Artwork by Douglas Kallerson
1 Samuel 20:17-33
The Stone, the Departure, Part II
(Typed 5 January 2026) Whenever I get in my truck to drive, I love to hear the Word of Promise audio Bible. I used to have it on CD, but when my “I hope I will have this truck until the day I die” truck got flooded in Hurricane Helene, that ended.
The truck got hauled away, and the next “maybe I will have this one for a while” truck didn’t have a CD player. Instead, it has some new-fangled thing I have to kerfuffle with from time to time called Bluetooth. There is a connection between my digital Bible and the radio in the truck that brings the Bible to my ears as I drive.
I really don’t like driving with other people in the truck, except Hideko, because everyone else wants to do this nutty thing called “conversing.” It robs me of my Bible time to have to “converse.” Anyway, the reason for telling you this is that there are lots of highlights in the audio Bible.
After hearing it for the seven billionth time, you get used to when passages are coming. Along with the joy of hearing the Bible, the anticipation of particular sections is exciting. One of those sections is when Saul speaks.
The reason for this is that John Rhys-Davies (oh, you know him!) reads Saul’s lines in 1 Samuel. He was in the Indiana Jones movies, along with about ten thousand other shows you have seen, quite a few of which are biblically based. Anyway, when the verses that we will look at today come around, I listen up! He does a great job portraying Saul as he interacts with Jonathan.
Text Verse: “And he said, Isaiah unto Hezekiah, ‘You must hear ‘word, Yehovah’!” 2 Kings 20:16 (CG)
In Hezekiah’s day, hearing the word of the Lord meant listening to a prophet proclaim the word to someone, some group, or some nation. Outside of that, most people probably never got the chance to hear the word of the Lord.
We live in such a blessed time that we can hear the word read in church, read it at home, and hear it as we drive. And yet, how many people avail themselves of these things?
I don’t know what the numbers for church attendance are nationally or globally, but I would say that very few who attend church actually hear more than a few lines from the word. Those are then badly butchered by pastors, preachers, and priests during the ensuing sermons.
Bible studies are a bit better, but how many church-goers actually attend? This isn’t an indictment on anyone in this church. Of those who don’t come on Thursday night, I know every one of you certainly attends online or watches later. Don’t break my heart and tell me otherwise 😒.
The Word of Promise audio Bible has some other readers you may know: Jim Caviezel plays Jesus, and the Angel of the Lord. Richard Dreyfuss does Moses. Gary Sinise does David. Jason Alexander: Joseph. Marisa Tomei does Mary Magdalene. Michael York is the Narrator. Stacy Keach does an incredible job of Job and Paul. Louis Gossett, Jr. does John. Jon Voight does Abraham. Max von Sydow (a guy who played starring roles as both Jesus and the devil in hit movies) does Noah. Lou Diamond Phillips does Mark. These and others really make the Bible come alive. Be sure to get your copy today, kids!
Study the word! Listen to the word! Love the word! We are admonished to listen to the word of the Lord, right in the word itself. Yes, great things are to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.
I. And You Trebled (verses 17-23)
As a reminder, the name Jonathan is spelled with the additional hey (our h) throughout this chapter. It is the fifth letter of the aleph-bet and means look, reveal, and breath –
יוֹנָתָ֗ן
יְהוֹנָתָ֜ן
Jonathan will be mentioned twenty-nine times in this chapter. All twenty-nine times, the additional letter will be used. Jehonathan has the same meaning as Jonathan, Yah Has Given. Despite the spelling, when I refer to him other than in the translation, I will call him Jonathan.
17 Now Jonathan again caused David to vow,
vayoseph yehonathan lehashbia eth David – “And he will cause to add, Jehonathan, to cause to seven David.” In verse 12, Jonathan had noted “Yehovah, ‘God, Israel’.” He appealed to the Lord as a witness. He then made promises to David, petitioning him in verses 14 & 15 concerning David’s fidelity to him and his house.
