1-10 David consults with Jonathan for his safety 11-17 Jonathan and David renew their covenant by oath 18-23 Jonathan's token to David 23-24 Saul, missing David, seeks to kill Jonathan 35-42 Jonathan affectionately takes his leave of David

fled 1Sa 19:19-24 23:26-28 Ps 124:6-8 2Pe 2:9

What have 1Sa 12:3 24:11,17 Ps 7:3-5 18:20-24 2Co 1:12 1Jo 3:21

2 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will show it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

God forbid 1Sa 14:45 Ge 44:7 Jos 22:29 24:16 Lu 20:16

shew it me [heb] uncover mine ear 1Sa 20:12 9:15 Ps 40:6 Isa 50:5 Joh 15:15 17:8

3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

sware De 6:13 Jer 4:2 Heb 6:16

but truly 1Sa 25:26 27:1 2Sa 15:21 2Ki 2:2,4,6

as thy soul 1Sa 1:26 17:55 Jer 38:16

but a step 1Sa 27:1 De 28:66 Ps 116:3 1Co 15:30,31 2Co 1:9,10

4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.

Whatsoever. or, Say what is they mind, and I will do, etc.
desireth [heb] speaketh, or thinketh

5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.

the new moon The months of the Hebrew were lunar months, and they reckoned from one new moon to another: and, as their feasts, particularly the passover, were reckoned according to this, they were very scrupulous in observing the first appearance of each new moon. On these new moons, they offered sacrifices, and feasted together: but the gathering together of all the families of a tribe on such occasions seems to have taken place only once in the year. 1Sa 20:6 Nu 10:10 28:11 2Ki 4:23 Ps 81:3 Col 2:16

that I may 1Sa 20:19 19:2 Ps 55:12 Pr 22:3 Joh 8:59 Ac 17:14

6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

Beth-lehem 1Sa 17:58 Joh 7:42

sacrifice. or, feast 1Sa 9:12 16:2-5

7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.

It is well De 1:23 2Sa 17:4

evil 1Sa 20:9 25:17 Es 7:7

8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

deal kindly Ge 24:49 47:29 Jos 2:14 Ru 1:8 Pr 3:3

thou hast 1Sa 20:16 18:3 23:18

if there be Jos 22:22 2Sa 14:32 Ps 7:4,5 Ac 25:11

why shouldest 1Ch 12:17 Ps 116:1

9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

then would 1Sa 20:38,42 19:2

10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?

answer thee 1Sa 20:30-34 25:10,14,17 Ge 42:7,30 1Ki 12:13 Pr 18:23

11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.

12 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 show it thee;

O Lord This verse is evidently deficient. The LXX. had (), `The Lord God of Israel doth know;' the Syraic and Arabic, `The Lord God of Israel is witness;' either of which makes good sense. But two of Dr. Kennicott's MSS supply the word chai, `liveth;' and the text reads thus: `As the Lord God of Israel liveth, when I have sounded my father, --if there be good unto David, and I then send not unto thee,' etc.; which is a still better sense. Jos 22:22 Job 31:4 Ps 17:3 139:1-4

sounded [heb] searched Pr 20:5 25:2,3

shew it thee [heb] uncover thine ear 1Sa 20:2

13 The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will show it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

The Lord do 1Sa 3:17 25:22 Ru 1:17 2Sa 3:35 19:13 1Ki 19:2 20:10

the Lord be 1Sa 17:37 Jos 1:5 1Ch 22:11,16 Mt 28:20 Php 4:9

he hath been with my father 1Sa 10:7 11:6-13 2Sa 7:15

14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:

the kindness 2Sa 9:3 Eph 5:1,2

15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.

thou shalt 1Sa 24:21 2Sa 9:1-7 21:7

16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.

made [heb] cut 1Sa 18:3 Ge 15:18

Let the Lord 1Sa 25:22 31:2 2Sa 4:7,8 21:8

17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

because he loved him. or, by his love toward him
for he loved 1Sa 18:1,3 De 13:6 2Sa 1:26 Pr 18:24

18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

new moon (See on verse 5)
and thou shalt Among the terms of salutation and compliment used in Persia, one was, `according to my mode of notation in italics, (), signifying, Thy place or seat was empty among thy friends. This phrase, or the greater part of it, was frequently addressed to myself when coming into a circle of Persian acquaintances, after an absence of several days or weeks. It reminded me of a passage in the First book of Samuel, (ch 20:18) And thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty. And again, David's place was empty.' Sir W. Ouseley's Travels, vol i. preface, p.16

empty [heb] missed

19 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.

quickly. or, diligently. [heb] greatly
hide thyself 1Sa 20:5 19:2

when the business [heb] in the day of the business
Ezel. or, that sheweth the way

20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.

