(KJV) 1 Samuel 201

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⥃Jonathan Helps David

[1] And David fled2 from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have3 I done? what [is] mine iniquity? and what [is] my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? [2] And he said unto him, God forbid4; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me5: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it [is] not [so]. [3] And David sware6 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 truly7 [as] the Lord liveth, and [as] thy soul8 liveth, [there is] but a step9 between me and death. [4] Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever10 thy soul desireth11, I will even do [it] for thee. [5] And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow [is] the new moon12, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may13 hide myself in the field unto the third [day] at even. [6] If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked [leave] of me that he might run to Beth–lehem14 his city: for [there is] a yearly sacrifice15 there for all the family. [7] If he say thus, [It is] well16; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, [then] be sure that evil17 is determined by him. [8] Therefore thou shalt deal kindly18 with thy servant; for thou hast19 brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee: notwithstanding, if there be20 in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest21 thou bring me to thy father? [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 would22 not I tell it thee?

⥃Jonathan and David Renew Their Covenant

[10] Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what [if] thy father answer thee23 roughly?

[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 Lord24 God of Israel, when I have sounded25 my father about to morrow any time, [or] the third [day], and, behold, [if there be] good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee26; [13] The Lord do27 so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father [to do] thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be28 with thee, as he hath been with my father29. [14] And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness30 of the Lord, that I die not: [15] But [also] thou shalt31 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. [16] So Jonathan made32 [a covenant] with the house of David, [saying], Let the Lord33 even require [it] at the hand of David’s enemies. [17] And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him34: for he loved35 him as he loved his own soul. [18] Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow [is] the new moon36: and thou shalt37 be missed, because thy seat will be empty38. [19] And [when] thou hast stayed three days, [then] thou shalt go down quickly39, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself40 when the business41 was [in hand], and shalt remain by the stone Ezel42. [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 no43 hurt; [as] the44 Lord liveth. [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 matter45 which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord46 [be] between thee and me for ever.

[24] So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king47 sat him down to eat meat. [25] And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times48, [even] upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty. [26] Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he [is] not clean49; surely he [is] not clean. [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, Wherefore50 cometh not the son51 of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day? [28] And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked [leave] of me [to go] to Beth–lehem:52 [29] And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother53, he hath commanded me [to be there]: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table.

⥃Saul Seeks to Kill Jonathan

[30] Then Saul’s54 anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou55 son of the perverse rebellious [woman], do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the56 confusion of thy mother’s nakedness? [31] For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send57 and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die58. [32] And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore59 shall he be slain? what hath60 he done? [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 fierce61 anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved62 for David, because his father had done him shame.

[35] And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time63 appointed with David, and a little lad with him. [36] And he said unto his lad, Run64, find out now the arrows which I shoot. [And] as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him65. [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.66 [39] But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. [40] And Jonathan gave his artillery67 unto his lad68, and said unto him, Go, carry [them] to the city.

[41] [¶][And] as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of [a place] toward the south, and fell69 on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed70 one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded71. [42] And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace72, forasmuch as73 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 arose74 and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

<< 1 Samuel 19 1 Samuel 21 >>

  1. 1Sam 20:1, David consults with Jonathan for his safety; 1Sam 20:11, Jonathan and David renew their covenant by oath; 1Sam 20:18, Jonathan’s token to David; 1Sam 20:24, Saul, missing David, seeks to kill Jonathan; 1Sam 20:35, Jonathan affectionately takes his leave of David. ↩

  2. 1Sam 19:19-24, 1Sam 23:26-28; Ps 124:6-8; 2Pet 2:9 ↩

  3. 1Sam 12:3, 1Sam 24:11, 1Sam 24:17; Ps 7:3-5, Ps 18:20-24; 2Cor 1:12; 1John 3:21 ↩

  4. 1Sam 14:45; Gen 44:7; Josh 22:29, Josh 24:16; Luke 20:16 ↩

  5. Heb. uncover mine ear, 1Sam 20:12, 1Sam 9:15 *marg. Ps 40:6; Isa 50:5; John 15:15, John 17:8 ↩

  6. Deut 6:13; Jer 4:2; Heb 6:16 ↩

  7. 1Sam 25:26, 1Sam 27:1; 2Sam 15:21; 2Kgs 2:2, 2Kgs 2:4, 2Kgs 2:6 ↩

  8. 1Sam 1:26, 1Sam 17:55; Jer 38:16 ↩

  9. 1Sam 27:1; Deut 28:66; Ps 116:3; 1Cor 15:30-31; 2Cor 1:9-10 ↩

  10. etc. or, Say what is thy mind, and I will do, etc ↩

  11. Heb. speaketh, or thinketh ↩

  12. The months of the Hebrews 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. 1Sam 20:6; Num 10:10, Num 28:11; 2Kgs 4:23; Ps 81:3; Col 2:16 ↩

  13. 1Sam 20:19, 1Sam 19:2; Ps 55:12; Prov 22:3; John 8:59; Acts 17:14 ↩

  14. 1Sam 17:58; John 7:42 ↩

  15. or, feast, 1Sam 9:12, 1Sam 16:2-5 ↩

  16. Deut 1:23; 2Sam 17:4 ↩

  17. 1Sam 20:9, 1Sam 25:17; Esth 7:7 ↩

  18. Gen 24:49, Gen 47:29; Josh 2:14; Ruth 1:8; Prov 3:3 ↩

  19. 1Sam 20:16, 1Sam 18:3, 1Sam 23:18 ↩

  20. Josh 22:22; 2Sam 14:32; Ps 7:4-5; Acts 25:11 ↩

  21. 1Chr 12:17; Ps 116:11 ↩

  22. 1Sam 20:38, 1Sam 20:42, 1Sam 19:2 ↩

  23. 1Sam 20:30-34, 1Sam 25:10, 1Sam 25:14, 1Sam 25:17; Gen 42:7, Gen 42:30; 1Kgs 12:13; Prov 18:23 ↩