Based on that, Jonathan asks David to swear to what he has petitioned. The “again” is based on the covenant the two made in verse 18:3, where it said, “And he cut, Jehonathan and David, covenant in his love – him, according to his soul.”
This would have included a vow between the two. Jonathan’s petition asks for a reconfirmation of that vow.
Jehonathan has the same meaning as Jonathan, Yah Has Given. David means Beloved.
The reason for the vow is seen next. It is restating what occurred in Chapter 18…
17 (con’t) because he loved him;
beahavato otho – “in his ‘love, him’.” Jonathan is not asking David to swear out of fear, as if David’s ascendancy might jeopardize his safety or the safety of his family. Rather, Jonathan was completely convinced that David would rule Israel. In his love for David, he couldn’t bear the thought of being reduced in David’s eyes, or even forgotten entirely by him as he took on the responsibilities of the kingdom.
Jonathan saw how the kingdom changed his father, and he didn’t want the love between them to dwindle and eventually extinguish through some similar event or change…
17 (con’t) for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
ki ahavath napsho ahevo – “For love, his soul, he cherished him.” The parallel between the original vow and this restipulation can be seen when put side by side –
“And he cut, Jehonathan and David, covenant in his ‘love, him’, according to his soul.”
“And he will cause to add, Jehonathan, to cause to seven David in his ‘love, him’. For love his soul, he cherished him.”
Jonathan truly loved David and desperately wanted the same love returned to him and his house for all time..
18 Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon; and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.
vayomer lo yehonathan makhar khodesh veniphqadta ki yipaqed moshavekha – “And he said to him, Jehonathan, ‘Tomorrow Renewal, and you were visited, for you will be visited, your seat.” The NKJV gives the sense, but it lacks precision. The meaning of visited is to notice and account for, such as in the mustering of troops.
They are brought into the presence of the one in charge of accounting and are numbered accordingly. At Saul’s feast, there will be a visitation of those who should be present. When David’s seat is empty, his absence will be noted.
As for the moshav, seat, it represents the situation in which one exists. A great example of this is found in Exodus 12:40 –
“And seat, sons Israel, who they sat in Egypt: thirty year and four hundreds year.”
Thus, the situation in which they found themselves was sitting in Egypt for a lengthy period of time.
19 And when you have stayed three days,
The words of verse 19 are almost incomprehensible, including this first word: veshilashta – “And you trebled.” Anyone? The number of suggestions concerning what this means, and therefore the rest of the verse, is long. John Lange gives several detailed possible explanations from noted scholars, none of which really make sense, concedes and says, “Perhaps, however, the text is corrupt…” He then amends the text to say something else.
Therefore, what I suggest will be as likely or questionable as any other explanation… 🥳but it is correct 🥳. Jonathan just acknowledged that David will not be at the feast. Therefore, what he says in this verse must be contingent on that. The word shalash, to intensify and thus to treble, is only used in this form one other time, veshilashta, and you trebled –
“You must cause to establish to you the road, and you trebled [veshilashta] border your land which will cause to inherit you, Yehovah your God, and it was to flee there all manslaying.” Deuteronomy 19:3 (CG).
This means that the land was trebled, divided into three parts. In Scripture, the number three signifies that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire. In essence, it refers to divine perfection. Expanding on that, Bullinger says –
“The number three, therefore, must be taken as the number of Divine fulness. It signifies and represents the Holy Spirit as taking of the things of Christ and making them real and solid in our experience. It is only by the Spirit that we realise spiritual things. Without Him and His gracious operation, all is surface work: all is what a plane figure is to a solid (John 3:6).”
Jonathan instructs David to do three separate things. He next describes those three parts…
19 (con’t) go down quickly
tered meod – “you will descend vehemently.” Unless this clause is understood as one of three divisions to be complied with, the words are utterly impenetrable. Saying for David to wait until the third day and then descend quickly makes as much sense as going for an afternoon swim in quicksand.
