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1 Samuel Chapter 20
Jonathan Warns David
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1Samuel 20:1 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?
Knowing David's strength and his past
of defeating the giant and dangerous animals, he could have killed
Saul and have been done with it. I don't believe David fled out of
terror and fear for he didn't normally fear. He just didn't want to
do any harm to someone God anointed to be king. His reverence and
fear for God directed his paths. He must have been broken hearted.
He goes to Jonathan and pleads for
understanding. He was very confused about what he did wrong to
incite this hatred Saul had for him. Since David wasn't one to have
a weakness for jealousy, it stands to reason that he was puzzled
over this. He probably didn't understand why someone would be
jealous of him. He didn't see himself as great but knew his
strength was in God at this time.
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1Samuel 20:2 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 shew it me:
and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
Jonathan believed his dad wouldn't do
anything without sharing his motive to him but David wasn't so sure.
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1Samuel 20:3 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.
David was not stupid. He knew Saul was
determined to kill him but just didn't understand the reason why.
- 1Samuel 20:4 Then
said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will
even do it for thee.
- 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.
- 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.
That would be a legitimate reason for
being absent for it was in the law of Moses that this by done in
families. Numbers 10 and 28 is a good reference for this once a year
occasion.
- 1Samuel 20:7 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?
David was willing to die by the hand of
Jonathan if he was guilty of any evil.
- 1Samuel 20:9 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?
- 10 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.
They continued their conversation out
in a field where Jonathan was going to be able to later communicate
what his father's desires are without being found out.
- 1Samuel 20:12 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 shew 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 shew 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 shew 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.
- 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.
- 17 And Jonathan
caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved
him as he loved his own soul.
It would seem from these passages that
Jonathan recognized that David was to be king and made a covenant
with him to show kindness to him and his family after him when God
places him upon the throne as king. He wants the defeat of David's
enemines but asks for his own family to be shown kindness. David did
show kindness to the house of Saul after he became king even when
others didn't want him to do so. Jonathan loved David and had a
heart of compassion that chose to stand in the gap between him and
his own father's desire to kill David. That is a friend to have.
Jonathan was one who recognized what is right, who was innocent, and
what was the will of God even if it comes against his own father.
- 1Samuel 20:18 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's plan was clever. It would
warn David of trouble while appearing to just be shooting arrows. So
sad to see this happen especially when Saul knew better. I can
understand coming against a person that wanted to secretly take over
the kingdom and get rid of the king that was then in power but David
had no such motive. He didn't seek the throne. He knew Samuel
anointed him but he was in no hurry to obtain it on his own. He
would have been happy just to serve Saul and wait on God to place
him king if that was God's will. I believe David would have
preferred Saul to be reconciled to God and keep on being king if
that was what God wanted. He was a good person to have in the
service of the king and would never have betrayed him or Jonathan.
Too bad jealousy, fear and hate took over the life of Saul. Saul
would have had a good faithful friend in David. In fact David was
the type of person who would have given his own life to protect Saul
or any of his family just like he risked his own life to protect the
sheep he took care of when he was home.
As it has happened throughout history
and even today in a country I thought was a good country that was
fair and just, the innocent sometimes have to run and hide from
those that seek to destroy them. One day though the chickens come
home to roost. It will come upon their own heads. No one gets by
with anything when they keep doing evil without coming to Jesus for
forgiveness and if possible making things right with whom they
sinned against.
- 1Samuel 20:25 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.
Saul assumed David was delayed by a
problem or unclean ceremonially to eat of peace offerings. Leviticus
7:20 records what may be meant here.
- 1Samuel 20:27 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?
- 28 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.
David asked him to say this if Saul
inquired about his absence. That was probably partly true. It was a
common practice to eat the peace offering with one's family.
- 1Samuel 20:30 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?
- 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.
Saul was so angry at Jonathan that he warned
him that he will not inherit the kingdom for taking David's side and
seems to blame Jonathan's mother for his rebellion against him. This
passage is a little confusing but things said in anger can get
complicated. Perhaps he is referring to David as a son in law would
be king instead of Jonathan hoping Jonathan would turn against David
if he knew that the kingdom would not be his but David's. Saul was
actually prophesying without knowing it for the kingdom would become
David's to rule not because of Jonathan but because of Saul's own
disobedience and failure to do right.
- 1 Samuel 20:32 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.
- 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.
One has to admire and commend Jonathan.
He wasn't concerned about inheriting the right to be king after his
father. He was concerned about an innocent person being targeted by
his own father. He knew his father's actions were not right. He took
David's side, not because of David as a person even though they were
close friends, but because his father's actions were unfair and
evil.
This does show us that someone that use to
be a servant of the Lord and even prophesied can allow evil to enter
their hearts and refuse to seek the Lord to overcome that evil
except maybe temporary times of repentance that doesn't last very
long. Jealousy or some other type of spirit returns if we don't
resist and trust in the Lord's help. This type
of evil can be overcome but it takes determination and constant
fellowship with our Lord.
- 1Samuel 20:35 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.
- 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.
This all was a sign between him and
David that David was not safe but was to flee not stay. So sad that
this occurs. Yet I see it in some today in those that target one
person who is a political opponent. They plot and spend even
millions of tax payer's dollars to find a crime to charge their
political opponents with to bring them down and ruin their chances
of winning an election. I never thought I would see that happen in a
free country. Party politics has always been so evil. Yet stop and
think. In eternity, we will see all this is vanity and all for
nothing. God wins in the long run and those that faithfully follow
His ways and receive His Son Jesus into their lives will be the ones
to reign over the earth. Nothing else will count in eternity when we
stand before God unless our names are written in the lamb's book of
life. Except those that do evil repent, they will not enter His
eternal kingdom.
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1Samuel 20:40 And Jonathan
gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry
them to the city.
The lad might not have told anyone
about this but Jonathan was not taking any chances. He sent the lad
back to the city.
- 1Samuel 20:41 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.
- 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.
Faithful Jonathan sent David away to
safety and both went their separate ways. Yet both of them had
hearts that were sad and grieved over the evil that was in Saul.
David just wanted to be their friend and continue fighting against
the bigger enemy, the Philistines together. He would have served
Saul faithfully, not attempting to take over the kingdom until God
moved in that direction. If God would have changed His mind and left
the kingdom in Saul's power and even let Jonathan become king after
his death, David would have supported them. So sad to lose such a
faithful friend. DC
1 Samuel Chapter 21
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