I done? what
[is] mine iniquity? and what my sin before thy father, that he is seeking my
life?'
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah,.... While Saul was
prophesying, or lay in a trance there:
and came; to Gibeah, where Saul dwelt, and had his palace, and kept his
court:
and said before Jonathan; whom he found there, and
for whose sake he thither fled to have his advice, and to use his interest with
his father, and be his friend at court:
what have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is
my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? surely, as if
he should say, I must have been guilty of some very great crime, and yet I am
not sensible of it; canst thou tell me what it is that has so provoked thy
father, that nothing will satisfy him but the taking away of my life, which he
seeks to do?
1 Samuel 20:2 2 So Jonathan said to him,
“By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great
or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing
from me? It is not so!”
YLT
2And he saith to him, `Far
be it! thou dost not die; lo, my father doth not do anything great or small and
doth not uncover mine ear; and wherefore doth my father hide from me this
thing? this [thing] is not.'
And he said unto him, God forbid, thou shalt not die,.... He could
not believe his father had any such intention; and that if he discovered
anything of that kind, it was only when he was in a frenzy, and a melancholy
disorder had seized him; and that David had nothing to fear on that head, and
that he would secure him from all danger in that respect; the thing was too
gross and detestable to be credited:
behold, my father will do nothing, either great or small, but that
he will show it me; such an interest had he in him, and in his favour, being his son
and heir to his crown, and having done many warlike exploits, which had the
more endeared him to him, that he made him privy to all his secret designs, and
took his opinion in all matters of moment and importance:
and why should my father hide this thing from me? his design of
taking away the life of David, if he had really formed one:
it is not so; Jonathan concluded, from
his ignorance of it, there was nothing in it, and that it was only a surmise of
David's; and yet it is strange that Jonathan should know nothing of the messengers
being sent to David's house to take him, and of others sent to Naioth after
him, and of Saul's going there himself with such a design; and if he did know
anything of the matter, he made the best of it to David, partly to allay his
fears, and partly that his father might not appear so black and vile as he
really was.
1 Samuel 20:3 3 Then David took an oath
again, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your
eyes, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But
truly, as the Lord
lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and
death.”
YLT
3And David sweareth again,
and saith, `Thy father hath certainly known that I have found grace in thine
eyes, and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved; and yet,
Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, but -- as a step between me and death.'
And David sware moreover, and said,.... To assure Jonathan
of the truth of it, that he did most certainly seek after his life, of which,
as he had no doubt himself, by an oath he endeavoured to remove any that might
be in Jonathan, who was not willing to believe his father could be guilty of so
foul a crime:
thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes: that he was
high in his favour, that he had a great value for him, and he had a large share
in his love and friendship, and that was the reason why he hid from him his
base intentions:
and he saith, let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved; as he would
be, both for the evil his father would be guilty of, and the danger David, his
beloved friend, would be in:
but truly, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul
liveth, there is but a step between me and death; as appeared
by his casting a javelin at him, 1 Samuel 18:11,
sending messengers to his own house to slay him, 1 Samuel 19:11, and
others to Naioth to seize him, 1 Samuel 19:20, and
coming himself thither with an intention to kill him, 1 Samuel 19:22, and
in each of these instances he had a narrow escape for his life; and this he
declared in the most solemn manner by an oath, for the confirmation of the
truth of it to Jonathan.
1 Samuel 20:4 4 So Jonathan said to David,
“Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.”
YLT
4And Jonathan saith to
David, `What doth thy soul say? -- and I do it for thee.'
Then said Jonathan unto David,.... Now giving credit to
what he had said, and in order to comfort and support him under the
apprehensions he had of danger:
whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee; for the
preservation of his life, by speaking to his father on his behalf, endeavouring
to dissuade him from his evil intentions, or by hiding and concealing him in
some obscure place, that he might not execute his evil designs upon him, or by
any method he could point out to him.
1 Samuel 20:5 5 And David said to
Jonathan, “Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit
with the king to eat. But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the
third day at evening.
YLT
5And David saith unto
Jonathan, `Lo, the new moon [is] to-morrow; and I do certainly sit with the
king to eat; and thou hast sent me away, and I have been hidden in a field till
the third evening;
And David said unto Jonathan,.... Moved that the
following method might be taken as a trial of the disposition of Saul's mind
towards David:
behold, tomorrow is the new moon; the first day
of the month, which was kept solemnly with burnt offerings and peace offerings,
see Numbers 10:10. Some
sayF18Weemse's Expos. Ceremon. Law, c. 22. p. 100, 101. this feast
was not kept for the new moon, but because it was the day of the feast of
trumpets or the first day of the new year, which fell together on that day; the
calends, or first day of the month, was with the Heathens sacred to deityF19Macrob.
