1 Samuel (Written)

8

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

1 Samuel 20:34-42
The Stone, the Departure, Part III

(Typed 12 January 2026) I never get tired of how God works things into His word. He takes real stories of actual historical events and people and uses them to typologically cover a seemingly unlimited number of things.

He reveals doctrines, truths, and future events. Some events span extended periods from past to present and into the future! One story can represent events in history that span thousands of years.

At the same time, the stories are a historical part of the lives of those He is using. When one typological picture is complete, the life of a person may go on to reveal more things in typology.

The last words of this chapter say, “And he arose, and he walked. And Jehonathan, he went – the city.” Two men were the focus of the entire chapter, revealing typology.

That alone is amazing. Making one story seamlessly fit into another part of the redemptive narrative by using select words and phrases is, by itself, an astonishing literary feat. And yet, there is more to come.

Text Verse: “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:2, 3

Both Jonathan and David have been used in multiple pictures already. By a simple spelling change of Jonathan’s name, an entire panorama of new or unique information can be discerned.

In some accounts, the name change has only been a couple of times out of many uses of his name. In this chapter, the additional letter is used consistently from beginning to end. Even that fact, meaning the number of times it occurs, can give us information.

Both men will continue on in the literal historical narrative, and they will also be used for different typology. The Bible is astonishing because God is amazing.

Let us revel in this glorious gift God has given us. It is, after all, 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. He Flowed the Arrow (verses 34-42)

³⁴ So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger,

vayaqam y_ehonathan meim ha’shulkhan bakhori aph – “And he arose, Jehonathan, from ‘with the table’ in ‘inferno, nostril’.” Saul has become so mentally unhinged that targeting Jonathan with a spear is acceptable in his mind. This is more poignant because it was done in front of others who sat at the table. It is an issue where sides will naturally be taken when the matter is later discussed.

As for Jonathan, the more usual term for anger, burning nostril, has been replaced with the noun form of the same word. Jonathan’s anger is like an inferno contained within his head, fuming through his nostril. Because of this situation, he arose in his furious state…

^{34 (con’t)} and ate no food the second day of the month,

v_elo akhal b_eyom ha’khodesh ha’sheni lekhem – “And not he ate in ‘day, the Renewal, the second’, bread.” There goes the meal. Regardless of how Saul acted after the outburst, everyone else would be on pins and needles as they ate. And despite this probably being the ending meal for the Feast of Acclamation, Jonathan had no desire to rejoice. His father had completely soured his mood…

^{34 (con’t)} for he was grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully.

ki ne_etsav el David ki hikhlimo aviv – “For he was carved unto David. For he caused to humiliate him, his father.” Jonathan’s anger is not that his own father tried to pin him to the wall. That was merely an outward display reflecting the enmity Saul felt for David. In thinking Jonathan was allied with David over himself, Saul hurled the spear.

In his mind, David is the main issue. He is obsessed with the notion that David is bent on betraying him and seizing the kingdom. He is enraged that Jonathan can’t understand this simple fact. But Jonathan knows the truth about David and cannot fathom how his own father could see David as a traitor.

Jonathan’s heart is broken, and it was as if his soul was carved out of him because of the state of things…

³⁵ And so it was, in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad was with him.

Rather than the time, which was never set, it is the place of meeting that was appointed: vayhi vaboqer vayetse y_ehonathan ha’sadeh l_emoed David v_enaar qaton imo – “And it was in the morning, and he went, Jehonathan – the field, to ‘appointment, David’. And the lad, diminutive, with him.” Having the lad with him, as previously planned, was a wise precaution. If Saul pulled the boy off to the side and asked what they did, he would only be able to tell him that they went out to shoot arrows.

The account specifically calls the boy diminutive. It is a purposeful selection intended to quell any suspicion that an older person might be allied with Jonathan. It is also a precaution, because little children do not snoop or ask a lot of questions. This same word was used to describe David in 1 Samuel 17 when he went to face Goliath…

³⁶ Then he said to his lad, “Now run, find the arrows which I shoot.”

vayomer l_enaaro ruts m_etsa na eth ha’khitsim asher anokhi moreh – “And he said to his lad, ‘You must run, you must find, pray, the arrows which I myself ‘causing to flow’.’” The scene is totally normal for anyone unaware of the prearranged meeting. The lad would have fun running after arrows, and he would be totally unsuspecting of a thing. So following Jonathan’s imperatives, he would have hurriedly headed out as Jonathan “caused to flow,” meaning shot, his arrows.

^{36 (con’t)} As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

ha’naar rats v_ehu yarah ha’khetsi l_ehaaviro – “The lad, he ran, and he, he ‘flowed the arrow’ to his ‘cause to traverse.’” The words “cause to traverse” are speaking of where the boy is. It is rightly paraphrased by the NKJV. Jonathan noted where the boy was and shot beyond him, thus traversing him.

In verse 20, it said that Jonathan would shoot three arrows. There is no reason to assume a lack of cohesion between the two verses. To “flow the arrow” could be a flavorful, collective way of saying that he shot multiple arrows.

We do this regularly when we use a singular to indicate repeated events, such as “At the range, Charlie shot the gun.” The indefiniteness of the action is understood to mean any number of rounds. And if Charlie goes to the range, he is going to shoot a lot. None of the uses of “the arrow” negate this…

³⁷ When the lad had come to the place where the arrow was which Jonathan had shot,

vayavo ha’naar ad m_eqom ha’khetsi asher yarah y_ehonathan – “And he came, the lad, until ‘place, the arrow’ which he flowed, Jehonathan.” Regardless of the number of arrows, Jonathan had sent the arrow beyond the boy. Eventually, the boy arrived at the general location and…

^{37 (con’t)} Jonathan cried out after the lad and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?”

vayiqra y_ehonathan akhare ha’naar vayomer halo ha’khetsi mim_ekha vahal_eah – “And he called, Jehonathan, after the lad, and he said, ‘(Indeed) not the arrow from ‘at you and beyond’?’” This continues to give the sense that more than one arrow was shot. The boy came to where “the arrow” was. Thus, Jonathan, using the singular, indicates that “the arrow,” collectively meaning all he shot, were from where he was and beyond.

For example, take a person who wants to collect mushrooms. He asks a local where he can get them. The guy walks with him to a point and then says, “From here and beyond you’ll find them.” He may even add, “They are everywhere after this.”

This is the agreed-upon sign from verse 20. If Jonathan called out that the arrows were beyond the lad, then David would know he was in a pickle with Saul. And this was a serious pickle, gherkin perhaps. Therefore, Jonathan calls out the gravity of the matter…

³⁸ And Jonathan cried out after the lad, “Make haste, hurry, do not delay!”

vayiqra y_ehonathan akhare ha’naar m_eherah khutsah al taamod – “And he called, Jehonathan, after the lad, ‘Promptly! You must hurry. Not you will stand.’” The lad was unaware that this was said for David’s sake. Therefore, he probably thought Jonathan was in a hurry to shoot more or something. Not wanting to delay because of Jonathan’s rushed words, it says…

^{38 (con’t)} So Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows and came back to his master.

The written and oral renderings differ: vaylaqet naar y_ehonathan eth ha’khetsi vayavo el adonav – “And he gleaned, ‘lad, Jehonathan’, the arrow [k.]. And he came unto his lord.” The scribes, avoiding the collective nature of the word, change the oral reading to “the arrows.” However, as with the singular “the frog” in Exodus 8:6, which is used to indicate millions of frogs, the word khetsi, arrow, here is being used collectively.

³⁹ But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew of the matter.

v_ehanaar lo yada m_eumah akh y_ehonathan v_edavid yad_eu eth ha’davar – “And the lad not he knew speck. Only Jehonathan and David, they knew the word.” These words highlight their fear derived from Saul’s state. Jonathan and David wanted the matter to be completely unknown to the boy, lest he might say something under pressure from Saul that would jeopardize their own safety. Thus, the lad was kept entirely unaware of the matter.

⁴⁰ Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”

vayiten y_ehonathan eth kelav el ha’naar asher lo vayomer lo lekh have hair – “And he gave, Jehonathan, his vessels unto the lad which to him. And he said to him, ‘You must walk, you must cause to go – the city.’” The vessels refer to his bow and arrows, but could extend to a water bottle or box lunch, anything Jonathan didn’t want to bother with.

It was the duty of such a lad to carry whatever his master wanted him to. This is an excuse to get him out of the area so Jonathan and David could meet before parting…

⁴¹ As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south,

ha’naar ba v_edavid qam meetsel ha’negev – “The lad, he went. And David, he arose from ‘side, the south’.” After the lad’s departure, the narrative specifically focuses on David situationally, noting he arose from the south side, probably meaning the south side of the stone of the Departure.

Although the word translated as “side” is not the same as in verse 20, saying “from side, the south” is unintelligible enough, and the two words are close enough, so that many texts and some translations ascribe it to the same word –

הָאָֽזֶל the Ezel
מֵאֵ֣צֶל from side

For example, “The youth hath gone, and David hath risen from Ezel, at the south…” (YLT). This, however, is not what the text says.

The negev, south, comes from an unused root signifying being parched, as occurs when the south wind blows. As for David, once he had arisen from the south side, he…

^{41 (con’t)} fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times.

vayipol l_eapav artsah vayishtakhu shalosh p_eamim – “and he fell to his nostrils earthward. And he prostrated himself three beats.” The specificity asks us to picture what is being presented. David got up from the south side, approached Jonathan, and was overwhelmed with the moment.

David knew that Jonathan had faithfully checked things out, and his warning meant this would mean a long, if not permanent, parting. David’s three prostrations before Jonathan were a sign of respect, thanks, and love all wrapped up together.

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

^{41 (con’t)} And they kissed one another;

vayish_equ ish eth reehu – “And they kissed, ‘man, his associate’.” The words are unfortunately abused by those with a perverted agenda, as if there was some type of inappropriate conduct being highlighted. That has nothing to do with the culture, context, or intent.

To this day, throughout the Middle East, this is a common, natural, and accepted form of greeting. It has nothing to do with homosexuality. Rather, it is equivalent in our culture to hugging a best friend before or after a long absence, during times of distress, and so forth. The context clearly reveals the intent, including…

^{41 (con’t)} and they wept together, but David more so.

The intent of the final clause is highly debated and widely translated: vayivku ish eth reehu ad David higdil – “And they wept, ‘man, his associate’, until David – he caused to amplify.” The word gadal means to twist. Thus, it signifies to be (or causatively, to make) large. When you twist threads, you enlarge them both in size and in strength until you have a cord and then a rope.

With this in mind, the word has many significations. A child will grow. When we praise, the Lord is magnified. A person of fame becomes great. And when one weeps uncontrollably, his sobs will amplify. In these instances, if one says “enlarge” with the intended thought in mind, though clunky, each makes sense.

Without understanding the root meaning, saying, “David, he caused to enlarge,” would have no meaning to us. But all we need to do is think about anyone who suffers great emotional trauma, and it becomes perfectly understandable. As humans, we can get ourselves so emotionally overwhelmed that our bellows of sadness are uncontrollable.

⁴² Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord,

vayomer y_ehonathan l_edavid lekh l_eshalom asher nishbanu sh_enenu anakhnu b_eshem Y_ehovah – “And he said, Jehonathan, to David, ‘You must walk to peace which we were sevened, ‘two, us’ – we – in name Yehovah.’” Translations miss the precise nuance being conveyed. With one exception, they all essentially agree with the NKJV, which says, “Go in peace, because…” This makes one thing the result of the other.

The Peshitta skips this intent and makes it two thoughts: “Go in peace! We both have sworn in the name of LORD JEHOVAH, saying…” But that still lacks the tone. It says: “You must walk to peace which we were sevened.” A modification for clarity would be, “You must walk in the peace by which we vowed.”

Jonathan isn’t wishing David to simply go in peace, because. He is telling David he should walk in the state of peace between the two of them. It is true that it is based on their vow, but Jonathan is recalling what was said in verse 8 and then in verses 14-16 –

David to Jonathan: “And you did kindness upon your servant, for in covenant Yehovah you caused to bring your servant with you.” 1 Samuel 20:8

Jonathan to David: “And not, if I yet alive, and not you will do with me kindness Yehovah? And not I will die. ¹⁵And not you will cause to cut your kindness from with my house until vanishment. And not, in cause to cut, Yehovah, hatings David – man from upon faces the ground.” ¹⁶And he cut, Jehonathan, with house David, “And He sought, Yehovah, from hand hatings David.” 1 Samuel 20:14-16

Remembering this, Jonathan essentially says, “We have sworn to uphold our state of peace. You must walk in that state of peace.” That is why he added the emphatic, “two us – we – in name Yehovah.”

Jonathan knows David will be king. When he is, Jonathan doesn’t want him to do what his father has done, forsaking faithfulness and covenant fidelity. That is why he continues…

^{42 (con’t)} saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’”

lemor Y_ehovah yihyeh beni u-venekha u-ven zari u-ven zarakha ad olam – “to say, ‘Yehovah, He will be between me and between you, and between my seed and between your seed until vanishment.’” The words are a close restatement of verses 14 & 15. The full thought, without being expressed because of their love and respect, would be, “You have to uphold the covenant we made, and if you don’t, may the Lord call you to account.”

The last phrase would unnecessarily offend. And so, though implied, the words have been omitted. With that reminder set forth…

*^{42 (fin)} So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

vayaqm vayelekh vihonathan ba ha’ir – “And he arose, and he walked. And Jehonathan, he went – the city.” The parting would have been a difficult moment in their lives. The unsurety of ever meeting again, and if so, amicably, would weigh heavily on their minds. All they could do at this point is leave the future in the hands of the Lord and live their lives remembering their friendship and striving to uphold their vows.

How long will your grace continue to last?
How long can I trust that it will still be there?
What if I die, and my time is past?
Will those after me still receive Your tender care?

How long will Your covenant promises exist?
Is there a time when they will no longer be?
Will there be a day when they fade into the mist
Or will they forever stand for those who come after me?

What is a covenant to You, O Lord my God?
We have transgressed it so many times
What is the measure of Your covenant rod?
Will Your promise be shortened because of our crimes?

