2. (1 Sam 20:14-17) In response, Jonathan asks David to commit himself in a covenant
If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the LORD, that I may not die? You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth." So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David saying, "May the LORD require it at the hands of David's enemies." Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life.
Will you not show me the lovingkindness of the LORD: Either such kindness as the LORD has shown David in preserving his life in the midst of so many great dangers; or the kindness in which Jonathan has engaged in when he swore a covenant between David and himself in the presence of God.
You shall not cut off your lovingkindess from my house forever: The covenant they made was not merely personal, but extended to their posterity. It was to be kept even when David should have great power, and there would be no one to oppose his will. These verses seem to strongly indicate that Jonathan knew of David's being anointed to the kingdom. In ancient times, when one royal house replaced another, it was common for the new royal house to kill all the potential rulers from the old royal house. Jonathan knew that one day David and his descendants would rule over Israel. Jonathan wanted a promise that David and his descendants would not kill or mistreat the descendants of Jonathan.
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David: Jonathan and David agree to care for one another. Jonathan agrees to care for David in the face of Saul's threat, and David agrees to care for Jonathan and his family in the future. David fulfills this promise to Jonathan in 2 Samuel 9:1-8 and 2 Samuel 21:7.
May the LORD require it at the hands of David's enemies: If either Jonathan or any of his house should break this covenant, and should prove to be enemies to David or to his house, then the LORD would be witness to this covenant and severely punish the violators of it.
Jonathan made David vow again: Jonathan, looking with absolute certainty to the day in which his persecuted friend would be on the throne and he in his grave, dreaded for his own fatherless children the fate which probably awaited them--almost certain death.
3. (1 Sam 20:18-23) Jonathan proposed a signal to inform David of Saul's reaction
Then Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty. When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on that eventful day, and you shall remain by the stone Ezel. I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target. And behold, I will send the lad, saying, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I specifically say to the lad, 'Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,' then come; for there is safety for you and no harm, as the LORD lives. But if I say to the youth, 'Behold, the arrows are beyond you,' go, for the LORD has sent you away. As for the agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever."
When you have stayed for three days: This is a poor translation. A better rendering would be, "On the third day, you shall go down..."
Go down quickly: The word rendered "quickly" is a bad translation of the Hebrew word m'od which means greatly or a long ways. This signifies where David is supposed to go, a long ways into the valley. This makes more sense as it did not matter if David traveled quickly or slowly on the third day. What mattered is that he was a great distance away from the palace so that no prying eye might have a chance to catch sight of David.
The stone Ezel: Ezel means departure. This name may have been given to this stone in remembrance of the parting of Jonathan and David. Some believe this was not a single stone but a collect of rocks making a natural cavernous hiding place or the ruins of an ancient building, which would be equally suited to hid David.
I will shoot three arrows: The two friends now agree upon a sign. Jonathan was to shoot three arrows at a target near the stone Ezel where David was hiding. This sign was arranged in case Jonathan should be watched by Saul's spies which might prevent Jonathan from getting an interview with David without endangering himself. Jonathan would quiet any possible suspicion aroused by carrying his bow, and pretending to go out for shooting practice. The servant, probably one of Jonathan's young armor-bearers, would accompany Jonathan out into the field. David would position his servant near the intended target. If all was well with David and King Saul, Jonathan would shoot the arrows to the side of his servant. If Saul has planned evil against David, Jonathan would shoot his arrows beyond his servant. Jonathan would yell where the arrows went to his servant in a loud enough voice so that both the servant and David in his hiding place could hear his words.
This was a crucial time in David's life. Either he would be welcomed back to the palace and his home, or he would be a fugitive until Saul gave up the hunt for David. A great deal was dependent upon the message Jonathan would bring back from the palace. It was imperative that their message system was simple yet effective.
The LORD is between you and me forever: As a witness and a judge and between their families forever, if on either side this league of friendship be violated, the LORD will render judgment and punishment for this breach of contract.
C. Saul's hatred towards David
1. (1 Sam 20:24-29) David's absence arouses suspicion
So David hid in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. The king sat in his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan rose up and Abner sat down by Saul's side, but David's place was empty. Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, "It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is not clean." It came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David's place was empty; so Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?" Jonathan then answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem, for he said, 'Please let me go, since out family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. And now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me get away that I may see my brothers.' For this reason he has not come to the king's table."
David hid in the field: It seems probable that David first went to Bethlehem as he bade Jonathan to tell Saul (1 Samuel 20:6), and then he returned to the field at the appointed time. If he did not go to Bethlehem, then David lied, which we ought not to imagine without any apparent cause. Moreover, several questions arise if David did not go to Bethlehem. Why should David hide himself in the field for such a long time when Jonathan and David had agreed to meet at an appointed time? Additionally, if David was to hide in the field the entire time, why did Jonathan agree upon a time to meet if David would be in the field all the while? As soon as Jonathan heard the news, he could have come and told David. It seems Jonathan and David would have had to agree upon a time to meet if David would have gone elsewhere during the new moon.
The king sat in his usual place, the seat by the wall: Saul occupied the place of honor at the top or center of the table, which was opposite to the entrance of the room. This is still the place of honor in most Eastern cultures.
Jonathan rose: There are many different views about Jonathan rising. Some speculate that Jonathan rose and gave up his seat and allowed Abner to sit in his place next to Saul. Jonathan then took David's seat in hopes of disguising David's absence. Others believe Jonathan never moved, but just rose to give honor to Abner. Abner was the king's cousin and the general of the army. Others speculate that Jonathan arose and gave Abner his seat, knowing King Saul might be enraged when he saw David was absent. Jonathan may have taken a lower seat at the table in order to escape Saul's grasp.
It is an accident, he is not clean: People who were ceremonially unclean were excluded to participate in religious festivals. The reasons for uncleanness are many and include seminal emissions, touching a woman who was menstruating, touching an item which touched a woman who was menstruating, touching a man with a discharge, touching an item which touched a man with a discharge (Leviticus 15), touching an unclean animal (Leviticus 11), etc. All these ways in which a person became unclean only lasted a day. The unclean person was to wash his clothes and himself in water and would remain unclean until evening.
It is interesting that Saul knows God's laws and seems as though he and his household followed God's rules. Saul knew if David was unclean, his uncleanness would only last for a short time. The next day, David would be clean, and there would be no ceremonial reason David would miss the feast.
The son of Jesse: Saul does not use David's given name here but instead calls him "son of Jesse" to denote David's common family. In contempt and in scorn, Saul disregards David's proper name, one which has attached to it great honor, and ignores David's son-in-law relationship to the king.
David earnestly asked leave of me: Jonathan, being second in line to the throne, seems to have had much power in the kingdom and likely had the power to grant permission for folks in the king's court to leave the palace. Additionally, Saul asks Jonathan (and no one else) about the whereabouts of David. Saul knew David and Jonathan were friends. If anyone knew where David was, Jonathan probably was the person to ask.
My brother has commanded me to attend: It might seem odd that a brother asked David to attend the feast and not his father, Jesse. However, we are told back in 1 Samuel 17:12b "And Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men." So with Jesse advanced in age, it is very likely that Eliab, the firstborn, took over the family responsibilities, and thus Eliab (and not Jesse) would be the person responsible for inviting David to the sacrifice in the city.
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