Saturnal. l. 1. c. 15. Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 3. c. 18. in fine. , in
imitation of the Jews:
and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat; it had been
usual for him at such a time to sit at table with the king; next to him, as
Jarchi interprets it, either as his son-in-law, or as one of his princes; the
custom being for the king, and his family and nobles, to eat together on that
day upon the peace offerings; and it was the duty of David to attend at that
time, and it might be expected he would:
but let me go; he asked leave of Jonathan, who had
power in his father's absence to grant it, he not being yet returned from
Naioth:
that I may hide myself in the fields, unto the third day at
even; or until the time of the evening of the third day, as the Targum,
which was the evening of the second day of the month; for that was the third
from that evening they were discoursing together, as Ben Gersom observes; the
fields he proposed to hide himself in were near to Gibeah, and he doubtless
meant some cave in those fields, where he might be, and not be seen by men;
though it cannot be thought that he remained, or proposed to remain, in such a
place during that time, where he would be in want of food, but that he would
abide incognito among his friends somewhere or another, until the festival was
over.
1 Samuel 20:6 6 If your father misses me
at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked permission of me that he might
run over to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there
for all the family.’
YLT 6if thy father at all look
after me, and thou hast said, David asked earnestly of me to run to Beth-Lehem
his city, for a sacrifice of the days [is] there for all the family.
If thy father at all miss me,.... Or diligently
inquires after me:
then say, David earnestly asked leave of me, that he might run to
Bethlehem his city: the place of his birth, called the city of David, where he was
born and had lived, Luke 2:4, which was
not far from Gibeah, and whither he could soon run; and which shows the haste
he proposed to make, and his eager desire to be there, and which also is
signified by his earnest and importunate request; for all this might be true,
and no lie of David, framed for an excuse; and after he had hid himself some
time in the field, until it was evening, he might go to Bethlehem, and return
soon enough to meet Jonathan in the field at the time fixed by them on the
third day:
for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family; it was
customary for the family of Jesse one day in a year, and as it should seem on a
first day of the month, and perhaps the first day of the first month, or New
Year's Day, to have an anniversary feast by way of gratitude and thankfulness
for the mercies of the year past, and for the continuance of them for time to
come; in which the family rejoiced together at the great goodness of God unto
them, 1 Samuel 9:12.
1 Samuel 20:7 7 If he says thus: ‘It is
well,’ your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, be sure that evil is
determined by him.
YLT
7If thus he say: Good; peace
[is] for thy servant; and if it be very displeasing to him -- know that the
evil hath been determined by him;
If he say thus, it is well,.... It is very well, it
is very good and right in him to do so:
thy servant shall have peace; it will be a token that
the wrath of the king was removed, and that his mind was well disposed towards
David, and things had taken an happy turn, and would issue in his peace and
prosperity:
but if he be very wroth; with Jonathan for giving
leave, and with David for going away:
then be sure that
evil is determined by him; that he has a settled obstinate malice in
his heart, which is become implacable and inveterate, and confirmed in him; and
that it is a determined point with him to slay David if possible, which he
hoped to have an opportunity of doing at that time in which he was
disappointed, and caused such wrath in him.
1 Samuel 20:8 8 Therefore you shall deal
kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of
the Lord
with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why
should you bring me to your father?”
YLT
8and thou hast done
kindness, to thy servant, for into a covenant of Jehovah thou hast brought thy
servant with thee; -- and if there is in me iniquity, put thou me to death; and
unto thy father, why is this -- thou dost bring me in?'
Therefore thou shall deal kindly with thy servant,.... By
informing him how his father's mind stood affected to him, that he might
conduct himself accordingly, either by appearing at court, or by providing for
his safety by flight:
for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with
thee; a covenant of friendship between Jonathan and David, of which
Jonathan was the first mover, and so is said to bring or persuade him into it;
called the covenant of the Lord, because made in his name and fear, and before
him as a witness of it; and this David pleads as an argument with Jonathan, to
deal kindly and faithfully by him in the present case:
notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself: or pass
sentence upon him to be slain; which, if guilty, he might have power to do in
his father's absence, and which David desires might be done, notwithstanding
the covenant of friendship between them, should he appear to deserve it by any
action of his, of which he was not conscious; this expresses the strong sense
he had of his own integrity, and served to confirm Jonathan in his opinion of
it:
for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father? deliver him
up into his hands to be put to a cruel death by him, or give him the trouble of
doing it, when he might as well dispatch him at once.
1 Samuel 20:9 9 But Jonathan said, “Far be
it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to
come upon you, then would I not tell you?”
YLT
9And Jonathan saith, `Far be
it from thee! for I certainly do not know that the evil hath been determined by
my father to come upon thee, and I do not declare it to thee.'
And Jonathan said, far be it from thee,.... To
entertain such a thought of me, or to have the least suspicion of me, that I
should conceal my father's ill intentions against thee, if known to me:
for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to
come upon thee, then would I not tell it thee? certainly I would; canst
thou doubt of my kindness and fidelity? surely thou hast no reason, when such a
covenant of friendship subsists between us, and there has not been the least
breach of it on either side.
1 Samuel 20:10 10 Then David said to
Jonathan, “Who will tell me, or what if your father answers you
roughly?”
YLT
10And David saith unto
Jonathan, `Who doth declare to me? or what [if] thy father doth answer thee
sharply?'