21 And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the LORD liveth.

no. [heb] not any thing
as the Jer 4:2 5:2 12:16 Am 8:14

22 But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.

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

the matter 1Sa 20:14,15

the Lord 1Sa 20:42 Ge 16:5 31:50

24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.

the king Ps 50:16-21 Pr 4:17 15:17 17:1 21:3,27 Isa 1:11-15 Zec 7:6 Joh 18:28

25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.

as at other times Jud 16:20

26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.

he is not clean Le 7:21 11:24,27,31,40 15:5,16,17,19-21 Nu 19:16

27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?

Wherefore 1Sa 18:11 19:9,10,15

the son 1Sa 22:7-9,13,14 25:10 Isa 11:1,2 Mt 13:55 1Pe 2:4

28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:

1Sa 20:6

29 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table.

my brother's 1Sa 17:28

30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, 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?

Saul's Job 5:2 Pr 14:29 19:12,19 21:24 25:28 27:3 Jas 1:19,20

Thou, etc. or, Thou perverse rebel. [heb] Son of perverse rebellion. Pr 15:2 21:24 Mt 5:22 Eph 4:31 6:4

and unto the This reflection on the mother of Jonathan, by the passionate monarch, reflects more dishonour on himself than on his brave and noble-minded son. Mungo Park gives an instance of the prevalence of the same principles in Africa; for he says, Maternal affection is every where conspicuous among the Africans, and creates a correspondent return of tenderness in the child. `Strike me,' said the attendant, `but do not curse my mother.' I found the same sentiment to prevail universally in all parts of Africa. King Saul, unable to vilify Jonathan to his own satisfaction by personal reproaches, outstepped the ordinary abuse of his day, and proceeded to that which was designed to produce unusual vexation, and vented the bitterness of his mind by maligning the character of his own wife and Jonathan's mother.

31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

send 1Sa 20:8 19:6,11-15

shall surely die [heb] is the son of death 1Sa 26:16 2Sa 19:28 Ps 79:11

32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?

Wherefore 1Sa 19:5 Pr 24:11,12 31:8,9 Joh 7:51

what hath Mt 27:23 Lu 23:22

cast 1Sa 18:11 19:10,11 Pr 22:24 Ec 9:3 Jer 17:9

whereby 1Sa 20:7 Ec 7:9

33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.

34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.

in fierce Ec 7:20 Eph 4:26

he was grieved Mr 3:5

35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.

at the time 1Sa 20:19 2Sa 20:5

36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

Run 1Sa 20:20,21

beyond him [heb] to pass over him 1Sa 20:21,22

37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?

38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

Ps 55:6-9 Pr 6:4,5 Mt 24:16-18 Mr 13:14-16 Lu 17:31,32

39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

artillery [heb] instruments Rather weapons, as the word kelim also denotes; and here means the bow, quiver, and arrows. This is probably the only place in our language in which the word artillery is not applied to cannon or ordinance, but simply to weapons of war.

his lad [heb] the lad that was his

41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

and fell 1Sa 25:23 Ge 43:28 2Sa 9:6

and they kissed 1Sa 10:1 Ge 29:11,13 45:15 2Sa 19:39 Ac 20:37

David exceeded 1Sa 18:3 2Sa 1:26

42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

Go in peace 1Sa 20:22 1:17 Nu 6:26 Lu 7:50 Ac 16:36

forasmuch as. or, the Lord be witness of that which, etc. 1Sa 20:23

And he arose 1Sa 23:18

This separation of two such faithful friends was equally grievous to them both, but David's case was the more deplorable: for when Jonathan was returning to his family and friends, David was leaving all his comforts, even those of God's sanctuary, and therefore his grief exceeded Jonathan's; or, perhaps it was because his temper was more tender and his passions stronger. They referred each other to the covenant of friendship that was between them, both of them being comforted thereby in this very mournful separation:--`We have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, for ourselves and our heirs, that we and they will be faithful and kind to each other from generation to generation.'