II. But for How Long, Lord?

As the explanation for Chapter 19 was closed out, the reason for it said –

“The lesson of this chapter is not merely about the immediate effectiveness of the doctrines of grace, meaning salvation by grace through faith and all it entails, for God’s people. It is about the about the absolute surety of it, and is thus inclusive of the often-maligned doctrine of eternal salvation.

God is telling us in this Old Testament story that Sheol has no authority over God’s redeemed. It is a temporary place for all who go the way of Adam.”

Chapter 20 provides an explanation of the span of that truth. In verse 1, David bolted from the habitations in the Ramah. David is typical of the state of accepting the doctrines of Christ.

As seen in Chapter 19, Ramah refers to believers who are secure through their faith. Despite this, David went to Jonathan (with the additional hey, our h, the spelling used throughout the chapter).

Jonathan is emblematic of those willing to pursue the gifts God has given them. The additional letter hey (our h) pictures the saved believer, granted salvation by grace through faith and sealed with the Spirit. The name is used all twenty-nine times in this chapter.

That is its own clue to the chapter’s intent. Twenty-nine, according to Bullinger is the combination of expectation (20) and judgment (9). In Jonathan is seen the expectation of judgment on sin when allied with the doctrines of Christ.

Still in verse 1, David asked Jonathan why Saul sought his life, denying any wrongdoing. However, Jonathan said in verse 2 that David misunderstood, and all was well, noting that Saul would not hide such a thing from him.

Despite this, in verse 3, David said by oath that Saul knew the closeness between him and Jonathan. Therefore, Saul would not say anything about the matter around Jonathan. David noted that there was just a stride between him and death. Saul, the state of humanity destined for Sheol/Hades, is the king.

He wants his kingdom to continue, and that can only happen if the state of accepting the doctrines of Christ is killed. Accepting David’s premise (verse 4), Jonathan wants to know how he can assist. Thus, in verse 5, David explains that the Renewal (the seventh month New Moon) was coming, and he was expected to sit with the king to eat.

The New Moon seventh-month feast is outlined in Leviticus 23. It anticipated the birth of Christ. From that time, David said he would hide in the field (typical of the world) until the third evening, the number of divine fullness.

David’s idea is that if Saul misses him, Jonathan should tell him that he went to a sacrifice in Bethlehem, House of Bread. If Saul is good with that, they’ll know all is ok. If not, they’ll know that “it finished, the evil, from him.” If so, David was surely Saul’s target.

In verse 8, David reminded Jonathan that “in covenant Yehovah, you caused to bring your servant with you.” This is actually referring to what Paul says in Galatians 3 concerning the covenant with Abraham that set forth the doctrines of salvation by grace through faith –

“And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” Galatians 3:17, 18

It is law that causes man to die. The kingdom of Saul (Sheol) trusts that the pit will retain what it receives. But even before the coming of Christ, the doctrines of Christ were set forth for freeing humanity. We just needed Jesus to come and actually fulfill the requirements for them to be effective.

Still in verse 8, David said that if there was perversity in him, Jonathan himself should kill him rather than take him to Saul. One can see the doctrines of Christ here, first spoken to Abraham, saying to those of faith like Abraham, “If there is fault in me, you reject me. Don’t even bother with Saul. Just kill me off now and go die by the law.”

In verse 9, Jonathan adamantly says that if he had an inkling that Saul intended to kill David, he would surely tell him. Therefore, David (verse 10) wants to know who will tell him if Saul actually has murderous intentions toward him.

That brings about Jonathan’s idea to go into the field (the world) to explain a plan. In verse 12, while in the field, Jonathan vows that he will check out his father’s intentions over the next days. If he finds out Saul’s intention is good toward David, he will let him know.

However, verse 13 noted that if Saul’s intent is evil towards David, Jonathan assured him with an oath that he would tell him in order to send him away in peace.

Verse 14 was Jonathan’s impassioned plea for David to go away in safety so that he would live and not die. Think of what is happening. David represents the doctrines of Christ. If they were destroyed by Saul, it would mean Jonathan would be heir to Saul’s kingdom.

But if Jonathan allows David (the doctrines of Christ) to go safely, his own future would be in question unless David kept him alive as vowed. In essence, will those who have trusted in the doctrines of Christ continue to be saved when the doctrines of Christ are set free and rule?

And so, Jonathan essentially begs David with sobbing, almost impenetrable words not to forget his covenant faithfulness to him and his house forever. He is staking his eternal destiny in the hands of the doctrines of Christ, even when the Lord has cut off every one of the Lord’s enemies “from upon faces the ground.”

When Jonathan said that, he used the term adamah, ground, rather than erets, earth. When every enemy of Adam’s seed is destroyed, Jonathan asks for continuance forever.

Verse 16 then said, “And he cut, Jehonathan, with house David.” The covenant has been agreed to. The doctrines of Christ have accepted the terms. With that, the verse ended with a statement of fact, not a word from Jonathan, “And He sought, Yehovah, from hand hatings David.”

In other words, from that time on, the Lord sought out all who were enemies of David. As Jonathan is not an enemy, but an ally, it is he and his seed that the Lord will favor, not turn against.

Verse 17 returned to the oath between the two, reiterating it for clarity, “And he will cause to add, Jehonathan, to cause to seven David in his love – him. For love his soul, he cherished him.” Think of it! The one who has trusted in the Lord by faith alone is said to love the doctrines of Christ as his own soul.

In verse 18, Jonathan told David the Renewal was the next day, and Saul would visit his seat. The seat represents the situation in which one exists. In verse 19, Jonathan said, “And you trebled.” Three things were to be done by David –

• He was to descend vehemently.
• He was to come unto the place where the deed would be accomplished.
• He was to remain beside ‘the stone the Departure’.

One can see Christ’s coming in this: He descended from the Father, He was here until the deed was accomplished, and He eventually departed.

While David was by the stone in the field, he would wait until Jonathan came and gave his sign. Jonathan will flow three (divine fullness) arrows to the guarding, the target. Then (verse 21), he will send his lad to find them. If he says to the lad that the arrows are between him and Jonathan, then all is ok with Saul.

However, if the arrows are beyond the lad (verse 22), then the Lord has sent David away. Regardless of that, in verse 23, Jonathan again appealed to the oath between he and David, which was to be forever.

In verse 24, David hid in the field (the world), and at the time of the Renewal, the king sat upon the bread, and he sat upon the seat, against the wall, and with Abner by his side.

Typologically, think of the leader of the state of humanity destined for the pit sitting down to feed at the time of the Renewal in the situation in which he exists (the seat), revealing his character (the wall) with the Father of Light by his side.

This is the state of things at Christ’s coming. David isn’t there for Saul to kill. Rather, he is secreted away. The doctrines of Christ are safe from Saul because of Jonathan, the Spirit-filled believer.

Verse 27 describes the second day of the Renewal. Saul asked Jonathan why the son of Jesse, Yehovah Exits, hadn’t come for two days to eat bread. In verse 28, Jonathan told him that David had asked to go to Bethlehem, the House of Bread, for a family sacrifice, having been petitioned by his brother.

Jonathan also told him that David had asked for that graciousness so that he could “be eluded” to be with his brothers. This was all a ruse to see if this would elicit a negative reaction by Saul, which it did. Verse 30 mentioned Saul’s anger at Jonathan for this, calling him, “son being crooked – the rebelliousness.”

Saul’s kingdom represents Sheol asking for rule over humanity. The people of the world are his people. If David, the state of accepting the doctrines of Christ, lives, Jonathan would never be established to rule Saul’s kingdom.

Saul is calling Jonathan a traitor to his own birthright. But Jonathan has already secured a better promise through his beloved David. Saul declared this was a shame to him and to his mother’s nakedness, meaning the family bond that existed between him and Jonathan, because Jonathan was his seed through her.

We have to remember that this represents a spiritual battle between Sheol and the promise of life in Christ. For this reason, in verse 31, Saul said, “For all the days which ‘son, Jesse’ alive upon the ground, not you will be established, you and your kingdom.”

As in verse 14, the word adamah is used again. As long as the son of Yehovah Exists is among men, the kingdom of Saul, Jonathan’s birthright, will not be established in Jonathan. Because of this, the exchange between Saul and Jonathan concerning David is recorded in verses 31 and 32.

Jonathan wanted to know why David should die. Saul responded by hurling his spear (verse 33) at Jonathan. This made it absolutely clear that the enmity from Saul (humanity destined for Sheol) toward David (salvation through the doctrines of Christ) was fixed and would not change.

Remember that 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. Saul essentially said, “You want to live by grace, here, you can die by grace.”

That did it for Jonathan. He arose from the table (verse 34), and didn’t eat “in the Renewal, the second.” In verse 35, Jonathan went into the field (representing the world) in the morning with a little lad to his appointment with David.

Once in the field, he followed the prearranged details, shooting his khatsi, arrow, and sending the lad to retrieve it. That word is identical to khatsi, half. It speaks of the division of time between the promise to Abraham until the time of Christ, and the time of Christ until the end of the age.

Jonathan called to the lad that the arrow was beyond him. That was the signal for David to hold fast and not be seen. The secret was known only to him and Jonathan.

In verse 40, Jonathan sent the lad back to the city with his vessels. With him gone, it said in verse 41 that David arose from the ‘side, the south’. The word negev, south, indicates being parched. David has been on the parched side of the Stone of Departure. That reflects the doctrines of Christ from Abraham until the coming of Christ.

Once David came out of hiding, he prostrated himself three times (divine fullness/divine perfection), and then they kissed, a sign of tangible covenant love. Along with that, they wept, until “David – he caused to amplify.” In other words, the state of accepting the doctrines of Christ was completely overwhelmed by the situation.

Those of faith steadfastly held to their faith throughout the years until Christ’s coming. Think of how Bullinger described the number three–

“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).” Bullinger

In verse 42, Jonathan reminded David of their oath with the nuanced words he spoke, essentially saying, “We have sworn to uphold our state of peace. You must walk in that state of peace.” He then appealed one last time to the covenant between the two of them and between their seed forever.

With that, it noted that David departed, and Jonathan went to the city. The state of accepting the doctrines of Christ has saved people since the time of Abraham. Sheol has worked against this, greedily consuming the souls of men.

But eventually Christ came and destroyed the power of Sheol. However, believers still go to that same place. Our hope, until whatever day God ends this dispensation, is one of trust in Christ. Our walk is a walk of faith.

We are united, however, by covenant with God in Christ. That is why we have a spiritual separation between us and the state in which we exist. We can’t see Jesus, but we can remember what He did.

We aren’t yet glorified, but we can trust that the message we have heard and accepted is true and reliable. David and Jonathan had to depart, but they could remember the covenant between the two of them, trusting that each would uphold his promises.

This is what trust is, and it is based on faith. For those who believe in Jesus, we possess the absolute surety that His covenant faithfulness will be realized in us forever.

It is true that our faith falters at times, but when God looks at our profession of faith and He accepts it, that is a moment marked in eternity. The sealing of the Spirit confirms this as an irrevocable covenant.

As such, we should still do our best to live faithfully for all our days, but when we falter, God has already reckoned that into the equation. So be of good cheer and continue to trust this wonderful, covenant-keeping God.

Closing Verse: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6

Next Week: 1 Samuel 21:1-15 It was covered, I wonder why-eth… (The Sword of Goliath) (46^th 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 20:34-42 (CG)

³⁴And he arose, Jehonathan, from ‘with the table’ in ‘inferno, nostril’. And not he ate in ‘day, the Renewal, the second’, bread. For he was carved unto David. For he caused to humiliate him, his father.

³⁵And it was in the morning, and he went out, Jehonathan – the field, to ‘appointment, David’. And the lad, diminutive, with him. ³⁶And he said to his lad, “You must run, you must find, pray, the arrows which I myself ‘causing to flow’.” The lad, he ran, and he, he ‘flowed the arrow’ to his ‘cause to traverse’. ³⁷And he came, the lad, until ‘place, the arrow’ which he flowed, Jehonathan. And he called, Jehonathan, after the lad, and he said, “(Indeed) not the arrow from ‘at you and beyond’?” ³⁸And he called, Jehonathan, after the lad, “Promptly! You must hurry. Not you will stand.” And he gleaned, ‘lad, Jehonathan’, the arrow [k.]. And he came unto his lord. ³⁹And the lad not he knew speck. Only Jehonathan and David, they knew the word. ⁴⁰And he gave, Jehonathan, his vessels unto the lad which to him. And he said to him, “You must walk, you must cause to go – the city.”

⁴¹The lad, he went. And David, he arose from ‘side, the south’, and he fell to his nostrils earthward. And he prostrated himself three beats. And they kissed, ‘man, his associate’. And they wept, ‘man, his associate’, until David – he caused to amplify. ⁴²And he said, Jehonathan, to David, “You must walk to peace which we were sevened, ‘two, us’ – we – in name Yehovah, to say, ‘Yehovah, He will be between me and between you, and between my seed and between your seed until vanishment.’” And he arose, and he walked. And Jehonathan, he went – the city.

Verse 38 – Qeri: “the arrows.”

 

1 Samuel 20:34-42 (NKJV)

³⁴ 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 treated him shamefully.

³⁵ And so it was, in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a diminutive lad was with him. ³⁶ Then he said to his lad, “Now run, find the arrows which I shoot.” As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. ³⁷ When the lad had come to the place where the arrow was which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried out after the lad and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” ³⁸ And Jonathan cried out after the lad, “Make haste, hurry, do not delay!” So Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows and came back to his master. ³⁹ But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew of the matter. ⁴⁰ Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”

⁴¹ As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so. ⁴² Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’” So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

 

 

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 y_ehonathan l_ehashbia 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;

b_eahavato 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 y_ehonathan makhar khodesh v_eniphqadta ki yipaqed moshav_ekha – “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: v_eshilashta – “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, v_eshilashta, and you trebled –

“You must cause to establish to you the road, and you trebled [v_eshilashta] 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 m_eod – “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 b_eyom 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.

v_eyashavta 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 sh_elosheth ha’khitsim tsidah oreh l_eshalakh li l_ematarah – “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.’

v_ehineh eshlakh eth hanaar lekh m_etsa 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 mim_ekha vahenah qakhenu vavoakh ki shalom l_ekha v_eein 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.

v_eim koh omar laelem hineh ha’khitsim mim_ekha vahal_eah lekh ki shilakhakha Y_ehovah – “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.”

v_eha’davar asher dibarnu ani vaatah hineh Y_ehovah beni u-v_enekha 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.

k_ephaam b_ephaam 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 y_ehonathan vayeshev avner mitsad shaul vayipaqed m_eqom 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,

v_elo diber shaul m_eumah 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 m_eqom 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 y_ehonathan b_eno 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 y_ehonathan 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 shal_ekheni 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: v_ehu 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.’

v_eatah im matsati khen b_eenekha imaletah na v_eereh 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 l_even Yishai l_evashetekha – “(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-l_evosheth 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.”

v_eatah sh_elakh v_eqakh 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 y_ehonathan 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 l_ehakotho – “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 y_ehonathan ki khalah hi meim aviv l_ehamith 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.

