Chapter Twenty
Saul Continues to Seek David While Jonathan Protects Him
20:1 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” 2 And he said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. And why should my father hide this from me? It is not so.”
While Saul was incapacitated (prophesying in a trance-like state), David leaves Naioth and finds Jonathan and asks him what did he do, what sin did he commit that Saul now wants to kill him. Jonathan is still not convinced that Saul wants David dead, he informs David that his father tells him everything, why would he keep something like his desire to kill David away from him. So, Jonathan thought that since Saul vowed not to kill David (see 1 Samuel 19:6), that he did not change his mind, although it is interesting that the reason why Saul wanted David dead prior to him offering the oath, was never revealed to Jonathan (see 1 Samuel 19:1-5).
20:3 But David vowed again, saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, ‘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.” 4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”
David offers Jonathan a reality check, he tells him that Saul knows that Jonathan is friends with him and Saul would not want to grieve his son regarding his desire to kill his friend. David then continued to say that there was one more step they can try to evaluate Saul’s true disposition towards David. Jonathan said that he would do whatever he asked.
20:5 David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening. 6 If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the clan.’ 7 If he says, ‘Good!’ it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry, then know that harm is determined by him.
David comes up with a plan that should be able to ascertain Saul’s true feelings toward David. He notes that the next day is the new moon, the beginning of a new month. This was a time for new moon sacrifices (see Numbers 10:10; 28:11-15) and other special festivities (see Numbers 29:6; Ezra 3:5; 2 Kings 4:23; Psalm 81:3; Isaiah 1:13; 66:23; Ezekiel 46:1), so he would be expected to be dining at the king’s table. But instead, David suggests that he not attend and hide somewhere until the third day of the month. If Saul asks where David is, Jonathan is to respond that David asked for permission to go home to Bethlehem for an annual family sacrifice (a potentially valid excuse considering the timing). If Saul says, “Good!” then he is not against David, but if he gets angry, then they will know that not all is well and that he wants David dead.
20:8 Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. But if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?” 9 And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?” 11 And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So they both went out into the field.
David reminds Jonathan that they made a “covenant of YHWH” essentially to deal faithfully with each other (see 1 Samuel 18:3) and that if he (David) is guilty of something that he wants Jonathan to kill him instead of turning him over to his father. Jonathan immediately responded, “Never!” (NLT) He told David that if he had any idea that his father was planning on killing him, that he would have told him. “Then David asked, “How will I know whether or not your father is angry?” (1 Samuel 20:10, NLT) So Jonathan comes up with a scheme that should not draw any attention or raise suspicion. So they both go out in a field.
20:12 And Jonathan said to David, “The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? 13 But should it please my father to do you harm, the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. May the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father. 14 If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the LORD, that I may not die; 15 and do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD take vengeance on David’s enemies.” 17 And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Jonathan tells David in an oath with YHWH as a witness, that he will talk with his father that either on the following day, or the day afterwards, around the same time, he will let David know if Saul is all right and no longer wishes to harm David. But if he does, let God do so to him and more if he does not inform David that Saul wants him dead. Jonathan blesses David saying, “May YHWH be with him, as He has been with his father.” If he (Jonathan) is still alive, he asks David to show love to him and his house forever, pointing to a time after God “cuts off” every one of his enemies from the face of the earth. Jonathan then made another covenant with David, saying, “May the LORD take vengeance on David’s enemies.” Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him.
Jonathan recognized that God was with David and that he was going to be the next king. By stating that YHWH will cut off every one of the enemies of David, that he was including his father Saul, and had David promise that he will not kill Jonathan nor his family, that even though they could claim the right to be the next king, he is asking David to have mercy on them.
20:18 Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 On the third day go down quickly to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand, and remain beside the stone heap. 20 And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. 21 And behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,’ then you are to come, for, as the LORD lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. 22 But if I say to the youth, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the LORD has sent you away. 23 And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever.”
Jonathan reveals his plan as to how he is going to communicate what he finds out from his father to David. On the third day of the month David is to hide himself where he hid before and remain next to the stone pile. He (Jonathan) will come out and shoot three arrows to the side of the rocks to act as if he is shooting at a target. He then will send a boy out to find the arrows. If he calls out to the boy that the arrows are on this side of him, then David can come back, there is no danger, but if he says, “the arrows are beyond you,” then David is to go, for YHWH has sent him away. Jonathan concludes by asking God to help them keep their promises to each other.
20:24 So David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. 25 The king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.
David hid himself and did not attend the dinner, the king sat by the wall, Jonathan sat opposite him and Abner next to Saul, but David’s place was empty.
20:26 Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean; surely he is not clean.” 27 But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” 28 Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Let me go, for our clan holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”
Saul did not ask about David’s absence as he thought that something must have happened that caused him to be ceremonially unclean, a requirement for participating in or consuming sacrifices (see Leviticus 7:21; 11:24-28; 15:1-4). But since the new moon was over, his absence on the following day regarding the issue of being unclean would not be valid, so Saul asks Jonathan why the son of Jesse was not at the meals. He told him that David asked him to excuse him as their family holds a sacrifice in Bethlehem and his brother commanded him to attend, so if he found favor in his eyes, to let him go and see his brothers.
20:30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled 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? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.”
Saul was furious, he instantly senses a conspiracy and accuses Jonathan of rejecting his and his family’s future as king, that by siding with David, and allowing him to live, shuts down the advancement of Saul’s dynasty. He essentially is saying that his birth and upbringing has been for nothing, bringing shame to their family. So to prevent that, Saul tells Jonathan to bring David to him and he will be put to death.
Saul called his wife a rebellious woman (likely Ahinoam, see 1 Samuel 14:50), and now he accuses Jonathan that he had become just like his mother, abandoning him, to whom he owed his allegiance.
20:32 Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” 33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. 34 And Jonathan rose 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 disgraced him.
Jonathan asks why should David be put to death? Instead of answering, Saul throws his spear at him. At that point Jonathan knew that Saul was now determined to kill David. Jonathan got up and left the room without eating, as he grieved for David, because of his father’s attitude towards his friend.
20:35 In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him a little boy. 36 And he said to his boy, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 And when the boy came to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” 38 And Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry! Be quick! Do not stay!” So Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master. 39 But the boy knew nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40 And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, “Go and carry them to the city.”
On the morning of the next day Jonathan went out into the field as arranged with David along with a little boy. He told the boy to go find and retrieve the arrows he shoots. When the boy ran off Jonathan shot an arrow behind him and when the boy came to the place where the arrow landed, he shouted to the boy, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” The sign to David that not all is well with Saul. Jonathan told the boy to hurry, to grab the arrows and run out of the way, which he did and returned them to Jonathan. We are told that the boy knew nothing more, only Jonathan and David knew about the hidden message. Jonathan then tells the boy to return to the city with the arrows.
20:41 And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most. 42 Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’ ” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.
After the boy left, David came out of hiding and fell prostrate to the ground and bowed three times before Jonathan, and then kissed each other and cried, with David weeping the most. They both understood that this situation was not temporary and would change their lives, plus they would likely never be able to see each other ever again. Jonathan then said to David, “Go in peace…” as they had made a promise to be loyal to each other in the name of YHWH. That YHWH is witness to the loving bond between them and their children forever. Then the two went their separate ways, Jonathan returned to the city, and David remained hidden as he was now a fugitive.