However, if it is a suggestion to follow immediately, it fits as well as custom-made leather gloves. Jonathan knows David won’t be at the meal. Therefore, he should descend without delay. This is the first portion of David being trebled…
19 (con’t) and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed;
u-vatha el hamaqom asher nistarta sham beyom ha’maaseh – “and you came unto the place where you were hid there in ‘day, the deed’.” Again, the words are confusing. Is this referring to when David hid, as recorded in verses 19:2-7? There, it referred to meeting in a field where David hid so that Jonathan could find out what Saul’s disposition toward him would be. That is probably not what “the deed” refers to.
Rather, it refers to what is coming. Jonathan uses the perfect verb to describe what lies ahead, as if it is an accomplished deed, a common trait of Hebrew. To paraphrase for clarity, “And you are to go to the place where you will be hiding when the deed I am explaining to you happens.” This is the second portion of David being trebled.
19 (con’t) and remain by the stone Ezel.
veyashavta etsel ha’even ha’azel – “and you sat beside the ‘stone, the Departure’.” This is the only time this stone is referred to in Scripture. Therefore, it probably is not looking back at what happened in Chapter 19. Instead, it is a stone known by Jonathan and David. This is the third portion of David being trebled.
Ezel is from azal, to depart or be gone. The word is used when bread is gone from a sack or when water disappears, such as evaporating from the sea. Jones’ Dictionary says Departure. Young’s says Division or Separation. As such, it is the stone, the Departure (Gone, Division, Separation, etc.).
20 Then I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target;
vaani shelosheth ha’khitsim tsidah oreh leshalakh li lematarah – “And I, ‘three, the arrows’ its side I will ‘cause to flow’ to send to me to guarding.” Jonathan tells David of how he will alert him to Saul’s intent. He will shoot three arrows to the side of the stone as a point of reference to initiate the process.
A new noun is seen, khetsi, an arrow. It is a prolongation of khets, an arrow. Both words are derived from a verb signifying to cut, split in two, or halve. Thus, the same spelling with differing vowel pointing signifies a half.
Another new noun is matarah, a guarding. It is from natar, to guard. Saying target is a suitable paraphrase because one guards (watches) the target as he shoots. With this portion of the sign explained, he says…
21 and there I will send a lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’
vehineh eshlakh eth hanaar lekh metsa eth ha’khitshim – “And behold! I will send the lad: ‘You must walk, and you must find the arrows.’” Jonathan will have an attendant with him as a runner to retrieve his arrows. Being the king’s son, this would be a standard perk of the job. As the lad went forth, the instructions for David would be clearly presented in a preplanned code…
21 (con’t) If I expressly say to the lad, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them and come’—then, as the Lord lives, there is safety for you and no harm.
im amor omar lanaar hineh ha’khitsim mimekha vahenah qakhenu vavoakh ki shalom lekha veein davar khai Yehovah – “If saying, I will say to the lad, ‘Behold! The arrows from ‘at you and hither’, you must take it, and you must (surely) come,” for peace to you, and ‘naught, word’ – alive Yehovah!” As the lad heads out, Jonathan would wait until a certain point. If things are ok with Saul, when the lad gets to that point, Jonathan will call out that he has passed the arrows and needs to turn around to find them.
If this is the case, then there is no danger to David. Jonathan even confirms it as an abbreviated oath, saying, “Alive Yehovah!”…
22 But if I say thus to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you’—go your way, for the Lord has sent you away.
veim koh omar laelem hineh ha’khitsim mimekha vahaleah lekh ki shilakhakha Yehovah – “And if thus I will say to the stripling, ‘Behold! The arrows from ‘at you and beyond’,’ you must walk, for he sent you, Yehovah.” On the other hand, if Jonathan calls out that there is still a distance between the stripling and the arrows, it means that things did not go well with Saul.
Thus, Yehovah has determined for David to depart. If so, Cambridge notably states, “God had another school in which the future king must be trained.” That is a correct assessment, and yet, David will learn from the hand of Saul as he is relentlessly pursued almost until the time of Saul’s death.