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

1 Samuel 20:1-16
The Stone, the Departure, Part I

(Typed 29 December 2025) One of the curiosities in Scripture, at least to me, is found in these sermon verses. The word khodesh, translated as month, monthly, or new moon, is found two hundred and eighty-three times in the Bible.

The first two times it is used are Genesis 7:11, which refers to “the second month, the seventeenth day of the month.” Numbers 10:10 is the first time the new moon is referred to directly, noting that the trumpet was to be blown over the offerings on various celebratory days, including the new moon.

In Numbers 28:11-15, the new moon offerings are detailed. Later, Numbers 29:1-6 details the offerings mandated for the Feast of Acclamation which, is the first day of the seventh month. Particular offerings were required on that day in addition to the offerings “for the new moon.”

In these 1 Samuel verses, the new moon is mentioned three times as ha’khodesh, the moon, meaning the new moon. The implication from these verses is that it is a set time for feasting. In Amos 8:9, it says –

“When will the New Moon be past,
That we may sell grain?
And the Sabbath,
That we may trade wheat?” Amos 8:9

So, the new moon was a time like the Sabbath when some type of rest was apparently expected. At a minimum, it was a time when selling was not allowed.

The new moon is mentioned by Paul in the New Testament as well. He implies the new moon was some type of day regularly observed like the Sabbath –

Text Verse: “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, ¹⁷ which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” Colossians 2:16, 17

What I question is where that tradition came from. Other than the mandatory offerings at the temple, which are detailed in Numbers 28, there is nothing in Scripture to define why this day was observed by the general populace, but, if translations are right, it was.

The Topical Lexicon details the new moon history from Scripture. Two of their points say –

“Numbers 28:11-15 prescribes burnt offerings, grain offerings, and a sin offering ‘at the beginning of your months.’ The new moon thus joins Sabbath and festival days as divinely appointed convocations.”

“Saul’s court held a two-day feast at the new moon (1 Samuel 20:5,18,24-27), illustrating the day’s social and royal importance.”

The first point assumes too much for anything beyond the temple offerings. There were other offerings that were made, some every day, that were not observed by the general populace. The second point is correct, but it doesn’t answer anything about why the populace observed them.

Doing something and knowing the reason why it is done are not the same thing. In 2 Kings 4:23, the new moon is mentioned in the same context as the Sabbath, as if it were a particularly designated time, but as noted, there is nothing in the law to prescribe this as there is with the Sabbath.

And so, I find the day curious. Without a basis for why this day was observed by the people, all we are left with is speculation. Having said that, we will explore it in some detail and provide what may be the answer to the matter. One way or another, the new moon (whatever that actually means) was a day for general observance.

A few of the verses have some of the most complicated Hebrew I have encountered. The ungrammatical nature of what is presented is intended to convey a highly troubled state of mind as the words are being spoken.

These and other interesting items are included in this portion of God’s 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. Graciousness in Your Eyes (verses 1-3)

Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah,

vayivrakh David minavoth baramah – “And he bolted, David, from habitations [k.] in the Ramah.” As in Chapter 19, the written and the oral Hebrew are different. The written is debated. It says from habitations, or from Navith, Residence (Strong’s 5121). The same spelling can be considered either way. The oral changes the name to Naioth, which means Habitations.

Thus, the result is the same meaning, but is it a noun or a proper noun? The reason David bolted is that his location has become known. Even though Saul was overwhelmed and lay around prophesying, it is likely he would eventually resume his pursuit of David.

David means Beloved. Navith (or Naioth) means habitations. The Ramah means The Lofty. As for where David bolted to…

^{1 (con’t)} and went and said to Jonathan,

vayavo vayomer liphne y_ehonathan – “And he came, and he said to ‘faces, Jehonathan’.” Notice that Jonathan’s name goes to the variant spelling, adding in a hey (our h). 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.

^{1 (con’t)} “What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”

meh asithi meh avoni u-meh khatathi lipne avikha ki m_evaqesh eth naphshi – “What I did? What my perversity, and what my sin to ‘faces, your father’ that ‘seeking my soul’?” David proposes his questions to Jonathan, assuming he has heard from Saul the reason for his actions. His threefold set of questions is nothing short of being a threefold denial of any wrongdoing.

In asking the king’s son to identify what he did, meaning any actions against the king, what his perversity is, meaning any attempts of insurrection against Saul or subversion of Saul’s authority, and what his sin is, meaning working against or ignoring the Lord’s anointing of Saul, he is asking Jonathan to confirm or deny such ill intent.

However, no reasonable person would purposefully implicate himself with such questions. Instead, they are an implied confirmation that he had done none of these things. Therefore, the wrongdoing is to be found in Saul, who seeks David’s soul with no valid reason for doing so.

Jonathan, understanding that David’s questions are a declaration of innocence, doesn’t bother responding to them. Instead, he responds to the charge that Saul is seeking to kill David…

² So Jonathan said to him, “By no means! You shall not die!

vayomer lo khalilah lo thamuth – “And he said to him, ‘(Surely) Profane! Not you will die.’” By ignoring David’s questions, Jonathan implicitly agrees with the premise that David is innocent. Therefore, there is no reason his father would seek David’s life. He assures him of this. And more…

^{2 (con’t)} Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me.

hineh lo asah avi davar gadol o davar qaton v_elo yigleh eth az_eni – “Behold! To him [k.] he did [k.], my father, word great or word diminutive and not he will denude my ear.” Again, the written and the oral Hebrew don’t agree. The reason is based on a homophone. The word lo means either “to him” or “not” –

לו־ – lo, to him.
לֹֽא־ – lo, not.

With the change, the verb also changes. Therefore, it either says, “To him he did, my father…” or “Not he will do, my father.” All English translations that I know of use the oral, and most scholars agree. However, despite the written being a bit more clunky, the change is unnecessary.

The difference between the two is that Jonathan is saying that Saul will not do anything (past, present, or future) without telling him (the oral). Or he is saying that Saul has not done anything to this point without telling him (the written). As the claim of David’s innocence is based on past actions, there is no need to deviate from the written.

Based on that, Jonathan signifies that David’s deduction about Saul’s intent to kill him cannot be correct. Jonathan assures him he has misread the situation. Therefore…

^{2 (con’t)} And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

u-madua yastir avi mimeni eth ha’davar ha’zeh ein zoth – “And whatchaknow – he will cause to hide, my father, from me the word, the this?  Naught, this.” This is the first use of madua, whatchaknow, in 1 Samuel. It is a contraction of mah, what, and a shortened form of yada, to know. It is used adverbially to indicate “why,” but whatchaknow gives the same idiomatic sense.

As Saul has not hidden anything from Jonathan in the past, then David’s claim cannot be correct. Despite Jonathan’s assurances, David knows it to be otherwise. Therefore…

³ Then David took an oath again, and said,

vayishava od David vayomer – “And he was sevened again, David, and he said.” To be sevened means to swear an affirmation, as if seven times. It is the strongest way of confirming a matter. He will also include the name of the Lord in his affirmation.

Saying “again” is a bit perplexing. The word od signifies an iteration. This may be referring to David and Jonathan’s covenant, noted in 1 Samuel 18:3. David is reminding Jonathan of this. As such, his words are covenantally truthful, but he is further swearing to testify to his surety of the matter.

^{3 (con’t)} “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes,

yadoa yada avikha ki matsathi khen b_eenekha – “Knowing, he knew, your father, for I found graciousness in your eyes.” The repetition of the verb is like our saying, “Your father certainly knows that our relationship means he cannot speak any ill about me when you are around.”

In Chapter 18, Jonathan gave David his garments, his sword, his bow, and his belt. Every time David came into Saul’s presence, Saul would be reminded of this bond between David and Jonathan. Therefore…

^{3 (con’t)} and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’

vayomer al yeda zoth y_ehonathan pen yeatsev – “And he said, ‘Not he will know this, Jehonathan, lest he will be carved.’” The word astav means to carve. As such, it conveys the sense of pain, as if one is being cut open. We use the same terminology in English when we say things like, “She carved out my heart when she rejected me.”

Knowing that Jonathan would be pained because of his intent to kill David, Saul kept the matter away from him. That was seen in the exchange between Jonathan and Saul in Chapter 19. Saul could no longer fully confide in Jonathan because of David. David knew this…

^{3 (con’t)} But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”

v_eulam khai Y_ehovah v_ekhe napshekha ki kh_ephesa beni u-ven ha’maveth – “And, however, alive Yehovah, and alive your soul, for ‘according to stride’ between me and between the death.” A unique word is seen here, pesa, a stride, meaning a single step. It is derived from the verb pasa, to stride, which is only found in Isaiah 27:4.

We use the same terminology to this day, saying things like “a step away from calamity,” “a step away from the answer,” etc. It means that the result of an action is imminent, like taking our next step. Also, David personifies death, saying “the death.”

It is as if Mr. Death were following hard after him, just a step away. If David wasn’t attentive, he would be overtaken by him. Finally cluing in to the gravity of David’s words, because of his adjuration, Jonathan concedes…

Into a covenant with the Lord we have been brought
When we called on the name of Jesus
Our souls from the grip of Satan have been bought
See what great things God has done for us

A covenant of the Lord comes with His guarantee
When we unite with Him through faith in Jesus
The sealing of the Spirit reflects this certainty
Oh! What great things He has done for us

Oh God, we thank You for the shed blood
The precious blood of our Lord, Christ Jesus
We are sealed ‘neath the crimson flood
What wonderful things You have done for us

II. Sacrifice the Days (verses 4-9)

⁴ So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.”

vayomer yehonathan el David mah tomar naphsh_ekha v_eeeseh lakh – “And he said, Jehonathan, unto David, ‘What it will say, your soul, and let me do to you.’” Jonathan is convinced and offers his total commitment to help in any manner David desires. This is an implied form of personal rebellion against Saul. As for what David desires…

⁵ And David said to Jonathan, “Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat.

vayomer David el y_ehonathan hineh khodesh makhar v_eanokhi yashov eshev im ha’melekh leekhol – “And he said, David, unto Jehonathan, ‘Behold! Renewal tomorrow. And I myself, sitting I will sit with the king to eat.” David notes the coming of the Renewal. As noted in the introduction, it is a time set apart in Numbers for sacrifice at the temple.

The translation as New Moon is an explanation of the word khodesh, where the moon is made new. It literally means renewed, coming from khadash, to renew, as in “new again,” not just “restored.” When speaking of the first of the month, it is rightly to be capitalized to offset it. To avoid misunderstanding, using the term Renewal makes the word understandable.

However, without any explanation elsewhere as to why, David understands that he was to be present at a meal with the king at this time. If this refers to the monthly first day of the month, we are not told if this was a nationwide practice or something the king ordered for his people. Regardless, David’s presence was expected…

^{5 (con’t)} But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening.

v_eshilakhtani v_enistarti vasadeh ad ha’erev hash_elishith – “And you sent me, and I was hidden in the field until the evening, the third.” David cannot arbitrarily avoid being at this meal. But in asking Jonathan to send him, it provides him with a legitimate excuse to not be in attendance.

Noting that he would be there until the third day at evening seems to imply a two-day feast was ordained. One day was to usher in the new moon, the second would be to acknowledge it was over.

I suggest that the Renewal here doesn’t mean this feasting occurred every month, but that this is specifically the seventh month. In Leviticus 23, it says –

“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

Thus, “Renewal tomorrow,” could be a reference to this particular day in the year, which happened to be on the day of the Renewal. It is something we do today with New Year’s Day. We might say, “Tomorrow is New Year’s Day,” or “Tomorrow is the first of January.” In the latter, the fact that it is New Year’s Day is implied.

This explanation aligns with what is said next…

⁶ If your father misses me at all,

im paqod yiphq_edeni avikha – “If visiting, he will visit me, your father.” To visit signifies many things in Scripture. One can visit the troops, meaning muster them. It can also signify counting the number of people, such as mustered troops.

In this case, it means that Saul has his attention on David, as if he counted those at the table, came to David’s empty chair, and considered his absence. Perhaps he asked about where David was. Being the king’s son-in-law, it would be expected of him to be in attendance on a special feast day, such as the Feast of Acclamation. If Saul were to ask…

^{6 (con’t)} then say, ‘David earnestly asked permission of me that he might run over to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’

v_eamarta nishol nishal mimeni David laruts beith lekhem iro ki zevakh ha’yamin sham l_ekhal ha’mishpakhah – “and you said, ‘Being asked, he was asked ‘from with me’, David, to run – Bethlehem, his city. For ‘sacrifice, the days’ there to all the family.’” If this is the Feast of Acclamation, it would explain why everyone was resting, sacrificing, and feasting.

It was mandated as a holy convocation in Leviticus 23. This would be a time when families and entire communities gathered, blew trumpets, and rejoiced. In fact, this may explain some of the unusual examples of the use of the term in both testaments.

Rather than it being only a monthly event, the word would, at times, be used synonymously with “New Year,” where the khodesh, Renewal, is referring to the one day appointed in Leviticus 23 that falls on both the day of the new month and the first day of the regal year.

If so, Paul’s use of the word in the singular in Colossians 2:16, 17 would be speaking of one celebration each year, not one each month. These are points of speculation, but they answer all the questions about this otherwise misunderstood day.