Then said David to Jonathan, who shall tell me?.... The
disposition of Saul's mind towards him, whether he gave a kind answer to the
report of Jonathan concerning him:
or what if thy father answer thee roughly? or hard
words, as the Targum, whether he answers in a kind, loving, and smooth manner,
or whether in a rough and angry one: the question is here, how he should be
informed of this, since especially, if in the latter, it would not be safe for
Jonathan to come himself to him, nor could he well trust the message with any
other. Abarbinel thinks, that the first of these expressions is by way of
question, who should declare to him his father's will and intention, whether
good or bad: and the latter by way of outcry, woe unto me, if thy father should
answer thee roughly; I greatly fear he will chide thee for my sake; my heart
will be filled with sorrow if thou shouldest suffer reproach and rebuke on my
account.
1 Samuel 20:11 11 And Jonathan said to
David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the
field.
YLT
11And Jonathan saith unto
David, `Come, and we go out into the field;' and they go out both of them into
the field.
And Jonathan said unto David, come, and let us go out into the
field,.... That they might more fully, and freely, and familiarly talk
of this affair between them, without any danger of being overheard by the
servants of Saul, as they were in his palace, where they now were:
and they went out both of them into the field; which
belonged to Gibeah.
1 Samuel 20:12 12 Then Jonathan said to
David: “The Lord
God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime
tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good
toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you,
YLT
12And Jonathan saith unto
David, `Jehovah, God of Israel -- when I search my father, about [this] time
to-morrow [or] the third [day], and lo, good [is] towards David, and I do not
then send unto thee, and have uncovered thine ear –
And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel,.... Or by the
Lord God of Israel, I swear unto thee; for this is the form of the oath, as
Jarchi and Kimchi observe:
when I have sounded my father about tomorrow any time, or
the third day; searched, inquired, and found out how his disposition is:
and, behold, if there be good toward David; if he is well
disposed to him, as may appear by speaking respectfully of him, or kindly
inquiring after him, and by being satisfied with the account given him:
and I then send not unto thee, and show it thee; then let the
vengeance of God fall upon me in some remarkable manner or another, as follows;
or "shall I not then send unto thee, and show it thee"F20ולא אז אשלח
אליך "an non tune mitterem?" Junius &
Tremellius; "nonne tunc mittam ad te?" so some in Vatablus. ?
certainly I will; that is, I will send a messenger to thee to acquaint thee
with it, who shall tell it, and cause thee to hear it, as from myself.
1 Samuel 20:13 13 may the Lord do so and much
more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I
will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the Lord be with you as
He has been with my father.
YLT
13thus doth Jehovah do to
Jonathan, and thus doth He add; when the evil concerning thee is good to my
father, then I have uncovered thine ear, and sent thee away, and thou hast gone
in peace, and Jehovah is with thee, as he was with my father;
The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan,....
Recompense evil more than can be thought of and expressed, should he neglect to
inform David of the good disposition of Saul unto him:
but if it please my father to do thee evil; if he seems
determined upon it to take away thy life:
then I will show it thee; not by a messenger, by
whom it would not be safe to communicate it, lest by that means Saul would know
where he was, and come and slay him; but Jonathan would come himself, and
acquaint him with it:
and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace; give him
leave, and advise him to depart, and provide for his own safety, adding his
blessing on him, and prayer for him:
and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father; in the
beginning of his reign, giving him counsel and advice in all things, and
victory over his enemies, succeeding and prospering him in whatsoever he
engaged in; the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord be for thy help, &c.'
Jonathan
seemed to be fully apprized that David was to succeed in the kingdom.
1 Samuel 20:14 14 And you shall not only
show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that
I may not die;
YLT
14and not only while I am
alive dost thou do with me the kindness of Jehovah, and I die not,
And thou shalt not only, while yet I live, show me the kindness of
the Lord,.... Such kindness as is well pleasing in the sight of God, and
imitate what he shows to men, and which was covenanted, promised, and agreed to
in the presence of the Lord, when David and Jonathan entered into covenant with
each other; this Jonathan did not doubt of, and therefore did not make this a
request:
that I die not; he had no fear nor dread on his mind,
should David come to the throne while he was alive, that he would take away his
life; which was usually done by tyrants and usurpers, when there were any that
had a fairer title, and better claim to the throne than they.
1 Samuel 20:15 15 but you shall not cut off
your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off
every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”
YLT
15but thou dost not cut off
thy kindness from my house unto the age, nor in Jehovah's cutting off the
enemies of David, each one from off the face of the ground.'
But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for
ever,.... His family should partake of it as well as himself:
no, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David, everyone
from the face of the earth; Saul and his sons, and everyone that should
oppose his settlement in the kingdom: Jonathan's meaning is, that the covenant
between them should not be only between them personally, but include their
posterity, as follows.
1 Samuel 20:16 16 So Jonathan made a
covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it
at the hand of David’s enemies.”
YLT
16And Jonathan covenanteth
with the house of David, and Jehovah hath sought [it] from the hand of the
enemies of David;
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,.... Not with
David himself only, which was now renewed, but with his family also:
saying, let the Lord
even require it at the hand of David's enemies; take
vengeance on Jonathan, or on any of his posterity, should they break this
covenant, by showing themselves enemies to David, and his crown; and, on the
other hand, also on David, and his posterity, should they not show kindness to
Jonathan and his seed, according to the tenor of this covenant.