As a note of curiosity, this verse has the second and last use of elem, stripling, in Scripture. The first was in 1 Samuel 17:56 when Saul asked Abner whose son the stripling David was.
23 And as for the matter which you and I have spoken of, indeed the Lord be between you and me forever.”
veha’davar asher dibarnu ani vaatah hineh Yehovah beni u-venekha ad olam – “And the word which I spoke, I and you, behold, Yehovah between me and between you until vanishment.” This “word” refers to what was said in verses 18:3 & 4 and 20:15-16. In Chapter 18, the covenant between them was set forth. In Chapter 20, it was restipulated and expanded. The words “until vanishment” are a repetition of verse 20:15 –
“And not you will cause to cut your kindness from with my house until vanishment.”
“And the word which I spoke, I and you, behold, Yehovah between me and between you until vanishment.”
The repetition shows how desperately Jonathan wanted the matter to be remembered and how difficult being separated from David would be if things didn’t go well. The thought “until vanishment,” conveys the expectation of Jonathan and David to both uphold their commitment to the word. However, succeeding generations might let the matter slip.
Therefore, saying that Yehovah was between them (meaning including their posterity) He was to be there to avenge any forsaking of the covenant.
If you have known grace, don’t throw it away
Hold it fast all your days
To see God’s face, on that glorious day
Let grace guide you in all your ways
We can’t have one foot there on grace’s side
And another in deeds of the law to help us
So give up on all your pride
Hold fast to the grace that is given through Jesus
Life is frustrating even on a good day
How much more when we forsake grace
Don’t let go, no way Jose!
Hold fast to grace alone to see God’s face
II. Let Me Be Eluded, Pray (verses 24-33)
24 Then David hid in the field.
vayisather David basadeh – “And he was hid, David, in the field.” These words correspond to what was said in verse 19, “you will descend vehemently.” He descended straightaway to the field where he could hide himself. In Scripture, the field is typologically used to signify the world at large.
24 (con’t) And when the New Moon had come,
Rather: vayhi ha’khodesh – “And it was the Renewal.” Instead of an anticipatory introductory clause, the words are a statement of fact. With David hiding in the field, the Renewal arrived. At that time, it says…
24 (con’t) the king sat down to eat the feast.
vayeshev ha’melekh al leekhol – “and he sat, the king, upon [k.] to eat.” The written and the oral Hebrew are different. The written says al [על], upon. The oral says el [אל], unto the bread. The change is made because of what it says in the next verse. However, the written is probably correct and should be maintained. The king sat down upon (the table) to eat.
25 Now the king sat on his seat,
vayeshev ha’melekh al moshavo – “And he sat, the king, upon his seat.” This explains the reason why the scribes changed the oral reading. It says the king sat upon to eat, and then it says the king sat upon his seat. To avoid confusion between the two, they have it sound more understandable –
“The king sat upon to eat, and the king sat upon the seat.”
“The king sat unto the bread, and the king sat upon the seat.”
25 (con’t) as at other times, on a seat by the wall.
kephaam bephaam el moshav ha’qir – “according to beat in beat, unto ‘seat, the wall’.” In other words, this was where he normally sat at the table. He had the wall to his back, probably so he could rest against it while others around the table had to sit up and eat or recline on their side.
As has been seen, the qir, wall, signifies a revelation of character. Sitting on a seat against a wall signifies the situation in which he exists (moshav) reveals his character (qir).
25 (con’t) And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.
vayaqam yehonathan vayeshev avner mitsad shaul vayipaqed meqom David – “And he arose, Jehonathan. And he sat, Abner, from ‘side, Saul’. And it was visited, ‘place, David’.” Lengthy speculation is unnecessarily given concerning the phrase, “And he arose, Jonathan,” as if the words are mysterious.