We do know that the first of each month was a time for sacrificing at the temple, such as in Ezekiel 45:17. On the other hand, the first of the seventh month was a particular New Moon that was set apart from the others as a special observance by all the people.

Bethlehem is from beith, house, and lekhem, bread. It means House of Bread. It bears a secondary meaning of House of Battle because when soldiers engage in battle (lakham), they consume or are consumed as food.

Whatever is intended here concerning the Renewal, I lean toward this referring to the first day of the seventh month, which is known as the Feast of Acclamation. David’s words to Jonathan continue…

⁷ If he says thus: ‘It is well,’ your servant will be safe.

im koh yomar tov shalom l_eavdekha – “If thus, he will say, ‘Good,’ peace to your servant.” If Saul questioned David’s seat being empty, Jonathan was to give the excuse that David asked him to go to his city for the annual sacrifice. If Saul accepted that, saying, “Good,” then David had misunderstood the events, and he was ok in Saul’s eyes. On the other hand…

^{7 (con’t)} But if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him.

v_eim kharoh yekhereh lo da ki kal_ethah ha’raah meimo – “And if burning, it will burn to him, you must know for it finished, the evilness, from with him.” If Saul blew a gasket over David’s absence, he intended to harm to him. Saying, “it finished, the evil,” means that Saul’s intention to harm David was fully fleshed out, and the matter was set in his mind.

⁸ Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you.

v_easitha khesed al avdekha ki bivrith Y_ehovah hevetha eth avd_ekha imakh – “And you did kindness upon your servant, for in ‘covenant, Yehovah’ you caused to bring your servant with you.” Although 1 Samuel 18:3 doesn’t mention the Lord, it is now implied that the covenant made between the two was either made in the Lord’s name or understood that, as a covenant, the Lord was a Witness to it. Either way, David reminds Jonathan that he initiated the covenant, bringing David into it, uniting the two in faithful allegiance. As such, David makes a solemn request…

^{8 (con’t)} Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself,

David’s words are emphatic: v_eim yesh bi avon hamitheni atah – “And if exists in me perversity, you must cause to kill me, you.” If anything David said in verse 1 was true based on the oath that they had made, David calls on Jonathan to personally kill him. He was not to allow the matter to go beyond himself…

^{8 (con’t)} for why should you bring me to your father?”

v_ead avikha lamah zeh t_evieni – “And unto your father, to why this you must cause to bring me?” The “why this” refers to any matter of perversity found in David. It is an insufficient reason to allow Saul to take vengeance on him. Rather, the matter should be settled by Jonathan. David appeals to the covenant as binding in this matter.

⁹ But Jonathan said, “Far be it from you!

The intent is just the opposite: vayomer yehonathan khalilah lakh – “And he said, Jehonathan, ‘(Surely) Profane to you!” It would be like us saying, “No way, Jose,” or maybe, “You’re off your rocker!” Jonathan conveys that by all means, he trusts that David is not an offender. Rather…

^{9 (con’t)} For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?”

ki im yadoa eda ki kal_ethah ha’raah meim avi lavo alekha v_elo othah agid lakh – “For if knowing I will know that it ‘finished, the evilness, from with my father’ to come upon you, and not, it, I will cause to declare to you?’” Jonathan is assured of David’s innocence. What he was unsure of was David’s claim that Saul wanted to kill him.

However, by the end of verse 3, he was convinced that David was probably right. The matter would be determined by Saul’s attitude while at the evening meal. If, in fact, Saul was wholly determined to kill David, despite him being innocent (of which Jonathan was certain), he would definitely let David know, hiding nothing from him. Therefore…

Deal kindly with us forever, O God
And we know that You will, because of Your love for us
In this earthly life as we trod
And throughout eternity – all because of Jesus

We have entered into the covenant of the Lord
We have been saved through the blood of Jesus
Redeemed from the law’s bitter sword
What a glorious thing You have done for us

Thank You, O God, that we are set free
To worship You in spirit and in truth
Endless ages before the glassy sea
Eternally in the day of our youth

Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord
Hallelujah to the Lamb, God’s eternal Word

III. Until Vanishment (verses 10-16)

¹⁰ Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me, or what if your father answers you roughly?”

If this is one sentence, the words are ungrammatical. If it is two, it is still very complicated. My proposal, which can’t be any worse than the others, is that it is two questions followed by one exclamation: vayomer David el y_ehonathan mi yagid li o mah yaankha avikha qashah – “And he said, David, unto Jehonathan, ‘Who he will cause to declare to me? Or what he will answer you, your father? Severe!’”

In other words, both questions of David are essentially rhetorical. First, Jonathan can’t send a messenger without risking it getting back to Saul. The old saying that fits is, “If one person knows, it’s a secret. If two know, it’s a risk. And if three know, it’s almost impossible to keep.”

Second, David is worried about Jonathan being involved. Saul tried to pin David to the wall twice. Would Jonathan fare any better if Saul thought he was covering for David? Saul already agreed that Jonathan should die over tasting a bit of honey. How much more would his life be in peril over taking David’s side?

Jonathan understands and develops a plan in his mind…

¹¹ And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field.

vayomer y_ehonathan el David l_ekhah v_enetse ha’sadeh vayets_eu sh_enehem ha’sadeh – “And he said, Jehonathan, unto David, ‘You must (surely) walk, and let us go – the field.’ And they went out, they two – the field.” Jonathan wants David to understand the layout of the plan that will avoid any severe consequences in communicating what transpired between him and Saul.

Once in the field, more complicated verses follow…

¹² Then Jonathan said to David: “The Lord God of Israel is witness!

vayomer y_ehonathan el David Y_ehovah elohe Yisrael – “And he said, Jehonathan, unto David, ‘Yehovah, ‘God, Israel’!” The words are understood by almost all translations to mean something like, “As God is my witness.” His words are similar to where it elsewhere says, “Alive Yehovah!” A solemn adjuration is being made. The next words continue to be mostly understood.

^{12 (con’t)} When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day,

The NKJV says when and then starts inserting stuff that confuses what is said: ki ekhqor eth avi kaeth makhar ha’sh_elishith – “For I will penetrate my father according to the time tomorrow, the third.” This issue was already raised in verse 5. David was to be at the king’s table for the meal that accompanied the Renewal. During that time, Saul may question where David is. If so…

^{12 (con’t)} and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you,

Because of all the insertions, most translations completely divert from the intent. The NASB and a few others are close: v_ehineh tov el David v_elo az eshlakh elekha v_egalithi eth az_enekha – “And behold! Good unto David, and not then I will send unto you, and I denuded your ear?’” It is two clauses, a question, and a statement.

The NASB gives the sense, but incorrectly makes it all one question, saying, “if he has a good feeling toward you, shall I not then send word to you and inform you?”

The verse is actually Jonathan making a vow, agreeing to David’s plans about the feast, followed by his rhetorical question, “And not then will I send unto you?” This means he will do so. And then, he expresses that he will denude David’s ear, meaning that he will explain that all is ok. However…

¹³ may the Lord do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do you evil,

Because of all their insertions, the NKJV (et al) takes this as a finishing of the previous thought. That is incorrect. Rather, it begins the next thought: koh yaaseh Y_ehovah lihonathan v_ekhoh yosiph ki yetiv el avi eth ha’raah alekha – “Thus He will do, Yehovah, to Jehonathan, and thus He will cause to add, that he will cause to accept unto my father the evilness upon you.”

Jonathan has essentially called a curse down upon himself should he accept it if his father intends evil to come upon David. No matter what happens, he will get word to David of his father’s evil intent. If Saul intends to harm him…

^{13 (con’t)} then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety.

v_egalithi eth az_enekha v_eshilakhtikha v_ehalakhta l_eshalom – “And I denuded your ear, and I sent you, and you walked to peace.” Jonathan promises to personally reveal to David exactly what Saul intends. After that, he will send David off, allowing him to go in peace. In his going…

^{13 (con’t)} And the Lord be with you as He has been with my father.

vihi Y_ehovah imakh kaasher hayah im avi – “And may He be, Yehovah, with you according to He was with my father.” Not only will Jonathan send David off peacefully, but he will send him off with a kingly blessing, as he understands that the kingdom will transfer to David.

¹⁴ And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die;

The words are about as complicated as any to be found. Ellicott speaks for most scholars, saying, “The Hebrew of this and the next verse is again very confused, abrupt, and ungrammatical, but this is evidently to be attributed to the violent emotion of the speaker.”

It is evident that Jonathan is in great distress and is blurting out his thoughts abruptly and emotionally. Some find the words entirely impossible to understand. However, if understood as emotionally charged, they do make sense: v_elo im odeni khai v_elo taaseh imadi khesed Y_ehovah v_elo amuth – “And not, if I yet alive, and not you will do with me ‘kindness, Yehovah’? And not I will die.”

Jonathan has essentially ceded the kingdom to David in his mind. He knows David’s ascendency is inevitable and that he will never be king. But he doesn’t want to be faced with execution by a new king as might be expected, especially because of his love for David and the covenant they made. Therefore, this is the sense of his overwhelmed words:

“As long as I am alive, won’t you bestow the mercy of Yehovah upon me? In doing this, I won’t be executed by you.”

Understanding the threefold “and not” is how to rightly interpret the words –

And not… (sob)
If I am still alive… (gasp)
And not (won’t you be sure to) you will do with me kindness Yehovah? (sob)
And not (be sure to remember this) I will die (by your hand).

Understanding this, he continues…

¹⁵ but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever,

v_elo takhrith eth khasd_ekha meim beithi ad olam – “And not you will cause to cut your kindness from ‘with my house’ until vanishment.” Jehonathan not only asks for mercy upon himself, but for mercy upon his house, which includes his descendants after him, forever. As long as the house of David exists, he asks for mercy upon his own house so that his name will not perish.

^{15 (con’t)} no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”

The words are again very complicated. Despite being a complete paraphrase, the NKJV gives the sense: v_elo b_ehakhrith Y_ehovah eth oy_eve David ish meal p_ene ha’adamah – “And not, in cause to cut, Yehovah, ‘hatings, David’ – man from upon ‘faces, the ground’.” The meaning is that as the king, Yehovah will naturally give David’s enemies, his hatings, into his hand, causing them to be cut off.

Even if these enemies include Jonathan’s house, he is asking for mercy to be extended to them. Said plainly, “When all the king’s enemies have been obliterated, please spare my house.” This is his pained request…

¹⁶ So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,

vayikhroth y_ehonathan im beith David – “And he cut, Jehonathan, with ‘house, David’.” The meaning is that “he cut a covenant.” This was based on his words petitioning for grace.

Jonathan will fulfill his words to David, ensuring that Saul will not be able to put his hand on him. Likewise, David has covenanted to ensure that the house of Jonathan will continue without being cut off.

*^{16 (fin)} saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”

u-viqesh Y_ehovah miyad oy_eve David – “(And He sought, Yehovah, from ‘hand, hatings David’.)” This is not something Jonathan said, as the NKJV implies. The words are most likely those of the narrator, confirming that the Lord sought what Jonathan had covenanted with David, requiring it at the hand of David’s enemies.

Despite plenty of complicated ideas and wording, the overall intent of the passage is readily understandable, even from a paraphrase. Translations may lack correctness with the nuances, but that shouldn’t overly concern us unless we are looking for typology.

Then we need to be more precise to understand what is being conveyed. What is certain is that the bond between Jonathan and David is guaranteed to last as long as David’s kingdom lasts. That alone should help us understand what is going on in the passage.

Despite Saul’s attempts at killing David, and any future troubles that may arise in David’s house, the bond between these two houses will last. If we take that understanding, based on a covenant between two men before the Lord as binding, how much more should we consider the covenant between the Lord and His people as binding!

It is true that Israel failed at pretty much every step of their history in complying with the covenant, but the Lord never failed to uphold every single word of wh?t He said he would do for Israel, both positively in blessing and negatively in executing the curses.

And through it all, He has faithfully maintained them, just as He said He would. Now, with the introduction of the New Covenant, we have an even surer hope. This covenant was not enacted with the blood of bulls and goats, but in the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, when we enter into the covenant through faith in what Christ has done, the Lord will never fail to uphold what He has promised. The salvation He has given us is as fixed and permanent as Israel as people is before His eyes.

When we mess up, He will be there to carry us through, despite ourselves. When we are faithful and obedient, He will faithfully credit that to our accounts for the day we stand before Him.

Reading about the surety of the faithfulness to the covenant between Jonathan and David is intended to have us consider the greater surety we possess. Hold fast to this thought. Jesus has you! He will never leave you nor forsake you.

It is a great and enduring promise we possess. Thank God for His faithfulness to us! Hooray for Jesus, who has made this possible.

Closing Verse: “If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

Next Week: 1 Samuel 20:17-33 When alone and your hearture really pains you… (The Stone, the Departure, Part II) (44^th 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 20:1-16 (CG)

20 And he bolted, David, from habitations [k.] in the Ramah. And he came, and he said to faces Jehonathan, “What I did? What my perversity, and what my sin to faces your father that seeking my soul?’”

²And he said to him, “(Surely) Profane! Not you will die. Behold! To him [k.] he did [k.], my father, word great or word diminutive and not he will denude my ear. And why he will cause to hide, my father, from me the word, the this? Naught, this.”

³And he was sevened again, David, and he said, “Knowing, he knew, your father, for I found graciousness in your eyes. And he said, ‘Not he will know this, Jehonathan, lest he will be carved.’ And, however, alive Yehovah, and alive your soul, for according to stride between me and between the death.”

⁴And he said, Jehonathan unto David, “What it will say, your soul, and let me do to you.”

⁵And he said, David unto Jehonathan, “Behold! Renewal tomorrow. And I, sitting I will sit with the king to eat. And you sent me, and I was hidden in the field until the evening, the third. ⁶If visiting, he will visit me, your father, and you said, ‘Being asked, he was asked from among me, David, to run – Bethlehem, his city. For sacrifice the days there to all the family.’ ⁷If thus, he will say, ‘Good,’ peace to your servant. And if burning it will burn to him, you must know for it finished, the evil, from with him. ⁸And you did kindness upon your servant, for in covenant Yehovah, you caused to bring your servant with you. And if exists in me perversity, you must cause to kill me, you. And unto your father, to why this you must cause to bring me?”