1 Samuel 20:17 17 Now Jonathan again caused
David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
YLT
17and Jonathan addeth to
cause David to swear, because he loveth him, for with the love of his own soul
he hath loved him.
And Jonathan caused David to swear again,.... Or
Jonathan added to make David swearsF21ויסף
"et addidit", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; so the Tigurine version.
; having sworn himself to make a covenant of friendship with David and his
family, he moved and insisted on it, that David should swear to keep covenant
with him, and his family:
because he loved him; it was not so much for
the good and safety of his offspring that he made this motion, and was so
desirous of renewing and enlarging his covenant with David, as it was his
strong love and affection for him; being on that account desirous that there
might be the strictest friendship imaginable retained between the two families;
or he made him swear by his love to him, as some understand it, which is not so
likely; the former sense is better, for he himself sware by the Lord, 1 Samuel 20:12,
for he loved him as his own soul; or "with the love
of his soul"F23אהבת נפשו "secundum dilectionem animae suae",
Pagninus; "amore sui ipsius", Junius & Tremellius. ; with the
most cordial affection, with a truly hearty and sincere love, see 1 Samuel 18:1.
1 Samuel 20:18 18 Then Jonathan said to
David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon; and you will be missed, because your
seat will be empty.
YLT
18And Jonathan saith to him,
`To-morrow [is] new moon, and thou hast been looked after, for thy seat is
looked after;
Then Jonathan said to David, tomorrow is the new moon,.... The first
day of the month, as David had before observed, 1 Samuel 20:5,
and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty; or be
inquired after, because not in his usual place at mealtime.
1 Samuel 20:19 19 And when you have
stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the
day of the deed; and remain by the stone Ezel.
YLT
19and on the third day thou
dost certainly come down, and hast come in unto the place where thou wast
hidden in the day of the work, and hast remained near the stone Ezel.
And when thou hast stayed three days,.... From
court, either at Bethlehem, which seems most probable, or in some other place
incognito; however, not in the field he proposed to hide himself in, where he
could not continue so long for want of food:
then thou shalt go
down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself; which makes
it clear that he did not continue there during that time, but went elsewhere;
from whence he was to come in haste at the expiration of three days, to the
place he first hid himself in, and which was fixed upon to meet at:
when the business was in hand; when the
affair was discoursed of, about getting knowledge how Saul was affected to
David, and of informing him of it; or "on the day of work"F24ביום המעשה "in die
operis", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "die profesto", Tigurine
version. ; or business, on a working day, as the Septuagint; and so the Targum,
on a common day; when, as the Vulgate Latin, it was lawful to work on it; and
such was the day when Jonathan and David conversed together about the above
affair; it being the day before the new moon, or first day of the month, on
which day they used not to work: Some render it, "thou shalt three times
go down"F25שלשת תרד
מאד "tertiabis, descendes valde", Montanus;
"descendes ter, vel tertiabis descendere", Castalio; so
Patrick. to that place; and the sense is, that he should come on the morrow,
and if he found not Jonathan there, he might conclude that as yet he knew
nothing of his father's mind, and therefore should come the day following that;
and if he found him not then, to come on the third day, that so he might be on
the spot, let him come on which day he would:
and shalt remain by the stone Ezel; which, because it
signifies "going", the Jewish commentators generally understand it as
a sign to direct travellers which way to go; but one would think this should be
an improper place for David to be near, since it must be where two or more ways
met, and so a public frequented place; others think therefore it had its name
from David and Jonathan often going thither, to discourse with each other; the
Septuagint calls it Ergab; and so the place where Jonathan, the son of Saul,
exercised himself by shooting darts, is called by JeromF26De loc.
Heb. fol. 91. C. ; it is said by JosephusF1Apud Adrichem. Theatrum
T. S. p. 17. to be an hundred fifty furlongs (about nineteen miles), from
Jerusalem, and from Jordan sixty, (about eight miles).
1 Samuel 20:20 20 Then I will shoot three
arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target;
YLT
20`And I shoot three of the
arrows at the side, sending out for myself at a mark;
And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof,.... On the
side of the stone Ezel; three are pitched upon, according to the number of the
days David was missing:
as though I shot at a mark; as if he made the stone
the mark he shot at; so that his shooting would not be taken notice of.
1 Samuel 20:21 21 and there I will send a
lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I expressly say to the lad,
‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them and come’—then, as
the Lord
lives, there is safety for you and no harm.
YLT
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.
And, behold, I will send a lad,.... That attended on
him, and carried his bow and arrows, and fetched his arrows when he had shot
them:
saying, go, find out
the arrows; where they are fallen, and return them:
if I expressly say unto the lad, behold, the arrows are on
this side of thee, take them; on one side of him, whether the one or the
other, which he would bid him take up, and bring them to him:
then come thou; David, out of the place where he hid
himself:
for there is peace to thee, and no hurt, as the Lord
liveth; he might appear, and not be afraid of being seen by any, since
by this sign he might be assured that Saul was well affected to him, and would
show him favour, and do him no injury; and that he might promise himself
prosperity and safety, and be assured of it for the present.