The intent is that Jonathan was already seated at the table. He was either next to Saul, and he yielded his seat to Abner, or Jonathan stood as a formal, courteous way of acknowledging his uncle’s entry. The latter would be similar to the mandate of Leviticus 19:32 –
“From faces oldster you will rise, and you exalt faces aged. And you feared from your God. I Yehovah.” (CG).
Regardless of Abner’s age, his position would require Jonathan to rise as he entered.
Abner means Father of Light. Saul means Asked.
26 Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day,
velo diber shaul meumah bayom ha’hu – “And not he spoke, Saul, speck in the day, the it.” This is in response to the words, “And it was visited, place David.” Saul visited David’s seat but let his absence go…
26 (con’t) for he thought, “Something has happened to him; he is unclean, surely he is unclean.”
ki amar miqreh hu bilti tahor hu ki lo tahor – “for he said, ‘Mishap, it. Except clean he, for not clean.’” People in Israel became unclean for a multitude of reasons. If so, they were excused from participating in various things. During some events, the law mandated nonparticipation in things if unclean. Therefore, Saul wouldn’t be concerned about a person missing a single meal.
27 And it happened the next day, the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty.
vayhi mimakhorath ha’khodesh ha’sheni vayipaqed meqom David – “And it was, from ‘morrow, the Renewal’, the second, and it was visited, ‘place, David’.” Saying Renewal, the second, means it is the second day of the month. David is again visited and found absent. To be unclean for two days would cause most people to ask about the welfare of another if they were regularly in attendance. Therefore..
27 (con’t) And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to eat, either yesterday or today?”
vayomer shaul el yehonathan beno madua lo va ven Yishai gam temol gam hayom el ha’lakhem – “And he said, Saul, unto Jehonathan his son, ‘Whatchaknow – not he came, ‘son, Jesse’, also yesterday, also the day, unto the bread.’” Calling David “son Jesse” has weight. Saying a person’s first name signifies general talk. Using the father’s name can be an honorific, a term of joking familiarity, a term of indifference, a term of contempt, etc., depending on the context.
In this case, it is probably one of the latter two, but without hearing Saul’s tone of voice, it is hard to know for certain. Regardless, there is additional import when noting the father’s name. Saul is stressing the question as a form of interrogation.
Jesse means My Husband. But it also means Yehovah Exists. As such, the name contains the weighty notion that human marriage reflects divine revelation.
28 So Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem.
Jonathan is playful in his response: vayaan yehonathan eth shaul nishol nishal David meimadi ad beith lakhem – “And he answered, Jehonathan, unto Saul, ‘Being asked, he was asked, David, from ‘with me until Bethlehem’.’” Jonathan is using the agreed-upon excuse for David’s absence from verse 6. However, his response is with the unusual, even lively “from ‘with me until Bethlehem’.”
David was at his side but asked to put this separation between them, as far as Bethlehem, as an allowance…
29 And he said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city,
vayomer shalekheni na ki zevakh mishpakhah lanu bair – “And he said, ‘You must send, pray, for ‘sacrifice, family’ to us in the city.” The “send” was explained with “until Bethlehem.” Being the Renewal, probably the first of the seventh month, detailed in Leviticus 23, it would be a time of feasting and celebration –
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: “In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.’” Leviticus 23:23-25
This sacrifice could be for any reason on any given first of the month, but as discussed in verse 5, it appears this is referring to this particular time at the beginning of the seventh month.
29 (con’t) and my brother has commanded me to be there.
The words of (supposedly) David are emphatic: vehu tsivah li akhi – “and he, he enjoined to me, my brother.” The brother being the one to enjoin David may mean Jesse was gone, incapacitated, extending his authority to his eldest son, or some other cultural nuance. Whatever the reason, it would be hard for David to turn down a request like this…
29 (con’t) And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me get away and see my brothers.’
veatah im matsati khen beenekha imaletah na veereh eth ekhay – “And now, if I found graciousness in your eyes, let me be eluded, I pray, and I saw my brothers.” The playful tone continues with the word malat. It literally means to be slippery. It is what one does when escaping the hand of his enemy, such as when David eluded Saul with Michal’s help in chapter 19.