⁹And he said, Jehonathan, “(Surely) Profane to you! For if knowing I will know for it finished, the evil, from with my father to come upon you, and not, it, I will cause to declare to you?”

¹⁰And he said, David unto Jehonathan, “Who he will cause to declare to me? Or what he will answer you, your father? Severe!”

¹¹And he said, Jehonathan, unto David, “You must (surely) walk, and let us go – the field.” And they went out, they two – the field. ¹²And he said, Jehonathan, unto David, “Yehovah God Israel! For I will penetrate my father according to the time tomorrow, the third. And behold! Good unto David, and not then I will send unto you, and I denuded your ear?” ¹³Thus He will do, Yehovah, to Jehonathan, and thus He will cause to add, for he will cause to accept unto my father the evil upon you. And I denuded your ear, and I sent you, and you walked to peace. And may He be, Yehovah, with you according to He was with my father. ¹⁴And not, if I yet alive, and not you will do with me kindness Yehovah? And not I will die. ¹⁵And not you will cause to cut your kindness from with my house until vanishment. And not, in cause to cut, Yehovah, hatings David – man from upon faces the ground.” ¹⁶And he cut, Jehonathan, with house David, (And He sought, Yehovah, from hand hatings David.)

 

1 Samuel 20:1-16 (NKJV)

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

² So Jonathan said to him, “By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

³ Then David took an oath again, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Do not 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.”

⁴ So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.”

⁵ And David said to Jonathan, “Indeed tomorrow is the New Month, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening. ⁶ If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked permission of me that he might run over to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’ ⁷ If he says thus: ‘It is well,’ your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him. ⁸ Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”

⁹ But Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?”

¹⁰ Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me, or what if your father answers you roughly?”

¹¹ And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field. ¹² Then Jonathan said to David: “The Lord God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you, ¹³ may the Lord do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. ¹⁴ And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; ¹⁵ but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” ¹⁶ So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”

 

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

1 Samuel 19:15-24
He Set His Soul in His Palm, Part II

(Typed 22 December 2025) In 1 Samuel, there have been six times that indicate a “spirit” came upon Saul to replace the Spirit of the Lord that once rested upon him. The word used to describe this spirit is ra’ah, evil.

Most translations go with that and say, “evil spirit.” Attempting to get around the obvious theological difficulty of God sending an evil spirit, some change the wording to “distressing spirit” or something similar.

That conveniently changes the intent, but it doesn’t resolve what the Hebrew says. A couple of times, it specifically says that this was an evil spirit “from God.” In 1 Samuel 19:9, it said –

“Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand.” (NKJV)

Saying this was an evil (or distressing) spirit from the Lord is such a difficult thing to accept that Charles Ellicott said in his commentary for 1 Samuel 19:9 –

“The LXX. [the Greek translation of the Old Testament] was offended at the statement “evil spirit of (or from) Jehovah,” and cuts the knot by leaving out “Jehovah.” It is, no doubt, a hard saying, and no human expositor has ever yet been able fully to explain it.” Charles Ellicott

I don’t know if anyone else has evaluated this thought as I did, but I can find no translation that uses the word breath rather than spirit. Extensive explanation for this was given in the analysis of 1 Samuel 16, and it fully explains the matter.

Text Verse: “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:14, 15

There is so much going on in Scripture that none of us will ever be able to fully understand it all. Just when we think we have a passage figured out, someone comes along and adds in some little nugget we never even considered.

However, the more we are in the Bible, reading it, contemplating it, and meditating on it, the more we will be able to grasp the truths contained in it. I would caution you not to get stuck on a single translation.

So far in this chapter, we have already come across numerous errors in the NKJV that follow blunders in the KJV. When comparing the Hebrew with the English, more inconsistencies are seen.

It isn’t that there are just translational errors, but there are missing words necessary to understand typology, faulty structure in the English, which leads to misunderstanding the intent, and other errors to be found in translations.

By reading more than one translation and checking against the original, which is not difficult with modern technology, the word can be more readily evaluated and understood. The more time you put into the word, the greater the reward you will receive from it.

This grand truth is specifically taught 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. He Was Eluded (verses 15-18)

¹⁵ Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David,

vayishlakh shaul eth ha’malakhim liroth eth David – “And he sent, Saul, the messengers to see David.” There is a literary gap between verses 14 and 15. Saul sent the messengers to take David. Michal said he was sick. Without any explanation of their return and report, Saul again sends them –

¹⁴And he sent, Saul, messengers to take David. And she said, “Rubbed he.”
¹⁵And he sent, Saul, the messengers to see David…

This abruptness of the narrative suggests that Saul didn’t trust his daughter’s testimony. He senses a conspiracy in relation to everything associated with David, whether it is him personally, Jonathan, his son, or Michal, his daughter. This extends to all who interact with David.

Saul means Asked. David means Beloved.

^{15 (con’t)} saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed,

lemor haalu oto vamitah elay – “to say, ‘You must cause to ascend him in the bed unto me.’” Saul doesn’t care if Michal’s words are true. He intends to have David brought to him, even if he is on his sick bed. Being sick was the least of David’s worries at this point…

^{15 (con’t)} that I may kill him.”

lahamitho – “to cause to kill him.” Saul intended to be rid of David that day. He had become completely possessed by this desire.

¹⁶ And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head.

vayavou ha’malakhim v_ehineh ha’t_eraphim el ha’mitah u-kh_evir ha’izim m_erashotav – “And they went, the messengers. And behold! The teraphim unto the bed, and ‘quilt, the goats’ – his headpieces.” The personal inspection of “David” reveals an embarrassing situation. Michal has been dishonest toward her own father for David’s sake. Her ruse delayed his capture, allowing David a lengthy head start in his escape.

¹⁷ Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?”

vayomer shaul el mikhal lamah kakhah rimithini vat_eshalekhi eth oy_evi vayimalet – “And he said, Saul, unto Michal, ‘To why just so you hurled me, and you sent my hating, and he was eluded?’” We can be sure that Michal had heard of Saul’s determination to kill Jonathan when he thought Jonathan’s tasting of the honey in the forest caused the Lord to turn away from responding to Saul’s petitions (1 Samuel 14:36-45).

If he was willing to allow Jonathan to be executed over such dubious circumstances, Michal would know her life was one misspoken word away from ending.

Genesis 2:24 explains that a man and a woman become one flesh. This is a bond above the allegiances a person has toward his parents, but this would not be acceptable in Saul’s mind.

Michal means Who Is Like God. Her fear was great enough to lie to her own father, therefore…

^{17 (con’t)} And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

Her response is emphatic: vatomer mikhal el shaul hu amar elay shal_ekhini lamah amithekh – “And she said, Michal, unto Saul, ‘He, he said unto me, “You must send me! To why I will cause to kill you?”’” The emphasis, combined with the emphatic verb, “You must send me,” is a plea for leniency. “I know it was wrong, but my life was threatened. It’s all his fault. Daddy, he was going to kill me!”

Despite lying, anything less would have ended badly for her. In the meantime..

¹⁸ So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah,

Rather: v_edavid barakh vayimalet vayavo el sh_emuel ha’ramathah – “And David, he bolted, and he was eluded, and he went unto Samuel the Ramah-ward.” Despite being a great warrior, David was probably unsure about what to do. He couldn’t take on the entire Israelite army, and he would never be able to defend himself from the personal attacks of Saul in the eyes of his comrades.

He went to Samuel, who hasn’t been mentioned since David’s anointing in verse 16:13. Samuel anointed David, and would have the word of the Lord available to guide David through the uncertain waters he was facing.

Samuel means Asked from God. Ramah is identical to ramah, height, high place, or exalted. It is from rum, to be high or to exalt. It means The Height, The Lofty, or The Exalted.

^{18 (con’t)} and told him all that Saul had done to him.

vayaged lo eth kal asher asah lo shaul – “And he caused to declare to him all which he did to him, Saul.” David’s explanation would be readily accepted by Samuel, who already knew Saul’s many faults. He also knew that the Lord had chosen David to replace Saul, as well as the exploits of David. Therefore, there would be no reason for Samuel to question the integrity of David or his truthfulness.

As for the location, David went to Samuel “the Ramah-ward,” meaning toward the Ramah. However, the two of them went to a particular spot there…

^{18 (con’t)} And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.

vayelekh hu u-sh_emuel vayesh_evu b_enoith – “And he walked, he and Samuel. And they sat in habitations [k.].” The written and the oral Hebrew are different. The written is debated. It says nevayoth, habitations, or Navith, Residence (Strong’s 5121). The same spelling can be considered either way. The oral changes the name to Naioth, which means Habitations. That change will occur six times in this chapter.

If it is a plural noun, then “And they sat in habitations” might mean that they dwelt in an area like a communal community, such as where prophets lived together. This seems likely based on what occurs in the coming verses.

Regardless, the roots are all ultimately derived from navah, to rest in the sense of keeping at home or preparing a habitation.

The first use of the word is found in Exodus 15:2, where it says –

“My strength and orchestra – Yah,
And he became to me to salvation,
This – my God, and I will cause to habitate Him [navah],
God, my father, and I will exalt Him.” Exodus 15:2

Whichever is correct, it was a place that others, including Saul, would know of…

When Adam fell, death spread to all men
And so all in Adam die
When our numbered days are finished, it is over… and then
Where do we go? Up to the sky?

We who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ
Are set to die unless the rapture happens first
But with His shed blood, our souls were priced
And so, death in us will surely be reversed

God promises that it is so
We have no need to doubt that it is true
Because of Jesus, we can fully know
That to us eternal life God will endue

II. Also, He (verses 19-24)

¹⁹ Now it was told Saul, saying, “Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!”

vayugad l_eshaul lemor hineh David benoith baramah – “And it was caused to declare to Saul, to say, ‘Behold! David in habitations [k.] in the Ramah.’” Again, the narrative gets straight to the point, omitting information along the way. There is no note of how Saul knew where David was. Saul proclaims it as a known fact. He takes action to resolve the matter…

²⁰ Then Saul sent messengers to take David.

vayishlakh shaul malakhim laqakhath eth David – “And he sent, Saul, messengers to take David.” With David located, it was Saul’s intent to have him returned for execution. However, his attempts will be frustrated…

^{20 (con’t)} And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying,

Rather: vayar eth lahaqath haneveim nib_eim “And he saw ‘gathering, the prophets’ being prophesied.” First, it says, “he saw,” not “they saw.” The Pulpit Commentary says, “…as all the versions have the plural, it is probably a mere mistake.” That makes no sense. A version is rendered out of the Hebrew, not the other way around. Multiple Hebrew manuscripts say “he.”

The meaning is probably that David, the nearest antecedent, is being referred to. He saw what was going on as the messengers came to retrieve him. David had fled to Samuel. The Lord, through what is occurring, is assuring David that things will be ok.

And more, the verb is passive. The prophets were “being prophesied.” A unique word is seen in this clause, lahaqah, a gathering or assembly. It is believed to come from an unused root meaning to gather.

This group was gathered and being prophesied.  This tells David that the Lord is present and actively involved in what is happening. Further…

^{20 (con’t)} and Samuel standing as leader over them,

u-sh_emuel omed nitsav alehem – “and Samuel standing, being stationed upon them.” In other words, the prophets are ‘being prophesied’ and Samuel is as well. Saying he is “being stationed tells us that these things were happening by the influence of the Lord. This is seen in the next words…

^{20 (con’t)} the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

vat_ehi al malakhe shaul ruakh elohim vayithnabeu gam hemah – “And it was, upon the ‘messengers, Saul’, ‘Spirit, God’, and they prophesied themselves, also they.” This confirms that “he saw” in the previous clause was referring to David, not the messengers. Otherwise, there is no need to repeat “the messengers Saul.”

Rather, David is watching all these things going on around him, which includes those sent to retrieve him being overshadowed by God’s Spirit. Although they are not prophets, they too began to “prophesy themselves.”

The reflexive verb solidifies the notion that they were not merely excited and joined in, but this was from God and not themselves.

²¹ And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise.

vayagidu l_eshaul vayishlakh malakhim akherim vayithnab_eu gam hemah – “And they caused to declare to Saul, and he sent messengers, others. And they prophesied themselves, also they.” The object of this is to eventually lead Saul to attend to the matter personally.

The first group of messengers was unable to withstand the influence of God upon them. It is likely that they returned and said that there was no way they could withstand the Spirit’s influence and no way they were going to try again.

Therefore, Saul sent others to attend to the matter. However, they were likewise overwhelmed and began to prophesy themselves also. Not cluing into things…

^{21 (con’t)} Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.

vayoseph shaul vayishlakh malakhim sh_elishim vayitnab_eu gam hemah – “And he caused to add, Saul, and he sent messengers – third. And they prophesied themselves, also they.” Like the first two attempts, Saul’s hopes of having David returned to him failed.

A similar account of messengers being sent by a king to a prophet is found in 2 Kings 1. Be sure to read that Chapter today to see the similarities and the differences. The repeated inability of Saul’s men to tackle the job finally leads him to take action himself.

This shows the hardness of his heart. Three times, he has failed to secure the capture of David via his messengers. Instead of looking at this as the will of the Lord, which it clearly is because the men came under the power of the Spirit of God, he defiantly proceeds with his murderous intentions…

²² Then he also went to Ramah,

vayelekh gam hu haramathah – “And he walked, also he, the Ramah-ward.” Saul, probably seeing that he has been personally drawn by the Lord to attend to this matter because the others failed, finally relents and heads toward Ramah. On his way, it says…

^{22 (con’t)} and came to the great well that is at Sechu.

vayavo ad bor ha’gadol asher basekhu – “And he came until ‘cistern, the great’, which in the Sechu.” The name Sechu is found only here in Scripture. Its location is unknown. So obscure is the name that the Greek translation changes the wording to say, “and he comes as far as the well of the threshing floor that is in Sephi.”

Changes like this are not uncommon in the Greek text. As for Sechu, Strong’s says it is “From an unused root apparently meaning to surmount.” Therefore, he calls it Observatory. Young’s and Jones’ agree and call it Watch Place.