1 Samuel 20:22 22 But if I say thus to the
young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you’—go your way, for the Lord has sent you
away.
YLT
22And if thus I say to the
young man, Lo, the arrows [are] beyond thee, -- go, for Jehovah hath sent thee
away;
But if I say thus unto the young man, behold, the arrows are
beyond thee,.... Being shot to a greater distance than where the young man
was:
go thy way, for the Lord hath sent thee away; then he was
to depart directly, without staying to have any conversation with Jonathan,
which would not be safe for either of them, and so make the best of his way
into the country, and escape for his life; for so it was ordered by the
providence of God, that he must not stay, but be gone immediately: the signals
were these, that if things were favourable, then he would shoot his arrows on
one side of the lad, and David might come out and show himself at once; but if
not, he would shoot them beyond him, by which he might know that he must flee
for his life.
1 Samuel 20:23 23 And as for the matter
which you and I have spoken of, indeed the Lord be
between you and me forever.”
YLT
23as to the thing which we
have spoken, I and thou, lo, Jehovah [is] between me and thee -- unto the age.'
And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of,.... The
covenant they had made between them and their families:
behold, the Lord be between me and thee for ever: as a witness
of the covenant, and a revenger of those that should break it; so the
Targum,"behold, the Word of the Lord be between me and thee a witness for
ever.'
1 Samuel 20:24 24 Then David hid in the
field. And when the New Moon had come, the king sat down to eat the feast.
YLT
24And David is hidden in the
field, and it is the new moon, and the king sitteth down by the food to eat,
So David hid himself in the field,.... Not directly, but at
the time appointed; for he went to Bethlehem, and returned from thence before
that time:
and when the new moon was come; the first clay of the
month, which was a solemn festival:
the king sat him down to eat meat; Saul sat down at his
table to eat of the provisions that were set upon it; which it is very probable
were the peace offerings for that day, which he, his family, and nobles,
feasted on together; it is in the Hebrew, "he sat down at the bread"F2על הלחם "ad vel juxta
panem", Pagninus, Montanus. , which is put for all the food on the table,
and the provisions of it.
1 Samuel 20:25 25 Now the king sat on his
seat, as at other times, on a seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose,[a] and Abner
sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.
YLT
25and the king sitteth on his
seat, as time by time, on a seat by the wall, and Jonathan riseth, and Abner
sitteth at the side of Saul, and David's place is looked after.
And the king sat upon his seat as at other times,.... Upon the
seat he usually sat on:
even upon a seat by
the wall; on a couch by the side of the wall; or, as Jarchi and R. Isaiah
say, at the head of the couch by the wall, which was the most honourable place;
and Kimchi observes, it was the custom in those days to eat meat sitting on
beds or couches, see 1 Samuel 28:23,
and Jonathan arose; either in reverence to his father, when he
came in and took his seat, or in respect to Abner upon his coming in, being the
son of Saul's uncle, and general of the army; for though he arose, he did not
depart, it is plain he sat down again, 1 Samuel 20:34.
Kimchi thinks, that after Jonathan had sat down at the side of his father, he
arose and placed Abner there, because he would not be near his father, that if
he should be wroth with him on account of David, he might not be near him to
smite him:
and Abner sat by Saul's side; according to JosephusF3Antiqu.
l. 6. c. 11. sect. 9. Jonathan sat at his right hand and Abner on the left, and
it was usual for the master, or principal person, to sit in the middle; so Dido
in VirgilF4"----- mediamque locavit". Aeneid. 1. prope
finem. Vid. Servium in ib. . Abarbinel places them thus, Saul was at the head
of the table, and David was used to sit by him, and Jonathan by David, and
Abner by Jonathan; and now the king sat in his place, and Jonathan in his
place, and Abner after him; and David's place being empty, Jonathan was left
next to his father, without any between; wherefore he now arose from his place,
and Abner sat on that side where Saul was, so that Abner was between Jonathan
and Saul:
and David's place was empty; where he used to sit at
table, he not being there, and no one taking it.
1 Samuel 20:26 26 Nevertheless Saul did not
say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him; he is
unclean, surely he is unclean.”
YLT
26And Saul hath not spoken
anything on that day, for he said, `It [is] an accident; he is not clean -- surely
not clean.'
Nevertheless, Saul spake not anything that day,.... About
David's absence, took no notice of it, said nothing about it:
for he thought something had befallen him; some
impurity, some nocturnal pollution, see Leviticus 15:16,
he is not clean, surely he is not clean; which he
repeated in his mind for the confirmation of it, and in contempt, and to the
reproach of David; and in this way he accounted for his absence the first day,
and so was easy, it not being lawful and fitting for an unclean person in a
ceremonial sense to eat of the peace offerings, which Saul and his family were
now partaking of.
1 Samuel 20:27 27 And it happened the next day,
the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty. And Saul said
to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to eat, either
yesterday or today?”
YLT
27And it cometh to pass on
the second morrow of the new moon, that David's place is looked after, and Saul
saith unto Jonathan his son, `Wherefore hath the son of Jesse not come in,
either yesterday or to-day, unto the food?'