We talk like this in our own times of fun. Rupert Holmes gave an example in The Piña Colada Song –
“🎵You’re the lady I’ve looked for
Come with me and escape🎵”
Jonathan is doing his best to keep the tone upbeat and amicable in hopes of Saul being favorably disposed towards the situation.
29 (con’t) Therefore he has not come to the king’s table.”
al ken lo va el shulkhan ha’melekh – “Upon thus, not he came unto ‘table, the king’.” This is a summary thought to conclude his made-up excuse for David’s absence. However, the light-hearted notes and tones didn’t pay off…
30 Then Saul’s anger was aroused against Jonathan,
vayikhar aph shaul bihonathan – “And it burned, ‘nostril, Saul’, in Jehonathan.” This was the outcome David anticipated, and which Jonathan denied was the case, as seen in verses 2 & 3. David understood the situation. Sure enough, Saul blew a proverbial gasket and took it out on his son. It was as if flames shot out of his nose in his heated anger of the moment…
30 (con’t) and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman!
The insertion of “mother” or “woman” is wholly subjective: vayomer lo ben naavath ha’marduth – “And he said to him, ‘Son, being crooked – the rebelliousness!’” Although almost all translations mention the mother or a woman, the words say nothing of either. The word son is a way of identifying character or nature. As in verse 31, a son of death is a person who deserves to die.
It does not naturally follow, therefore, that Saul imputes any evil towards Jonathan’s mother. “Son” is followed by a participle verb, not an adjective. The two are summed up with a noun explaining the nature, “the rebelliousness.”
Though no translation is accurate, hats off and bows to the few that got the sense of them. A great paraphrase that gets honorable mention is the NET Bible, which says, “You stupid traitor!”
There are two new words in this clause. The first is avah, a verb signifying “to make crooked.” Being a niphal participle, it means, “being crooked,” as in “being twisted.” It is as if Jonathan is in the process of being subverted in his loyalty by David.
The second new word is marduth, a noun found only here. It is from marad, to rebel. Thus, it is rebelliousness. Being preceded by a definite article, it is intended to sum up Jonathan’s state because of what David has done to him, “the rebelliousness.” This evaluation is supported by Saul’s next words…
30 (con’t) Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame
halo yadati ki vokher atah leven Yishai levashetekha – “(Indeed) not, I knew for selecting you to son Jesse to your shame.” Saul’s previous words are explained here. He says that Jonathan is being twisted by David, and he was existing in a state of rebelliousness which has resulted in his bosheth, shame.
It is a new noun. It refers to the feeling and the condition, as well as the cause, such as an idol, the cause of one’s spiritual shame. Though introduced here, it is used again by Saul in his next words…
30 (con’t) and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?
u-levosheth ervath imekha – “and to ‘shame, nakedness, your mother’?” Again, this says nothing maligning about the mother. Rather, it is a way of saying that the mother’s nakedness, a nuanced way of saying her time with Saul, resulted in a son that she would be ashamed of choosing a friend over his family and name.
31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth,
Rather: ki khal ha’yamim asher ben Yishai khai al ha’adamah – “For all the days which ‘son, Jesse’ alive upon the ground.” Why Saul chose the word ha’adamah, the ground, instead of arets, land or earth, is unknown, but it implies shades of other things.
David was called red or ruddy in Chapters 16 and 17. Both words come from the same root as the verb adom, to be red. The ground, from a biblical standpoint, is considered red. Thus, when Adam was formed from it, he was a reddish being, being formed from the reddish soil.