While at Sechu, it appears Saul forgot where he was heading. He knew where David was, sent three companies of messengers there, but now he has to ask…

^{22 (con’t)} So he asked, and said, “Where are Samuel and David?”
And someone said, “Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah.”

vayishal vayomer ephoh sh_emuel v_edavid vayomer hineh b_enoith baramah – “And he asked, and he said, ‘What place Samuel and David?’ And he said, ‘Behold in habitations [k.] in the Ramah.’” Again, information is left out that is often supplied, such as “And he asked a man.”

Therefore, it is unknown who Saul asked. It could have been the Lord in a petition, one of his men, a guy sitting at the well, or a group playing Parcheesi, one of whom responds. The vagueness of the account intentionally leaves us considering the unstated bits and pieces.

Whoever the respondent is, he knew the answer to the question that Saul somehow had forgotten. Although we have no idea who it is, it seems to me that because Saul forgot where he was going, he may have asked the Lord. The reason for that is found in the next verse…

²³ So he went there to Naioth in Ramah.

vayelekh sham el noith baramah – “And he walked, there, unto habitations [k.] in the Ramah.” He was reminded of where he was heading, so Saul began this final leg of the trek to his destination. On that trek…

^{23 (con’t)} Then the Spirit of God was upon him also,

The word “then” is a time marker not implied in the Hebrew: vat_ehi alav gam hu ruakh elohim vayelekh halokh – “And it was upon him, also him, ‘Spirit, God’, and he walked, walking.” These words are an explanation of his trip to the habitations (and), not an explanation of what happened (then) when he got there.

As soon as he learned (well, relearned) where Samuel and David were, the Spirit of God was upon him. This is why, even though the text doesn’t say it, I can’t help but think Saul just said, “Lord, where are Samuel and David?” Unfortunately, it is just speculation. There are no hints to clarify the matter. As for the Spirit of God on him…

^{23 (con’t)} and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

vayithnabe ad bo’o b_enoith baramah – “And he prophesied himself until he came – habitations [k.] in the Ramah.” From Sechu, wherever that is located, until he got to the habitations where Samuel and David were, he prophesied himself. Once he got there…

²⁴ And he also stripped off his clothes

vayiphshat gam hu b_egadav – “And he stripped, also he, his garments.” Notice the difference between this account and that of 1 Samuel 10 –

1 Samuel 10
¹⁰And they came there, the hill-ward, and behold, company prophets to meet him. And it surged upon him, Spirit God. And he prophesied himself in their midst.

1 Samuel 19
²⁴And he stripped, also he, his garments, and he prophesied himself, also he, to faces Samuel.

It begs the question, “Why did he strip his garments?” The answer is found in what that signifies. A couple of other examples using the same word, pashat, will clarify the matter –

“So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped [pashat] Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him.” Genesis 37:23

“Then he [the priest] shall take off [pashat] his garments, put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.” Leviticus 6:11

“So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. ²⁸ Moses stripped [pashat] Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.” Numbers 20:27, 28

Saul wore the garments of a king. But under the influence of the Spirit of God, he was reduced to the state of a mere man, like any other…

^{24 (con’t)} and prophesied before Samuel in like manner,

vayithnabe gam hu liphne sh_emuel – “And he prophesied himself, also he, to faces Samuel.” There in the presence of Samuel, he was overcome by the illapse of the Spirit of God, reduced to an even lesser state than the men he must have thought he was better than in his brash attempt to seize David, despite what the Spirit of God had done to them. And more…

^{24 (con’t)} and lay down naked all that day and all that night.

vayipol arom kal ha’yom ha’hu v_ekhal ha’lay_elah – “And he fell naked all the day, the it, and all the night.” Saul is being reminded of the state of man before God, naked and exposed. He had been selected to be king over Israel. This should have reminded him that there was One who did the selection.

And when the selection was made, the signs confirming His selection, including being overcome by the Spirit of God, should have been to Saul a constant reminder of his obligations before Him. He was a man with a short memory and a shorter fuse, the latter seemingly capable of erasing the former with ease.

Despite Saul’s constantly backslidden nature, God was reminding him of Who is in control. Along with that, a previously used saying became fashionable once again…

*^{24 (fin)} Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

al ken yomeru hagam shaul ban_eviim – “Upon thus, they will say, ‘Also!? Saul in the prophets?’” In 1 Samuel 10:11, it said, “Upon thus, it became to proverb, ‘Also Saul in the prophets?’”

That saying had probably died away after a while. The king was the king, and people considered him in that light because of it. However, the saying was reenergized into common use because of these events.

The question, however, took on a greater significance. Without it being said, the idea had become, “Is Saul, Israel’s king, also in the prophets?”

With the evaluation of the chapter complete, it is time to consider why this story has been included in the ongoing biblical narrative.

What is the sting of death? Nothing I say!
When one knows the Lord Jesus Christ
It is a temporary parting, until that Day
Because with His shed blood, your soul was priced

The power of Sheol is destroyed
Hades is powerless because of Jesus
Its claim is rendered null and void
See what great thing God has done for us!

Death has lost its hold, and we have been set free
Because of Jesus, we have a new and enduring hope
God has given to us His personal guarantee
It will never fail, no way! I mean it’s a big NOPE!

III. Sheol, the Powerless Pit

The chapter is dealing with two separate thoughts. The first is in verses 1-7. The second is from verse 8 until the end. Despite this, they fit together in the sense that a vow was made by Saul, but was almost immediately voided by his actions.

Saul is emblematic of being destined for the pit. This includes believers and unbelievers. All are going to Sheol/Hades until the rapture. Jonathan, Yah Has Given, is emblematic of those willing to pursue the gifts God has given them. In verse 1, Saul spoke to Jonathan and his servants about wanting to kill David.

David is typical of the state of accepting the doctrines of Christ. Despite Saul’s intentions, it said that Jonathan inclined toward David. Therefore, it said in verse 2 that Jehonathan told David. At that time, the name changed, adding the letter hey (our h).

This represents the mark of grace and the presence of the Spirit. It identifies the saved believer, granted salvation by grace through faith, and sealed with the Spirit. Jonathan is using his gift of faith toward accepting the doctrines of Christ, which Saul wanted killed. One can think of Saul, Sheol, calling out for the souls of men.

With David’s life on the line, Jehonathan instructs him to be on guard in the morning. The morning generally signifies the time when a change takes place. A change in Saul’s relationship with David is expected to occur.

In hopes of avoiding that, Jonathan tells David, the state of accepting the doctrines of grace, to sit in the hideaway. The Hideaway is the Lord. Jonathan then said in verse 3 that he would go out and stand in the field where David was with his father and talk to him about David, promising to tell David what he learns.

The field represents the world. Those who hold to the doctrines of grace are safe in the Lord anywhere in the world. In verse 4, Jonathan spoke well concerning David to Saul. Remember that David and Jonathan covenanted with one another.

There is complete agreement between the saved believer, granted salvation by grace through faith and sealed with the Spirit, and the doctrines of the state of grace. The two are, essentially, inseparable. As such, Jonathan’s appeal for David is an appeal for himself.

It is for this reason that he spoke well of David to Saul. Essentially, he reasons, “He isn’t doing you any harm.” Until the rapture, all people are going to Sheol. Nothing is lost by David living. It would be wrong for Sheol to attempt to usurp God’s plans by coming against the very thing that saves people.

Sheol is a temporary aspect of God’s eternal plan, just as Saul was to be a temporary king until the Messianic line of David assumed the throne. Jonathan even reminds Saul in verse 5 that David, the state of accepting the doctrines of Christ, set his soul in his palm and struck the Philistine. This means he was willing to give himself up entirely for the sake of sound doctrine.

Sheol will get its people either way. What David did was for the sake of God’s plan. All are destined for the pit. That remains unchanged, whatever they believe. However, what David did was on Yehovah’s behalf, who made “salvation whopping to all Israel.”

At that time, Jonathan reminded Saul that he saw and he brightened. What had changed that would cause Saul to sin by killing David for nothing? The answer is obvious. Nothing would be gained by it. Next, in verse 6, Saul heard Jonathan’s word and agreed, sevening himself as an assurance that David would not be killed.

Verse 7 noted that Jonathan called David and explained what occurred, then he took David to be with Saul as before. The state of the doctrines of grace will continue as the means of salvation, even though all, both believers and unbelievers, are destined for Sheol during the dispensation of grace.

Verse 8 brought in the next theme, noting that David struck the Philistines, the Weakeners, meaning those who attempt to weaken the faith of others through law observance. He struck them with a whopping blow, and they fled before him.

Because of this, in verse 9, the evil breath of Yehovah was again upon Saul. Typologically, it is as if there is a constant fear of Sheol that David will prevail so greatly that he will overthrow death itself before the fullness of time passes, something Paul refers to in Romans 11.

David is attempting to restore Saul, symbolized by the thrumming. At the same time, Saul sat with his spear in his hand. In non-pointed Hebrew, the word spear is identical to the feminine form of the word grace.

Verse 10 noted that Saul sought to strike David in the spear and in the wall. It is an attempt to reject the doctrine of grace through faith as a means of salvation. In this act, he has revealed his character, symbolized by the wall.

Despite Saul’s attempt, it said that David cleaved, patar, from Saul’s presence. The use of the word in Scripture signifies the protection of the messianic line, and thus the plan of redemption. Instead of hitting David, the spear went into the wall. Saul’s character is revealed in the act.

Sheol not only wants the souls of men, but he also wants them permanently. Stopping for a moment, we have to look at what is going on.

The Bible is revealing truths about the state of believers. Will they be freed from Sheol, or is there a chance that Sheol will prevail and hold the dead, even the dead in Christ?

This is what is being addressed. With this understanding, in verse 11, Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and have him killed “in the morning,” at the time when a change will take place. Michal, Who Is Like God, signifying true believers in the church, told David that he needed to “elude your soul” that night or he would be killed in the morning.

Therefore, she let him down through the window. The window describes an anticipation of a result. True believers must protect the doctrines of grace at all costs because nothing else can save. Because of her actions, David was saved, eluding Saul’s attempts on his life.

In place of David, in verse 13, Michal set a teraphim in the bed, with a quilt of the goats for the headpieces, and she plumped it up “in the garment.”

The meaning is that she made a knock-off copy of David, including a body shape (teraphim), a quilt of goats for his headpieces (a symbol of authority and signifying atonement), and plumped it as an act of protecting David as he fled.

Although this seems like an outlandish thing, Christians have employed such methods throughout the church age, even since its inception, such as the ICTHYS fish that was used as a means of hiding while protecting their faith.

Michal continued the ruse in verse 14, and in verse 15, Saul sent messengers back to see David, telling the messengers to bring him back, even on his bed, to have him killed. Instead, they found the fake David. In verse 17, Saul questioned Michal about her deception.

Her answer was untrue, just as Rahab’s was hundreds of years earlier. Michal worked under the law of faith, holding to a higher moral standard. As such, neither her lie nor any lie intended to protect the doctrines of grace can be considered sin.

Next, it said David bolted to Samuel, the Ramah-ward. Samuel means Asked from God. He signifies the seed of grace (Christ and those in Him). The Ramah signifies The Lofty, the place where the redeemed will someday arrive.

In that area, it said in verse 18 that David, the state of accepting the doctrines of grace, and Samuel, Christ, and those in Him, stayed in the habitations. Saul has been eluded, and these things are secure. Sheol has no authority over them.

However, what transpires next?  In verse 19, Saul states that David is in “habitations in the Ramah”. It is an acknowledgement that believers are secure through their faith. Despite this, Saul again attempts to undo this.

In verse 20, he sends messengers to take David, but when they see the prophets prophesying, they are overcome by the Spirit of God. This is just what Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 14 –

“But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. ²⁵ And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.” 1 Corinthians 14:24, 25

Saul repeats this process two more times. Finally, he went Ramah-ward in verse 22. At the great cistern at Sechu, Watch Place, he had to ask where Samuel and David were.

The bor, cistern, is a word that is found scattered throughout the Old Testament, bearing various significations. However, it is used synonymously for Sheol several times, such as –

“Yehovah, You caused to ascend from Sheol my soul,
You revived me from descending – Cistern.” Psalm 30:3 (CG)

The meaning is that those destined for Sheol, which is asking even those on their way to the heaven (Lofty) to come, will not thwart the will of God.

Saul forgot where he was going, but he was reminded when he asked about Samuel and David. But when he asked, figuring he had them in his hand as he headed toward habitations, he, too, had the Spirit of God come upon him. Each step of the way (he walked, walking), the Lord was in control of the process.

This state continued until he reached habitations. When he did, it said, “And he stripped, also he, his garments, and he prophesied himself, also he, to faces Samuel. And he fell naked all the day, the it, and all the night.”

Even the king of death, Sheol, who holds the souls of men, lies bare and exposed before God –

“Naked, Sheol, afront Him.
And naught covering to the Abaddon.” Job 26:6 (CG)

Sheol lies naked before the Lord, and Abaddon, the Cistern, has no covering before God. This is true by day and by night. Nothing can thwart the will of God.

The lesson of this chapter is not merely about the immediate effectiveness of the doctrines of grace, meaning salvation by grace through faith and all that it entails for God’s people. It is about the absolute surety of it and is thus inclusive of the often-maligned doctrine of eternal salvation.

God is telling us in this Old Testament story that Sheol has no authority over God’s redeemed. It is a temporary place for all who go the way of Adam. Paul resoundingly proclaims this in 1 Corinthians 15 –

“So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
⁵⁵ ‘O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?’
⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

Hades is the New Testament name of Sheol. We are being instructed on proper doctrine and our hope-filled expectations because of promises from God based on the full, final, finished, and forever work of God in Christ.

Each story is given to instruct us more fully on what God is doing and how it affects us. And Jesus is the key to it all. He did the work, and the doctrines of grace that stem from His labors are what set us on the proper path to glory.A temporary nap in the repository of the dead, Sheol/Hades, has no bearing on our ultimate end. But everything must happen in its proper sequence. These stories are providing important lessons for our understanding of proper doctrine. Thank God for His tender mercies toward us in Christ. Hallelujah and amen.

