1 Samuel20

David, fearing King Saul's murderous intent, seeks counsel from Jonathan. They establish a solemn covenant of friendship, and Jonathan agrees to ascertain his father's true disposition towards David during the New Moon feast. Upon discovering Saul's unwavering desire to kill David, Jonathan secretly signals David to flee, leading to their tearful farewell.

David Seeks Confirmation of Saul's Intent

David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”

He said to him, “Far from it; you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.”

David swore moreover, and said, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, ‘Don’t 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.”

Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you.”

David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.

If your father miss me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’

If he says, ‘It is well;’ your servant shall have peace: but if he be angry, then know that evil is determined by him.

Therefore deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you: but if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?”

Jonathan said, “Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn’t I tell you that?”

Then David said to Jonathan, “Who shall tell me if perchance your father answers you roughly?”

Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” They both went out into the field.

The Covenant Renewed and the Test Planned

Jonathan said to David, “By the LORD, the God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, shall I not then send to you, and disclose it to you?

The LORD do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in peace: and the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.

You shall not only while yet I live show me the loving kindness of the LORD, that I not die;

but also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when the LORD has cut off the enemies of David everyone from the surface of the earth.”

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “The LORD will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”

Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

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 three days, you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and shall remain by the stone Ezel.

I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark.

Behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows!’ If I tell the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you. Take them;’ then come; for there is peace to you and no hurt, as the LORD lives.

But if I say this to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you;’ then go your way; for the LORD has sent you away.

Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever.”

Saul’s Fury at the New Moon Feast

So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon had come, the king sat him down to eat food.

The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side: but David’s place was empty.

Nevertheless Saul didn’t say anything that day: for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean.”

On the next day after the new moon, the second day, David’s place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why doesn’t the son of Jesse come to eat, neither yesterday, nor today?”

Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.

He said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city. My brother has commanded me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go away and see my brothers.’ Therefore he has not come to the king’s table.”

Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse rebellious woman, don’t I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?

For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die!”

Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”

Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.

So Jonathan arose 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 done him shame.

Jonathan Confirms the Danger and They Part

In the morning, Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him.

He said to his boy, “Run, find now the arrows which I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

When the boy had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the boy, and said, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?”

Jonathan cried after the boy, “Go fast! Hurry! Don’t delay!” Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

But the boy didn’t know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”

As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another, and wept one with another, and David wept the most.

Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have both sworn in the LORD’s name, saying, ‘The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever.’” He arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.

Study Notes for 1 Samuel 20

Verse 1

David appeals to Jonathan based on justice and innocence, highlighting the extreme danger of remaining near Saul. Naioth in Ramah was where David had sought refuge with Samuel (19:18).

Verse 2

Jonathan, still loyal to his father, initially struggles to accept the depth of Saul’s relentless paranoia. He believes Saul would not conceal such a major plan from his own son and heir.

Verse 3

David’s oath, 'as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth,' emphasizes the seriousness of the peril. The phrase 'but a step between me and death' vividly portrays the imminent threat posed by the king.

Verse 5

The New Moon was a major monthly religious festival (Numbers 28:11-15) requiring the king and high officials to attend a ceremonial meal, making David’s absence immediately noticeable.

Verse 6

David proposes a fabricated excuse (a family gathering/sacrifice in Bethlehem), demonstrating the need for careful deception to navigate Saul's dangerous court.

Verse 8

David reminds Jonathan of their sacred 'covenant of the LORD' (see 18:3). By grounding their friendship in a divine oath, David elevates their bond above personal politics or family loyalty.

Verse 12

Jonathan invokes the LORD God of Israel, turning their private conversation into a formal, binding oath regarding David’s immediate future and the longevity of their relationship.

Verse 13

Jonathan implicitly acknowledges David’s destiny by praying that the Lord be with David 'as he hath been with my father,' recognizing David’s divine election over his own claim to the throne.

Verse 14

Jonathan asks David to show him the 'kindness of the LORD' (Hebrew: *hesed*—loyal love/covenant faithfulness), a request that is extended to his descendants in the following verse.

Verse 15

This request secures the safety of Jonathan’s lineage when David eventually establishes his kingdom, demonstrating Jonathan’s foresight and commitment to his family's survival.

Verse 16

The covenant is specifically made with 'the house of David,' confirming that Jonathan understood David was destined to found a dynasty and sought protection for his own family under David's future rule.

Verse 17

The narrator emphasizes the extraordinary depth of Jonathan’s love for David, comparing it to self-love. This intense affection drives Jonathan to prioritize David's safety over his own royal prospects.

Verse 19

The 'stone Ezel' (possibly meaning 'stone of the departure' or 'way') serves as the prearranged, secret meeting point, illustrating the necessity of caution in their communication.

Verse 22

The signal ('the arrows are beyond thee') is the clear, coded message confirming that Saul intends to kill David, indicating David must flee immediately and permanently.

Verse 24

David’s immediate hiding indicates his full trust in Jonathan’s plan and his acceptance of the status of an outcast, confirming he has completely broken with the court.

Verse 26

Saul’s initial silence is based on ritual purity laws (Leviticus 15); he assumes David is absent because he has become temporarily unclean due to some physical occurrence.

Verse 27

When David is absent on the second day, Saul realizes the absence is intentional and political, not ritual, leading to his furious confrontation with Jonathan.

Verse 30

Saul's vicious verbal attack—insulting Jonathan's mother and calling him a traitor—shows his uncontrolled rage and paranoia, demonstrating a complete breakdown of royal composure.

Verse 31

Saul explicitly links David’s survival to the destruction of Jonathan's dynastic prospects. This reveals that Saul’s persecution is rooted in a clear political calculation regarding succession.

Verse 32

Jonathan courageously defends David based on justice ('what hath he done?'), directly challenging his father’s arbitrary tyranny and injustice.

Verse 33

Saul’s attempt to kill his own son confirms that his murderous rage extends beyond David to anyone who supports him. This act irrevocably severs the father-son relationship.

Verse 34

Jonathan’s intense anger stems from grief for David’s plight and deep shame that his father acted so dishonorably and violently against his own family.

Verse 37

By shouting, 'Is not the arrow beyond thee?' Jonathan publicly delivers the coded message of danger, while maintaining the appearance of a normal archery exercise to the unsuspecting lad.

Verse 41

David’s three deep bows show profound respect and gratitude. Their intense weeping reflects the sorrow of their necessary separation, knowing their friendship—and David’s life—was forcing a permanent break.

Verse 42

This final farewell confirms the eternal nature of the covenant sworn 'in the name of the LORD.' This promise ensures future peace between their two houses, later fulfilled when David provided for Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 9).

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1 Samuel20

David Seeks Confirmation of Saul's Intent

The Covenant Renewed and the Test Planned

Saul’s Fury at the New Moon Feast

Jonathan Confirms the Danger and They Part

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