August 8, 2007
Rise up,
LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee
before thee. (Numbers 10: 35 KJV)
1 Samuel Chapter 20 Author:
Unknown KJV
David
and Jonathan
(1
Samuel 20:1 KJV) "And David fled
from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what
is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he
seeketh my life?"
David could have stayed with Samuel at his residence in Ramah and be protected, but David needed to get out and experience the lonely time God intended for him. Also he needed to talk with Jonathan to find out what his father’s attitude is since we last saw him at Samuel’s house prophesying. Further this meeting with Jonathan will affirm their relation as life long friends and brothers.
(1
Samuel 20:2 KJV) "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."
Jonathan is
surprised that Saul is still trying to kill David. Jonathan is relying on his father’s oath
earlier when Saul said, “as the
Lord lives, David will not be killed”
Apparently an oath is something for everybody else to keep except for the
king. In Saul’s eyes the king could
do as he pleases.
(1
Samuel 20:3 KJV) "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."
“As surly as
the Lord lives” this is the same oath that Saul took; however David was not
lying as Saul, but David knew that Saul had it in for him and was looking for an
opportunity to present itself that he could kill David. As we saw yesterday, Saul sent three
groups of men to kill David, when they failed he came himself to kill
David.
(1
Samuel 20:4 KJV) "Then said
Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for
thee."
Jonathan was
concerned for David and tries to encourage him and offers to do anything David
requests.
(1
Samuel 20:5-8 KJV) "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. {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. {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. {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?"
(1
Samuel 20:9 KJV) "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?"
Jonathan wanted
nothing to do with killing David.
After all Jonathan when he hand over to David his princely armor, sword
and tunic was indicating he was stepping aside as the successor of the crown and
acknowledging David would eventually be the next king of Israel. Another thing, Jonathan and David were
both of one heart and men of God.
Why God chose David to be the next king instead of Jonathan is not
known. Both men were valiant
soldiers. Both men would have
served each other well no matter which one was king. However knowing the rest of the story,
Jonathan will later die in battle with his father.
David asked
Jonathan to let him know if his father became angry because he was not at the
palace feasting with the king or if he simply missed him. If Saul was angry, then he wanted to use
the occasion in which to kill David and was angry because he did not get that
opportunity due to David’s absence.
(1
Samuel 20:10-11 KJV) "Then said
David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee
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."
(1
Samuel 20:12-15 KJV) "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; {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. {14}
And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the kindness of the LORD,
that I die not: {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."
Jonathan swears allegiance to David and swears an oath to
the Lord that He may treat him even more harshly than his father would treat
David if he fails to bring David word of his father’s intentions. Jonathan once again acknowledging the
David will be the next king asks that David will treat his descendants with
kindness. Jonathan realizes he
might not live to see David as king.
(1
Samuel 20:16-17 KJV) "So Jonathan
made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even
require it at the hand of David's enemies. {17} And Jonathan
caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved
his own soul."
Both men affirm their love for one another and David promises to treat his descendants with kindness. We will actually see David keep his promise later to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth pronounced (mi fib o sheth) in 2 Samuel Chapter 9:1-8 and 21:7.
(1
Samuel 20:18-23 KJV) "Then Jonathan
said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed,
because thy seat will be empty. {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. {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.
{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."
Jonathan will not be able to fully tell David until the evening of the second day after the New Moon Festival. The festival had to do with the leaders of Israel it was a three day event and they sacrificed a fellowship offering and ate the traditional fellowship meal each evening. David would be missed the first night, perhaps being unclean. It only takes 24 hours to ceremonially cleanse oneself, so he should be at the second sacrifice and meal.
(1
Samuel 20:24-27 KJV) "So David hid
himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to
eat meat. {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. {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. {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?"
This was
perhaps a sarcastic remark about the son of Jesse because David did not come
from a wealthy family.
(1
Samuel 20:28-29 KJV) "And Jonathan
answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to
Bethlehem: {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 favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee,
and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table."
The
scripture does not say David was commanded by his brother to be at home for the
annual sacrifice, but David would have been lying had he not gone home. David was not a liar so he must have
gone home.
(1
Samuel 20:30-31 KJV) "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? {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."
Finally
Saul’s reason for wanting to kill David comes out. David was a threat to Saul and the
continuance of his kingdom. Saul
has taken on God and Saul will not be able to defeat God no matter how much he
tries.
(1
Samuel 20:32-33 KJV) "And Jonathan
answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what
hath 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."
Jonathan
defends David, but Saul is so angered he tries to kill Jonathan with the
spear. Jonathan finally gets to see
his father at his worst.
(1
Samuel 20:34 KJV) "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."
Yes Saul was
an evil man and no doubt he is paying the price for his evil doings in
eternity. The Lord was trying to
lead Saul even in fallen state to righteousness, but Saul was not
listening. Jonathan was upset that
his father was fighting God as hard as he could resulting in his shameful
treatment of David.
(1
Samuel 20:35-40 KJV) "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. {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. {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. {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."
Jonathan’s heart was broken having to deliver the message
to David to run for his life as Saul was definitely trying to kill David. Jonathan gave his weapons to the young
boy and told him to take them back to town. Jonathan stayed because he wanted to
talk to David.
(1
Samuel 20:41 KJV) "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."
Both men wept because they were being separated from the
joy of being friends. David also
wept because of his abandonment into the wilderness, the loss of the company of
his wife, the loss of comfort of home or even going back to his father’s
house. David was now a fugitive and
would have to hide from those seeking to kill
him.
(1
Samuel 20:42 KJV) "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”. David and Jonathan meant
everything to one another. They
were both men after the heart of the Lord.
David and Jonathan only meet one more time before Jonathan is
killed.
Footnotes:
24
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25
The LORD make his face shine upon thee,
and be gracious unto thee:
26
The LORD lift up his countenance upon
thee, and give thee peace.
27
And they shall put my name upon the
children of Israel, and I will bless them.
Numbers 6 KJV
Have a blessed
day
Lee
A Watchman
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