Closing Verse: “Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. ² And he said:
‘I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,
And He answered me.
“Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.’” Jonah 2:1, 2

Next Week: 1 Samuel 20:1-16 Not finishing the chapter, the outcome will remain unknown, but you will still be smarture, so have fun… (The Stone, the Departure, Part I) (43^rd 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 19:15-24 (CG)

¹⁵And he sent, Saul, the messengers to see David, to say, “You must cause to ascend him in the bed unto me to ‘cause to kill him’.” ¹⁶And they went, the messengers. And behold! The teraphim unto the bed, and ‘quilt, the goats’ – his headpieces. ¹⁷And he said, Saul, unto Michal, “To why just so you hurled* me, and you sent my hating, and he was eluded?”

And she said, Michal, unto Saul, “He, he said unto me, ‘You must send me! To why I will cause to kill you?’”

¹⁸And David, he bolted, and he was eluded, and he went unto Samuel the Ramah-ward. And he caused to declare to him all which he did to him, Saul. And he walked, he and Samuel. And they sat in habitations [k.]. ¹⁹And it caused to declare, to Saul, to say, “Behold! David in habitations [k.] in the Ramah.” ²⁰And he sent, Saul, messengers to take David. And he saw ‘gathering, the prophets’ being prophesied and Samuel standing, being stationed upon them. And it was, upon the ‘messengers, Saul’, ‘Spirit, God’, and they prophesied themselves, also they. ²¹And they caused to declare to Saul, and he sent messengers, others. And they prophesied themselves, also they. And he caused to add, Saul, and he sent messengers – third. And they prophesied themselves, also they. ²²And he walked, also he, the Ramah-ward. And he came until ‘cistern, the great’, which in the Sechu. And he asked, and he said, “What place Samuel and David?”

And he said, “Behold in habitations [k.] in the Ramah.” ²³And he walked there, unto habitations [k.] in the Ramah. And it was upon him, also him, ‘Spirit, God’, and he walked, walking. And he prophesied himself until he came – habitations [k.] in the Ramah. ²⁴And he stripped, also he, his garments, and he prophesied himself, also he, to faces Samuel. And he fell naked all the day, the it, and all the night. Upon thus, they will say, “Also!?, Saul in the prophets?”

 

1 Samuel 19:15-24 (NKJV)

¹⁵ Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” ¹⁶ And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head. ¹⁷ Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?”

And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

¹⁸ So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. ¹⁹ Now it was told Saul, saying, “Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!” ²⁰ Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. ²¹ And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. ²² Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, “Where are Samuel and David?”

And someone said, “Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah.” ²³ So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. ²⁴ And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

1 Samuel 19:1-14
He Set His Soul in His Palm, Part I

(Typed 14 December 2025) It is so easy to fly off the handle, losing control when we get upset. Sleep gets robbed from us, and we lie in bed stewing over whatever thing offended us, real or imagined.

If we encounter the person about our perceived wrong, the matter is likely to end in bad words, even if the person actually did nothing wrong! We make up something in our own minds that has nothing to do with the reality of the situation.

Then, as the long night hours drone on, we fabricate an even greater web of “wrongdoing” and how we are going to deal with it, usually with bad intentions toward the person with whom we are upset.

Saul seemed to do this chronically toward David. It wasn’t David’s fault that the women sang about him slaying myriads in contrast to Saul’s thousand. But Saul let that thought go to his head. That led him to conjuring up all kinds of perverse thoughts about David.

David had no idea that Saul was so miffed at him. He was a loyal subject and a brave warrior for Saul. But Saul couldn’t accept that such a capable person as David didn’t have thoughts of running the kingdom, assuming it at Saul’s expense.

Text Verse: “The God, the ‘giving avengement’ to me,
And he caused to arrange the peoples under me.
⁴⁸Escaping me from my hatings,
Yea, from ‘arisings me,’ You will raise me,
From man violence, You will cause to deliver me.” Psalm 18:47, 48 (CG)

The opening of Psalm 18 says, “To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.”

David eventually understood that whatever he did, Saul would relentlessly pursue him to kill him. At some point in David’s life, that ended, and as he often did, he wrote a psalm about it. It is probable that he never really understood how the animosity from Saul came about.

Throughout his life, David forgave people who intended him harm. At times, he would acknowledge that the one harming him was probably doing it because the Lord instructed him to do so, even if that wasn’t the case.

Because this was his attitude, Saul’s contempt must have been bewildering. But it existed, and he had to deal with it. David never did so in an attack against Saul. In fact, he made every attempt to prove to Saul that he bore him no ill.

It would be good if we, too, have David’s attitude. Instead of stewing over perceived wrongs all night long, we would sleep peacefully. May it be so for each of us. Letting go of offenses is a sound precept found in God’s 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. In the Hideaway (verses 1-8)

The verses that ended Chapter 18 said –

“And he saw, Saul, and he knew for Yehovah with David, and that Michal, ‘daughter, Saul’, she cherished him. ²⁹And he caused to add, Saul, to fear from ‘faces, David’ yet. And he was, Saul, hating David all the days. ³⁰And they went, ‘commanders, Philistines’. And it was, from ‘sufficiency, their going’, he deliberated, David, from all ‘servants, Saul’. And he enweighed his name vehemently.” 1 Samuel 18:28-30 (CG)

Saul sees that David is in his ascendancy in all ways. Thus, his paranoia concerning this increases to a feverish pitch. Therefore…

Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David;

Rather: vaydaber shaul el Yonathan b_eno v_eel kal avadav l_ehamith eth David – “And he spoke, Saul, unto Jonathan his son and unto all his servants, to cause to kill David.” The causative verb is applied to Saul, not Jonathan and his servants. In other words, Saul has not given an order to kill David. Rather, he is talking about killing David.

For all we know, he may have said, “David has become a problem, and he needs to be eliminated. I can no longer allow him to undermine my authority.” Something like that is on his mind.

Saul means Asked. But the spelling of his name is identical to Sheol, the pit, meaning the repository for the dead. One can think of the pit calling out for the souls of men.

Jonathan means Yah Has Given.

^{1 (con’t)} but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David.

vihonathan ben shaul khaphets b_edavid m_eod – “And Jonathan, son Saul, he inclined in David vehemently.” Despite Saul’s murderous intentions, we are reminded of the love Jonathan felt toward David. This sets up the narrative for what follows…

² So Jonathan told David,

vayaged y_ehonathan l_edavid – “And he caused to declare, Jehonathan, to David.” The spelling of Jonathan’s name changes here. He will be mentioned eight times in Chapter 19. In verse 1, it was spelled Jonathan. The next seven times it will say Jehonathan, adding in the letter hey (h), the fifth letter of the Hebrew aleph-beth, which means look, reveal, and breath.

יוֹנָתָ֗ן
יְהוֹנָתָ֜ן

Adding the letter hey indicates the presence of the Spirit. The numerical value, five, refers to grace.

^{2 (con’t)} saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you.

lemor m_evaqesh shaul avi lahamithekha – “to say, ‘Seeking, Saul, my father, to cause to kill you.” The NKJV’s rendering of verse 1 was wrong. Saul wasn’t ordering Jonathan and his men to have David killed. Rather, he was speaking of killing David. Even if someone argues he was implying they should do it, no order to do so was given.

Because of Saul’s intentions, as well as his feelings for David, Jonathan goes around Saul to advise David of his peril…

^{2 (con’t)} Therefore please be on your guard until morning,

Again, the NKJV, based on the faulty KJV, gives an incorrect rendering: v_eatah hishamer na vaboqer – “And now, you must cause to guard, I pray, in the morning.” Jonathan understood that Saul had designs to kill David, but there was no imminent threat (until). Instead, Saul may have gone to bed when Jonathan came to David, telling him to be on guard “in the morning.”

Sticking with a shoddy translation is like reading a paraphrase. You will get the overall sense of what is being said, but without the proper nuances, there is no way to rightly understand what God is conveying as it points to Christ, His work, and how it pertains to His people.

The morning generally signifies the time when a change takes place. It could thus be identified as new beginnings, but that has to be taken in the sense of change in what is, not necessarily something entirely new.

In other words, the day starts at evening. It is the same day in the morning, but the change from dark to light is complete. Jonathan’s words to David continue…

^{2 (con’t)} and stay in a secret place and hide.

veyashavta vasether v_enakhbetha – “And you sat in the hideaway, and you were secreted.” Jonathan gave advice for David to be on guard in the morning. He doesn’t tell him where to hide, and yet, the next verse indicates that he already knows where David will do so. David will write about his hideaway several times in the psalms, such as –

“You – Hideaway [sether] to me,
From distress You will guard me,
Cheers deliverance – You will surround me! Selah”
Psalm 32:7 (CG)

Wherever David hid, the physical spot was within his greater spiritual Hideaway in whom he trusted with every fiber of his being. As for the place indicated by Jonathan…

³ And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, 

Jonathan’s words are emphatic: vaani etse v_eamadti l_eyad avi basadeh asher atah sham – “And I, I will go out, and I stood to ‘hand, my father’ in the field where ‘you, there.’” At no time in the preceding chapters has there been any mention of a field or a hideaway for David. And yet, Jonathan speaks as if it were plainly understood by both.

It may be a place Saul frequented, of which both were aware, or it may be that Jonathan conveyed more to David than is recorded, such as, “I will take Dad for a walk to talk to him.” However, that is totally speculative.

In the Bible, the field represents the world. This is understood from Jesus’ words of Matthew 13:38, where He says, “The field is the world.” Of this place, Jonathan says…

^{3 (con’t)} and I will speak with my father about you.

The emphatic nature of his words continues: vaani adaber b_ekha el avi – “And I, I will speak in you unto my father.” Jonathan intends to convey good words (in you) to Saul, to convince him that his machinations from the previous night were out of line and short-sighted concerning David.

This clause tells us that it wasn’t Jonathan’s intent for Saul to hear their conversation, but to be able to quickly convey the words to David. If David were off in some other location, Jonathan would have to travel there. Thus, it could arouse Saul’s suspicions concerning a scheme existing between him and David.

^{3 (con’t)} Then what I observe, I will tell you.”

v_eraiti mah v_ehigadti lakh – “and I saw what, and I caused to declare to you.” Whatever Jonathan gleans from the matter, that is what he will pass on to David. Therefore, in the morning…

⁴ Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father,

vaydaber y_ehonathan b_edavid tov el shaul aviv – “And he spoke, Jehonathan, in David, good unto Saul his father.” As he promised, Jonathan conveyed good concerning David (in David) to Saul, hoping to elicit a favorable response from him. Specifically…

^{4 (con’t)} and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you,

vayomer elav al yekheta ha’melekh b_eavdo v_edavid ki lo khata lakh – “And he said unto him, ‘Not you will sin, the king, in his servant, in David. For not he sinned to you.” Jonathan understands that the king is sinning through his intent to kill David. As the king, he has the right to judge, sentence, and impose whatever penalty he deems appropriate on his subjects, but his judgments are to be just and based on what is true.

However, Jonathan’s logic is that David has not sinned against Saul. As such, Saul’s actions would, in fact, be sin because they would be unjust. Further…

^{4 (con’t)} and because his works have been very good toward you.

v_ekhi maasav tov l_ekha m_eod – “And for his works – good to you, vehemently.’” The word “toward” signifies motion focused directionally. The NKJV gives an updated amendment to the KJV, which says, “his works have been to theeward very good.” There is no such locative aspect in the Hebrew. Such faulty renderings confuse what is being said.

Jonathan is conveying that David’s deeds have been beneficial to Saul. It is not that they were directed to Saul, but that whatever David did was helpful to Saul, his kingship, and by extension, his kingdom. That is specifically noted next…

⁵ For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine,

The words are similar to what Jephthah said concerning himself in Judges 12:3: vayasem eth naphsho b_ekhapo vayakh eth ha’p_elishti – “And he put his soul in his palm, and he caused to strike the Philistine.” Not a single translation or scholar properly rendered this clause. A palm, kaph, is not a hand, yad. They have different meanings, both in the text and metaphorically.

The, kaph, palm (and sole) signifies possession and/or the state of something. David took his soul, meaning his being, and set it in his possession. One can think of something precious and brittle being set in the palm. Without care, it could tumble out and crash to the floor, shattering it.

In other words, Goliath’s challenge was accepted by David. The winner of the challenge would possess the very being of the other. If the text said hand, it would signify power and authority. The two thoughts, though similar in intent, have completely different ultimate signification.

Jonathan is reminding Saul of the great thing David did and the outcome of it. At the cost of his very being, he killed Goliath.

Philistine signifies Weakener.

^{5 (con’t)} and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel.

vayaas Y_ehovah t_eshuah g_edolah l_ekhal Yisrael – “And he made, Yehovah, ‘salvation, whopping’ to all Israel.” Jonathan’s words are carefully stated. Despite David placing his soul in his palm, it was the Lord, working through him, who brought salvation to Israel. As this is so, it would be an act tantamount to shunning the Lord to kill David when he had done nothing wrong. Even Saul knew this at one time…

^{5 (con’t)} You saw it and rejoiced.

raitha vatismakh – “You saw, and you brightened.” Saul faced the enemy for forty days. Neither he nor any man of Israel was willing to even try to face the Philistine. And yet, when David appeared to tend to his brothers, he immediately said he would accept the challenge. Saul agreed, David prevailed, and Saul rejoiced in the victory over the Philistines.

Jonathan is reminding his father of what took place, hoping it will convince him that his thoughts are awry concerning David…

^{5 (con’t)} Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”

v_elamah tekheta b_edam naqi l_ekhamith eth David khinam – “And to why you will sin in ‘blood, innocent’ to cause to kill David gratuitously?” Jonathan restates his earlier thought so that Saul understands the gravity of killing David. It is tantamount to cold-blooded murder of an innocent man. And that, for no reason at all.

⁶ So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan,

vayishma shaul b_eqol y_ehonathan – “And he heard, Saul, in ‘voice, Jehonathan’.” To hear signifies more than audible listening. It indicates that he heard Jonathan and then determined not to go forward with his decision. And more…

^{6 (con’t)} and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.”

vayishava shaul khai Y_ehovah im yumath – “and he was sevened, Saul, ‘Alive, Yehovah, if he will be caused to die.’” Saul sevened himself. It is as if he swore seven times over the matter. That is seen in what he said. He made an adjuration on the name of Yehovah that he would not take the life of David.