Thus, Saul may be making a jest at David, “As long as the son of Jesse, the red one, lives on the ground…”
31 (con’t) you shall not be established, nor your kingdom.
lo thikon atah u-malkhutekha – “not you will be established, you and your kingdom.” Like Maduro of Venezuela before he was captured, Saul is living in a dream world. The Lord, through Samuel, already told Saul that the kingdom was to be taken from him. There will be no kingdom for Jonathan. But Saul cannot accept that…
31 (con’t) Now therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.”
veatah shelakh veqakh oto elay ki ven maveth hu – “And now, you must send, and you must take him unto me, for ‘son, death’, he.” Saul’s word is a command to a soldier as much as a directive from a father to a son. Jonathan has already essentially been accused of treason. The way to wipe that away is to turn David over to Saul. Calling David a son of death means he deserves to die, and he will when he is brought forth.
32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?”
vayaan yehonathan eth shaul aviv vayomer elav lamah yumath meh asah – “And he answered, Jehonathan, Saul his father, and he said unto him, ‘To why, he will be caused to die? To what, he did?’” In an attempt to calm Saul down and to get him to think, which worked in Chapter 19, Jonathan asks Saul what the charges are that he can levy against David.
However, in Chapter 19, Jonathan spoke to Saul about the good David had done. This time, he asked Saul to tell him what wrong David had done. Unfortunately, answering a question takes more patience, thought, and calm than listening to an explanation.
Instead of getting Saul to reason things out, Jonathan only infuriates him more…
33 Then Saul cast a spear at him to kill him,
vayatel shaul eth ha’khanith alav lehakotho – “And he caused to hurl, Saul, the spear upon him to cause to strike him.” Like he had done with David in the past, Saul held murderous thoughts in his heart towards his own son. There is no reason to assume he didn’t intend to hit Jonathan. Rather, the words indicate this is just what he intended.
As noted before, without the later-added vowel points, the word khanith, spear, is identical to the feminine form of the word khen, grace. It is the word from which Hannah, Grace, is ultimately derived.
*33 (fin) by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David.
vayeda yehonathan ki khalah hi meim aviv lehamith eth David – “And he knew, Jehonathan, for he completed, it, from ‘with his father’ to cause to kill David.” Once the spear came hurling towards him, Jonathan knew that the matter was settled in his father’s mind.
The intensity of Saul’s fury had increased. At one time, he wielded the spear, but that was no longer enough. No, that was last year’s gimmick. Instead, he angrily brandished it, losing control of himself. Jonathan knew that David, though he had done nothing wrong, was destined to die if he returned to the presence of Saul.
Saul had rejected the way of the Lord and was set on doing things his own way. It is something we all do from time to time. The difference, however, was that Saul was stuck in a loop where he wasn’t able to back off and evaluate himself and his relationship with the Lord.
David was completely different in that regard. Like Saul, he got sidetracked and did things his own way, but he always had the Lord in his mind, even if He was pushed out of the way for a while.
Once David became aware of his faults, the result was an outpouring of sorrowful, loving emotion toward his God. The question for us is, “How can we respond like David when we err from what is right?”
The answer is to stay close to the Lord at all times. As I said, David always had the Lord on his mind. This is not natural to us. Nor is it something that will passively overtake us. Rather, we need to actively consider the Lord in our lives.
We can do this by reading his word, something we must actively choose to do. We can do it by talking to Him, as if He is right here with us (because He is). That is something we must actively choose to do.
Other things that we, as believers, can do are attend church, go to Bible studies, pass out tracts, or wake up and make our first words offerings to the Lord. And when we go to bed, make our last words the same way. During the day, we can show gratitude for our food, the beautiful scenery, the people we know, and so on.
The more in tune we are with the Lord, the more likely we are to return to Him after our sidesteps away from Him in anger, lust, frustration, or whatever else attacks our mortal senses and diverts our attention away from Him.
Remember the Lord, actively pursue Him, and be ever ready to acknowledge your faults and weaknesses. He has been through this walk of life, and He understands the pressures we face. We serve a great and wonderful Creator who knows us and accepts us, despite all our faults, because of our faith in Jesus. Hold fast to Him and His goodness always. May it be so.