And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day
of the month,.... The Targum is,"and it was on the day after it, which
was the intercalation of the second month;'when the beginning of the month was
judged of by the appearance of the moon, and there was a difficulty about that,
what day it appeared on, two days were kept for it; and AbarbinelF5Comment.
in Exod. xii. is clear for it, that two days were kept in this month; but if
this was not the case, since the remainder of peace offerings might be eaten
the next day, Leviticus 7:16.
Saul and his guests might meet on the second day for that purpose:
that David's place was empty: on that day also:
and Saul said to Jonathan his son; who he knew was David's
friend and confident, and could give the best account of him:
wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday
nor today; he accounted for his not coming yesterday, because he supposed
he might be under some ceremonial uncleanness; but then that only lasted to the
evening of that day; but not coming the second day when he was clean, he
inquires after him; and not owning him for his son-in-law, by way of contempt,
and to lessen him in the esteem of all at table, he calls him the son of Jesse.
1 Samuel 20:28 28 So Jonathan answered Saul,
“David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem.
YLT
28And Jonathan answereth
Saul, `David hath been earnestly asked of me unto Beth-Lehem,
And Jonathan answered Saul,.... In reply to Saul's
question, and to excuse David, he said:
David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem; his own city,
his native place, where his family lived, whom he was desirous to see, and yet
chose not to go without asking leave; and as Saul was not at home, he asked
leave of Jonathan, who was next to him, and acted for him; and he was very
pressing and importunate in his suit, and therefore Jonathan could not well
deny him it; and he hoped this would ben sufficient excuse for his absence,
especially when what follows should be observed.
1 Samuel 20:29 29 And he said, ‘Please let
me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded
me to be there. And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let
me get away and see my brothers.’ Therefore he has not come to the king’s
table.”
YLT
29and he saith, Send me away,
I pray thee, for a family sacrifice we have in the city, and my brother himself
hath given command to me, and now, if I have found grace in thine eyes, let me
go away, I pray thee, and see my brethren; therefore he hath not come unto the
table of the king.'
And he said, let me go, I pray thee, for our family hath a
sacrifice in the city,.... In the city of Bethlehem where they lived, a peace offering
on account of the new moon, and as an anniversary thanksgiving for the mercies
of the year, 1 Samuel 20:6; and
seeing, though he was not at the feast in one place, he observed it in another,
his absence at court was the more excusable; and the rather, since it was kept
by him with his own family, in his own city: besides, it is added:
and my brother he hath commanded me to be there; his elder
brother Eliab, whose commands, as a younger brother, he judged he ought to
obey; it is probable his father was now dead, since no mention is made of him,
and his elder brother took upon him the command of the family:
and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I
pray thee, see my brethren: he should take it as a favour to have leave
to depart, and be free for the present from waiting upon the king at court, and
so have an opportunity of seeing his brethren, for which he had a great desire;
having not seen them a long time, not even since he saw them in the camp, when
he slew Goliath:
therefore he cometh not to the king's table: this was the
reason of it, at least one reason of it, and Jonathan was not obliged to tell
the whole.
1 Samuel 20:30 30 Then Saul’s anger was
aroused against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse,
rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to
your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?
YLT
30And the anger of Saul
burneth against Jonathan, and he saith to him, `Son of a perverse rebellious
woman! have I not known that thou art fixing on the son of Jesse to thy shame,
and to the shame of the nakedness of thy mother?
Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan,.... For
giving David leave to go, and for excusing him in this manner:
and he said unto him, thou son of the perverse and rebellious woman; most of the
Jewish commentators supply it as we do, but the supplement of woman may as well
be left out, and be read, "thou son of perverse rebellion"F6בן נעות המרדות
"fili perversae rebellionis", Pagninus, Montanus. ; thou perverse and
rebellious wretch, perverse in thy temper, and rebellious in thy conduct; for
the design of the expression is not to reproach his mother, for which there
seems no provocation, but Jonathan only; and the next clause confirms it, which
expresses a concern for his mother's honour and credit; the Targum is,"an
obstinate son, whose rebellion is hard,'or intolerable; according to which,
Abarbinel says, it may refer to David:
do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own
confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? The above
writer observes, that he does not say to his own confusion, because David would
not reign in his lifetime, only after his death, but to the shame of Jonathan
and his mother; to Jonathan's shame, who would be reckoned by men an arrant
fool, to be so friendly to a rival, and who in all probability would jostle him
out of the throne; and what would men say of him? that either he was not fit to
reign, or had no right to the throne, that a son-in-law took place before him;
and that his mother had played the whore, and he was no son of Saul, having
nothing of his genius, temper, and disposition in him, as appeared by loving
such his father hated; and besides, his mother would not have the honour she
expected, to be the mother of a king.
1 Samuel 20:31 31 For as long as the son of
Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now
therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.”
YLT
31for all the days that the
son of Jesse liveth on the ground thou art not established, thou and thy
kingdom; and now, send and bring him unto me, for he [is] a son of death.'