  24. This verse is evidently deficient. The LXX have Κυριος ο Θεος Ισραηλ οιδεν, "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 manuscripts 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. Josh 22:22; Job 31:4; Ps 17:3, Ps 139:1-4 ↩

  25. Heb. searched, Prov 20:5, Prov 25:2-3 ↩

  26. Heb. uncover thine ear, 1Sam 20:2 ↩

  27. 1Sam 3:17, 1Sam 25:22; Ruth 1:17; 2Sam 3:35, 2Sam 19:13; 1Kgs 19:2, 1Kgs 20:10 ↩

  28. 1Sam 17:37; Josh 1:5; 1Chr 22:11, 1Chr 22:16; Matt 28:20; Phil 4:9 ↩

  29. 1Sam 10:7, 1Sam 11:6-13, 1Sam 14:47; 2Sam 7:15 ↩

  30. 2Sam 9:3; Eph 5:1-2 ↩

  31. 1Sam 24:21; 2Sam 9:1-7, 2Sam 21:7 ↩

  32. Heb. cut, 1Sam 18:3; Gen 15:18 ↩

  33. 1Sam 25:22, 1Sam 31:2; 2Sam 4:7-8, 2Sam 21:8 ↩

  34. or, by his love toward him ↩

  35. 1Sam 18:1, 1Sam 18:3; Deut 13:6; 2Sam 1:26; Prov 18:24 ↩

  36. 1Sam 20:5 ↩

  37. Among the forms of salutation and compliment used in Persia, one was, according to my mode of notation in italics, Ja i shama khali bud pish yaran, 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 (1Sam 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. ↩

  38. Heb. missed ↩

  39. or, diligently, Heb. greatly ↩

  40. 1Sam 20:5, 1Sam 19:2 ↩

  41. Heb. in the day of the business ↩

  42. or, that sheweth the way. ↩

  43. Heb. not any thing ↩

  44. Jer 4:2, Jer 5:2, Jer 12:16; Amos 8:14 ↩

  45. 1Sam 20:14-15 ↩

  46. 1Sam 20:42; Gen 16:5, Gen 31:50 ↩

  47. Ps 50:16-21; Prov 4:17, Prov 15:17, Prov 17:1, Prov 21:3, Prov 21:27; Isa 1:11-15; Zech 7:6; John 18:28 ↩

  48. Judg 16:20 ↩

  49. Lev 7:21, Lev 11:24, Lev 11:27, Lev 11:31, Lev 11:40, Lev 15:5, Lev 15:16-17, Lev 15:19-21; Num 19:16 ↩

  50. 1Sam 18:11, 1Sam 19:9-10, 1Sam 19:15 ↩

  51. 1Sam 22:7-9, 1Sam 22:13-14, 1Sam 25:10; Isa 11:1-2; Matt 13:55; 1Pet 2:4 ↩

  52. 1Sam 20:6 ↩

  53. 1Sam 17:28 ↩

  54. Job 5:2; Prov 14:29, Prov 19:12, Prov 19:19, Prov 21:24, Prov 25:28, Prov 27:3; Jas 1:19-20 ↩

  55. etc. or, Thou perverse rebel, Heb. Son of perverse rebellion, Prov 15:2, Prov 21:24; Matt 5:22; Eph 4:31, Eph 6:4 ↩

  56. 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 my attendant, 'but do not curse my mother.' I found the same sentiment to prevail universally in all parts of Africa." King Saul, unable to villify 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. ↩

  57. 1Sam 20:8, 1Sam 19:6, 1Sam 19:11-15 ↩

  58. Heb. is the son of death, 1Sam 26:16; 2Sam 19:28; Ps 79:11 *marg. ↩

  59. 1Sam 19:5; Prov 24:11-12, Prov 31:8-9; John 7:51 ↩

  60. Matt 27:23; Luke 23:22, cast, 1Sam 18:11, 1Sam 19:10-11; Prov 22:24; Eccl 9:3; Jer 17:9, whereby, 1Sam 20:7; Eccl 7:9 ↩

  61. Eccl 7:20; Eph 4:26 ↩

  62. Mark 3:5 ↩

  63. 1Sam 20:19; 2Sam 20:5 ↩

  64. 1Sam 20:20-21 ↩

  65. Heb. to pass over him, 1Sam 20:21-22 ↩

  66. Ps 55:6-9; Prov 6:4-5; Matt 24:16-18; Mark 13:14-16; Luke 17:31-32 ↩

  67. 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. ↩

  68. Heb. the lad that was his ↩

  69. 1Sam 25:23; Gen 43:28; 2Sam 9:6 ↩

  70. 1Sam 10:1; Gen 29:11, Gen 29:13, Gen 45:15; 2Sam 19:39; Acts 20:37 ↩

  71. 1Sam 18:3; 2Sam 1:26 ↩

  72. 1Sam 20:22, 1Sam 1:17; Num 6:26; Luke 7:50; Acts 16:36 ↩

  73. or, the Lord be witness of that which, etc. 1Sam 20:23 ↩

  74. 1Sam 23:18; The 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." ↩