Closing Verse: “The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.” Psalm 28:7
Next Week: 1 Samuel 20:34-42 After this, they will be alone,,, and aparture, sad to see… (The Stone, the Departure, Part III) (45th 1 Samuel sermon)
The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He is the One who abases the haughty and exalts the humble. He regards the lowly, and the proud, He knows from afar. So yield yourself to Him, trust Him, and believe His word. In this, He will do great things for you and through you.
1 Samuel 20:17-33 (CG)
17And he will cause to add, Jehonathan, to cause to seven David in his ‘love, him’. For love, his soul, he cherished him. 18And he said to him, Jehonathan, “Tomorrow Renewal, and you were visited, for you will be visited, your seat. 19And you trebled: you will descend vehemently, and you came unto the place which you were hid there in day the deed, and you sat beside the stone, the Departure. 20And I, three the arrows its side I will cause to flow to send to me to guarding. 21And behold! I will send the lad: “You must walk, and you must find the arrows.” If saying, I will say to the lad, “Behold! The arrows from at you and hither, you must take it, and you must (surely) come,” for peace to you, and naught word – alive Yehovah! 22And if thus I will say to the stripling, “Behold! The arrows from at you and beyond,” you must walk, for he sent you, Yehovah. 23And the word which I spoke, I and you, behold, Yehovah between me and between you until vanishment.”
24And he was hid, David, in the field. And it was the Renewal. And he sat, the king, upon [k.] to eat. 25And he sat, the king, upon his seat according to beat in beat, unto seat the wall. And he arose, Jehonathan. And he sat, Abner, from side Saul. And it was visited, place David. 26And not he spoke, Saul, speck in the day, the it, for he said, “Mishap it. Except clean, he, for not clean.” 27And it was, from morrow the Renewal, the second, and it was visited, place David. And he said, Saul, unto Jehonathan his son, “Whatchaknow – not he came, ‘son, Jesse’, also yesterday, also the day, unto the bread.”
28And he answered, Jehonathan, unto Saul, “Being asked, he was asked from ‘with me until Bethlehem’.” 29And he said, “You must send, pray, for sacrifice family to us in the city, and he, he enjoined to me, my brother. And now, if I found graciousness in your eyes, let me be eluded, pray, and I saw my brothers.” Upon thus, not he came unto ‘table, the king’.
30And it burned, nostril Saul, in Jehonathan. And he said to him, “Son, being crooked – the rebelliousness! Not, I know for selecting you to son Jesse to your shame and to shame nakedness your mother? 31For all the days which son Jesse alive upon the ground, not you will be established, you and your kingdom. And now, you must send, and you must take him unto me, for son death, he.”
32And he answered, Jehonathan, Saul his father, and he said unto him, “To why he will be caused to die? To what he did?” 33And he caused to hurl, Saul, the spear upon him to cause to strike him. And he knew, Jehonathan, for he completed, it, from with his father to cause to kill David.
Verse 24 – Qeri: “unto.”
1 Samuel 20:17-34 (NKJV)
17 Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 18 Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon; and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 And when you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed; and remain by the stone Ezel. 20 Then I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target; 21 and there I will send a lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I expressly say to the lad, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them and come’—then, as the Lord lives, there is safety for you and no harm. 22 But if I say thus to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you’—go your way, for the Lord has sent you away. 23 And as for the matter which you and I have spoken of, indeed the Lord be between you and me forever.”
24 Then David hid in the field. And when the New Moon had come, the king sat down to eat the feast. 25 Now the king sat on his seat, as at other times, on a seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty. 26 Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him; he is unclean, surely he is unclean.” 27 And it happened the next day, the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to eat, either yesterday or today?”
28 So Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem. 29 And he said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me get away and see my brothers.’ Therefore he has not come to the king’s table.”
30 Then Saul’s anger was aroused 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, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.”
32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?” 33 Then Saul cast a spear at him to kill him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David.