For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt
not be established, nor thy kingdom,.... He would not, though
heir to the crown, be sure of it; it would be precarious to him, he would be in
great danger of being deprived of it on the death of his father; and therefore
it would be his highest wisdom to deliver David up to be slain, as it was his
greatest folly to protect him, and provide for his satiety:
wherefore now send and fetch him unto me; send to
Bethlehem for him to come to court directly:
for he shall surely die; or he is "the son
of death"F7בן מות
"filius mortis", V. L. Montanus, Vatablus, Piscator; "reus
mortis", Junius & Tremellius. ; guilty of death, as the Targum,
deserves to die, and Saul was determined upon his death if possible.
1 Samuel 20:32 32 And Jonathan answered Saul
his father, and said to him, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?”
YLT
32And Jonathan answereth Saul
his father, and saith unto him, `Why is he put to death? what hath he done?'
And Jonathan answered Saul his, father, and said unto him,.... Making no
answer to the charges of perverseness, rebellion, and folly brought against
himself, which he bore with patience, but could not bear to hear his dear
friend spoken against, and as worthy of death; and therefore in answer to that
says:
wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done? has he
attempted to take away thy life? to deprive thee of thy crown? to settle
himself upon the throne? what overt act of treason has he been guilty of; that
he should die? on the contrary, has he not done many things worthy of immortal
honour, for the good of the nation, and the glory of thy reign? and if God has
determined the kingdom for him, and anointed him to it, what blame can be laid
upon him? nay, should he not be the rather respected and honoured?
1 Samuel 20:33 33 Then Saul cast a spear at
him to kill him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to
kill David.
YLT
33And Saul casteth the
javelin at him to smite him, and Jonathan knoweth that it hath been determined
by his father to put David to death.
And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him,.... So
provoked to wrath was he by what he said. It seems by this that Saul always had
a javelin or spear in his hand, which is to be accounted for by the custom of
those times; in other countries, as well as in this, the kings used to carry
spears in their hands instead of sceptres, and which they used as such; so
JustinF8E Trogo, l. 43. c. 3. , speaking of the times of Romulus,
says, that kings in those times had spears, as an ensign of royalty, which the
Greeks call sceptres; and so the Greeks called sceptres spearsF9Pausanias
in Boeoticis, sive, l. 9. p. 859. Vid. Barthii Animadv. ad Claudian in nupt.
Honor ver. 119. :
whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay
David; for since he attempted to smite him, his own son, for speaking
on his behalf, it might be well concluded, that such was his settled wrath and
malice, that he would if possible kill David, could he get him into his hands.
1 Samuel 20:34 34 So Jonathan arose from the
table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was
grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully.
YLT
34And Jonathan riseth from
the table in the heat of anger, and hath not eaten food on the second day of
the new moon, for he hath been grieved for David, for his father put him to
shame.
So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger,.... Resenting
his father's attempt to smite him, and his resolution to slay David:
and did eat no meat the second day of the month; not then at
that meal he was just sat down to, nor at another time that day, his stomach
was so full through indignation at his father, and grief for his friend David;
and besides, being a mourner on the above accounts, he might not eat of the
sacrifices:
for he was grieved for David; that his death should be
determined upon by his father, and he in so much danger of it; as also that he
himself must be parted from and lose so dear a friend, which was one reason he
ate no meat that day: and another follows:
because his father had done him shame; the
copulative "and" being wanting; and this he did by calling him a
perverse and rebellious son, and representing him as an arrant fool, and
particularly by casting a javelin at him to smite him.
1 Samuel 20:35 35 And so it was, in the
morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with
David, and a little lad was with him.
YLT
35And it cometh to pass in
the morning, that Jonathan goeth out into the field for the appointment with
David, and a little youth [is] with him.
And it came to pass in the morning:,.... The next morning,
the morning of the third day of the month:
that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with
David; he went to the place in the field, or near it, where David hid
himself, and at the time agreed between them; which, Abarbinel says, was the
time the nobles agreed on for walking, and motion, and for hunting, and casting
of arrows, so that Jonathan could go forth without suspicion:
and a little lad with him; to carry his bow and
arrows, and fetch his arrows when cast.
1 Samuel 20:36 36 Then he said to his lad,
“Now run, find the arrows which I shoot.” As the lad ran, he shot an arrow
beyond him.
YLT
36And he saith to his youth,
`Run, find, I pray thee, the arrows which I am shooting;' the youth is running,
and he hath shot the arrow, causing [it] to pass over him.
And he said unto his lad, run, find out now the arrows which I
shoot,.... He no doubt told him the mark which he should shoot at, the
stone Ezel, and bid him look out about that for them:
and as the lad ran; before he had
got to the mark:
he shot an arrow beyond him: or it; beyond the lad,
or beyond the mark he shot at; purposely shooting with great strength, that he
might exceed, and thereby give notice to David how things stood, which was the
sign agreed on.
1 Samuel 20:37 37 When the lad had come to
the place where the arrow was which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried out after
the lad and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?”
YLT
37And the youth cometh unto
the place of the arrow which Jonathan hath shot, and Jonathan calleth after the
youth, and saith, `Is not the arrow beyond thee?'
And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan
had shot,.... To the mark which he told him he should shoot at, and
whereabout he might expect to find the arrow:
Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, is not the arrow
beyond thee? he cried with a loud voice and said this, not so much that the lad
might hear him, but that David, who lay hid near the place, might hear him; so
that if they had no opportunity of seeing and conversing with each other
through any person going by at that time, David might know by this sign that
evil was determined against him, and must flee for his life; the Syriac and
Vulgate Latin versions read, "behold, the arrow is beyond thee"; so
NoldiusF11Concord. Ebr. Part. p. 265. No. 1141. .
1 Samuel 20:38 38 And Jonathan cried out
after the lad, “Make haste, hurry, do not delay!” So Jonathan’s lad gathered up
the arrows and came back to his master.
YLT
38and Jonathan calleth after
the youth, `Speed, haste, stand not;' and Jonathan's youth gathereth the
arrows, and cometh unto his lord.
And Jonathan cried after the lad, make speed, haste, stay not,.... But bring
the arrows to him directly, that he might dismiss him; for, observing that no
man was passing by, he was desirous of embracing the opportunity for a few
minutes to have an interview with David alone before he fled:
and Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows; for though
the textual reading is singular, the marginal is plural, to show, as Kimchi
observes, that he cast three arrows, as he said he would, 1 Samuel 20:20;
and came to his master; with them.
1 Samuel 20:39 39 But the lad did not know
anything. Only Jonathan and David knew of the matter.
YLT
39And the youth hath not
known anything, only Jonathan and David knew the word.
But the lad knew not anything,.... What was meant by
shooting the arrows, and by shooting them beyond where he was, and by bidding
him make haste to bring them:
only Jonathan and David knew the matter; what was
signified by them, those being signs agreed upon between them.
1 Samuel 20:40 40 Then Jonathan gave his
weapons to his lad, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”
YLT
40And Jonathan giveth his
weapons unto the youth whom he hath, and saith to him, `Go, carry into the city.'
And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad,.... "His
vessels"F12את כליו
"vasa sua", Montanus; "instrumenta sua", Piscator;
"arma sua", V. L. Tigurine version. or instruments; his arms, as the
Targum, his quiver, bow, and arrows:
and said unto him, go, carry them to the city; to Gibeah, to
Jonathan's house, or to his apartments at court there.
1 Samuel 20:41 41 As soon as the lad had
gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the
ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept
together, but David more so.
YLT
41The youth hath gone, and
David hath risen from Ezel, at the south, and falleth on his face to the earth,
and boweth himself three times, and they kiss one another, and they weep one
with another, till David exerted himself;
And as soon as the lad was gone,.... Which
David could observe from his lurking place:
David arose out of a place toward the south; to the south
of the field in which he was hid, or to the south of the stone Ezel, near which
he was; and so the Targum,"and David arose from the side of the stone
Atha, which was towards the south;'Jonathan shooting his arrows to the north of
it, lest the lad should have discovered David when he ran for them: and fell on
his face to the ground; in reverence of Jonathan, as the son of a king, and in
respect to him as his friend, who had so faithfully served him, and was so
concerned to save his life:
and bowed himself three times: this was before he fell
prostrate on the ground. Abarbinel observes, that bowing three; times was fit
and proper to be done to a king; once at the place from whence they first see
him, the second time in the middle of the way to him, and the third time when
come to him; but though this may have been a custom in more modern times, it is
a question whether it obtained so early; however it is certain bowing was as
ancient, and therefore XenophonF26Cyropaedia, l. 8. c. 23. is
mistaken in ascribing it to Cyrus as the first introducer of this custom; and
be it that he was the first that began it among the Persians, it was in use
with others before, as this behaviour of David shows:
and they kissed one another; as friends about to
part:
and wept one with another: as not knowing whether
they should ever see each other's face any more:
until David exceeded; in weeping more than
Jonathan; he having more to part with, not only him his dear friend, but his
wife and family, and other dear friends and people of God, and especially the
sanctuary and service of God, which of all things lay nearest his heart, and
most distressed him; see 1 Samuel 26:19; and
many of his psalms on this occasion. Ben Gersom suggests that he wept more than
was meet, through too much fear of Saul; but that seems not to be the case.
1 Samuel 20:42 42 Then Jonathan said to
David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May
the Lord
be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants,
forever.’” So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.
YLT
42and Jonathan saith to
David, `Go in peace, in that we have sworn -- we two -- in the name of Jehovah,
saying, Jehovah is between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed --
unto the age;' and he riseth and goeth; and Jonathan hath gone in to the city.
And Jonathan said to David, go in peace,.... In peace
of mind, committing himself, his family, and affairs, to the providence of God,
who would take care of him, and keep him in safety from the evil designs of
Saul; and particularly he would have him be easy with respect to what had
passed between them two, not doubting but it would be faithfully observed on
both sides:
forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord: had made a
covenant with each other by an oath, in the name and presence of God as a
witness to it:
saying, the Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and
thy seed for ever; as a witness of the agreement between them, including them and
their offspring, and as a revenger of such that should break it. The Targum
is,"the Word of the Lord be between thee and me, &c."
and he arose and departed; that is, David arose
from the ground, and took his leave of Jonathan, and departed into the country
for the safety of his person and life:
and Jonathan went into the city; into the city of Gibeah,
where Saul dwelt and had his court.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)