There is no reason to assume that Saul was being dishonest. David will again be in the presence of Saul. Only when David increases in his victories will Saul return to his evil intentions…

⁷ Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things.

vayiqra y_ehonathan l_edavid vayaged lo y_ehonathan eth kal ha’d_evarim ha’eleh – “And he called, Jehonathan, to David. And he caused to declare to him, Jehonathan, all the words, the these.” The narrative leaves a lot unstated, and we have to guess at some of the events. Saul was with Jonathan and then wasn’t.

For whatever reason, Saul departed. After that, Jonathan called out for David, who was also in the field, but hiding somewhere. Once together, Jonathan told David the substance of what was said between him and his father.

^{7 (con’t)} So Jonathan brought David to Saul,

vayave yehonathan eth David el shaul – “And he caused to bring, Jehonathan, David unto Saul.” Jonathan’s care for David continues to be seen. Saul gives assurance that he will not harm David, and so Jonathan personally brings him into Saul’s presence. It would be a reminder of the oath as Jonathan stood there. Therefore…

^{7 (con’t)} and he was in his presence as in times past.

vayhi l_ephanav k_eethmol shilshom – “And he was to his faces according to time, trebly.” It is a Hebrew idiom seen elsewhere. It indicates that David was before Saul today and three days past, rightly paraphrased as “in times past.” Everything was back to the way it was. However, things will again go south when Saul’s jealousy of David returns…

⁸ And there was war again;

vatoseph ha’milkhamah lihyoth – “And it caused to add, the battle, to be.” The words are given for the purpose of directing the past narrative into the next one. It is, therefore, an anticipatory thought concerning why things will return to the way they were. That continues to develop with the next words…

^{8 (con’t)} and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him.

vayetse David vayilakhem bap_elishtim vayakh bahem makah g_edolah vayanusu mipanav – “And he went out, David, and he was fought in the Philistines. And he caused to strike in them ‘wound, whopping’. And they fled from his faces.” This would have been in a campaign with the thousand men he had charge over, as noted in verse 18:13. There may have been others, but David was charged with this size of force as a part of the greater army.

He is credited with a punishing victory over those he faced. One can see the runners rushing back to Saul about the battle, reporting that David thoroughly stomped on the enemy. However, all of the superlative language heaped upon David’s efforts would have had exactly the opposite effect on Saul…

Alive Yehovah! I will do as I say
I will not do wrong, as I planned to do
For sure, it will be this way
Alive Yehovah! My word is true

And yet, I failed, doing wrong again
Sin just keeps creeping up in me
I am no better than any other men
The law is a burden to carry, so I need to be free
Who will free me from this body of sin and death?
I want to do right, but it keeps escaping me

I have failed from my first breath
O God, send someone to rescue me!

II. And He Bolted (verses 9-14)

⁹ Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul

There is no definite article: vat_ehi ruakh Y_ehovah raah el shaul – “And it was, ‘breath, Yehovah’, evilness unto Saul.” The words are the same as 1 Samuel 16:14. So far, the words have mostly said either “breath, evil” or “breath, God.” Now, however, it returns to being more personal, using the divine name to indicate the source.

To understand why I chose to say “breath” rather than “spirit,” refer to the 1 Samuel 16:14-23 sermon. However, to build upon that and show the same pattern in Genesis, look at the account in Genesis 1 –

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

“And the Lord [Y_ehovah] God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7

The narrative begins general and moves to the specific. The same pattern occurs here, but the reason is that Saul made an oath in the name of Yehovah. Therefore, the name of God is also defined as the source of the breath. When this breath comes, Saul is unable to control his inner rage…

^{9 (con’t)} as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand.

v_ehu b_eveitho yoshev vakhanito b_eyado v_edavid m_enagen b_eyad – “And he in his house sitting, and his spear in his hand. And David thrumming in hand.” This is similar to verse 18:10. Saul was having an attack, and David was called to thrum to calm Saul down while Saul sat with his spear in his hand.

Imagine Saul mentally turning over what he had heard about the greatness of David’s victory, mulling and stewing over it. Unable to control himself, the rage welling up in him, it next says…

¹⁰ Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear,

vayvaqesh shaul l_ehakaoth bakhanit b_edavid uvaqir – “And he sought, Saul, to cause to strike in the spear in David, and in the wall.” As noted previously, the khanith, spear, is identical to the feminine form of the word grace. Also, the qir, wall, signifies a revelation of character.

Saul intended to pin David to the wall with his spear. Interesting typology can be derived from what is being conveyed. As in Chapter 18, it says…

^{10 (con’t)} but he slipped away from Saul’s presence;

vayiphtar mip_ene shaul – “And he cleaved from ‘faces, Saul’.” A new and rare word, patar, to cleave or burst through, is seen. One use is in the proverbs as a general lesson on restraint. But the other three are notably set in the Bible when an important moment in redemptive history takes place or is referred to.

David cleaves from Saul’s presence, sparing the messianic line. Jehoiada did not cleave the divisions of the priests on the Sabbath when the six-year-old Joash was anointed king to regain the throne from Athalia, thus restoring the messianic line. Also, it is seen in the 22^nd Psalm, a prophecy concerning Christ’s cross –

“All seeing Me, they will cause to deride,
To Me, they will cause to cleave [patar] in lip,
They will cause to waver head.” Psalm 22:7 (CG)

If nothing else, the word is placed here to indirectly point to the coming of Christ’s ministry.

^{10 (con’t)} and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.

vayakh eth ha’khanith baqir v_edavid nas vayimalet balaylah hu – “And he caused to strike the spear in the wall. And David, he fled, and he was eluded in the night, it.” Saul missed, but David realized the danger he was in. He was told by Jonathan about when Saul sevened himself, but that moment had passed. Therefore, it was best to get away while he could…

¹¹ Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning

vayishlakh shaul malakhim el beith David l_esham_ero v_elahamitho baboqer – “And he sent, Saul, messengers unto ‘house, David’ to guard him, and to cause to kill him in the morning.” Psalm 59 was written in response to these events taking place in David’s life. The intro to the psalm says –

“To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him.”

This time, Saul has gone beyond personal intent to kill David. Instead, he has sent out a strike force to do so. Not only has he broken his oath with which he sevened himself, but he has the full intention of committing murder through the power of his kingship.

Saul’s rule failed because he failed to honor the Lord, the law under which he existed, and the common morality by which humans are expected to interact with one another.

The reason David was guarded until the morning instead of being killed immediately may be seen in the next words…

^{11 (con’t)} And Michal, David’s wife,

vataged l_edavid mikhal ishto – “And she caused to declare to David, Michal his wife.” It could be that Saul didn’t want harm to come to Michal, either physically or mentally. If he sent in the assassins to kill David, she could be harmed in the fray. At the same time, she would know Saul ordered his execution.

However, if David was killed when one or the other was gone, Saul could make an excuse. That possibility seems weak, though. David would have told Michal his side of things. That seems evident from the next clause.

Another possibility is that people in other houses in the area could become aware of the situation and defend David. But that could occur in the day or at night. Therefore, it seems likely that Michal is the main reason for waiting out the night.

Michal means Who Is Like God.

^{11 (con’t)} told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.”

lemor im en_ekha m_emalet eth naphsh_ekha halaylah makhar atah mumath – “to say, ‘If you not ‘elude your soul’ the night, tomorrow you ‘being caused to die’.’” Michal would not be persuaded by Saul, even if he were trying to hide the situation from her. She already knows the truth of the matter from David, and probably from her own understanding of Saul’s mental condition.

Her words are a sound warning to David based on the circumstances. Therefore, David takes her advice…

¹² So Michal let David down through a window.

vatored mikhal eth David b_ead ha’khalon – “And she caused to descend, Michal, David through the window.” A window in the Bible, based on its various uses, is probably best described as “anticipation of a result.”

In this instance, the account of the spies at Rahab’s house, and Paul’s escape in Damascus, the anticipation of a result is deliverance and salvation.

Michal’s house may have been on a wall of the city. If so, it would make the escape far easier than into a city street. Also, city gates were usually shut at night. This would complicate any later attempt to leave the city.

Simply for the sake of a scenic view, it would make sense that David and the king’s daughter would have a home along the wall. Regardless, the wall was high enough that David needed something tied off to allow him to go down its side. Michal could easily pull that back up and hide the fact that he escaped that way.

^{12 (con’t)} And he went and fled and escaped.

vayelekh vayivrakh vaymimalet – “and he went, and he bolted, and he was eluded.” It is unlikely they would live outside of a city. Their home being on a city wall is the most likely explanation. It would also explain why guards didn’t see him departing the house. Otherwise, one would think they would have guarded all entrances and windows.

No matter what, he was able to get away, eluding Saul and his men in the process.

¹³ And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed,

vatiqakh mikhal eth ha’t_eraphim vatasem el hamitah – “And she took, Michal, the teraphim, and she put unto the bed.” Despite the words being clear, it is unknown what teraphim are.

It is a plural word here. In fact, the singular is never used. They were first seen in Genesis 31:19, where Rachel stole her father’s teraphim. In verse 31:30, Laban specifically calls them his gods. In 1 Samuel 15, the word is used in a negative sense –

“So Samuel said:
‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
²³ For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry [teraphim].
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.’” 1 Samuel 15:22, 23

There are fifteen uses of teraphim in the Old Testament, but none of them clearly define what they are. Whatever they are, they include something large enough to be used as a decoy for David. In this case, it could be that it is not anything cultic at all, but that it merely is intended to represent a living being. This fact alone may make it a teraphim.

It is ironic, however, that something that has no breath in it is used in the actions of saving David, the Lord’s anointed. Once she had the teraphim in the bed, it says…

^{13 (con’t)} put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes.

v_eeth k_evir ha’izim samah m_eraashothav vat_ekhas ba’baged – “And ‘quilt, the goats’ she put – his headpieces, and she plumped in the garment.” A new word, kabir, something of intertwined materials, is seen. It is derived from kabar, to plait together.

The word is only seen here and in verse 16. Translations and scholarly opinions vary on what it is. As it is something plaited, my guess of “quilt” is as good as any.

Further, to support this, the word ha’izim, the goats, is used. In other words, goats’ hair was used to fashion the kabir. It is likely that this is a quilt that was plaited from goats’ hair. It was then rolled up into the area where his head would be, like a pillow.

This word, meraashoth, is from rosh, head, first, headship, etc. Strong’s believes the plural signifies it is to be used adverbially. Thus, “headpieces” would mean at his headrest or at his pillow.

As a point of reference, the word, izim, goats, is the term used for the sin offering, including the one mandated on the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16:5.

With all that in place, the last thing she did was plump it up, meaning to cover it. Michal is dealing covertly against Saul by covering her teraphim and plumping it up to make it look like a body. These items will look like a human in the bed. The covering is what provides the “plumping” over all the convolutions.

*¹⁴ So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”

vayishlakh shaul malakhim laqakhath eth David vatomer kholeh hu – “And he sent, Saul, messengers to take David. And she said, ‘Rubbed, he.’” The verses today end on a lying word from Michal. She bought time for David’s escape by saying he was sick. As for the word khalah, rubbed, it is used in various contexts.

It can signify being sick, petitioning someone, being grieved, etc. When something is rubbed, it can show favor, like rubbing someone’s face. It can show sickness, like being worn down in health. It can also apply in a spiritual sense, like being worn down in spirit, grieved, etc.

Michal did what any wife would do if she loved her husband. She cannot be charged with an offense when it is to serve a higher moral intent.

This is a good spot to stop and pick up the narrative next week. We will hopefully be able to determine why God placed this story in the word. There are a ton of details to sort through and more in the final eleven verses.

If nothing else, we will understand various events that allowed the plan of redemption, already prophesied in highly detailed passages, to continue until the coming of Jesus. It is through David, not Saul, that the messianic line is established.

Therefore, knowing these stories and thinking on them allows us to have a greater surety that God is fully in control of conducting the events within time to get the world to the time of the Messiah’s arrival. If that is so, we should not fret that He has a clear plan for those of us who are His now that the Messiah has come.

There should be no fear or dread concerning the events that surround us. David, having gone through this ordeal, didn’t break down and fret his life away. Instead, he wrote a psalm about it. Wouldn’t it be great if we had that same attitude each time we faced great trials?

We can remember his example, and other heroes of faith recorded in the Bible, and we can confidently claim that our lives are on the good and proper path, even when things may seem to be falling apart. That is, if we truly belong to Jesus. To be sure you have that confidence, let me take a minute to explain how you can be sure of the eternal hope found in Him…

Closing Verse: “Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
Defend me from those who rise up against me.
² Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,
And save me from bloodthirsty men.” Psalm 59:1, 2

Next Week: 1 Samuel 19:15-24 Despite the ordeal, he remained calm, it is true… (He Set His Soul in His Palm, Part II) (42^nd 1Samuel 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 19:1-14 (CG)

1 And he spoke, Saul, unto Jonathan his son and unto all his servants, to cause to kill David. And Jonathan, son Saul, he inclined in David vehemently. ²And he caused to declare, Jehonathan, to David, to say, “Seeking, Saul, my father, to cause to kill you. And now, you must cause to guard, I pray, in the morning. And you sat in the hideaway, and you were secreted. ³And I, I will go out, and I stood to ‘hand, my father’ in the field where ‘you, there’. And I, I will speak in you unto my father, and I saw what, and I caused to declare to you.”

⁴And he spoke, Jehonathan in David, good unto Saul his father. And he said unto him, “Not you will sin, the king, in his servant, in David. For not he sinned to you. And for his works – good to you, vehemently. ⁵And he put his soul in his palm, and he caused to strike the Philistine. And he made, Yehovah, ‘salvation, whopping’ to all Israel. You saw, and you brightened. And to why you will sin in ‘blood, innocent’ to cause to kill David gratuitously?”

⁶And he heard, Saul, in ‘voice, Jehonathan’, and he was sevened, Saul, “Alive, Yehovah, if he will be caused to die.” ⁷And he called, Jehonathan, to David. And he caused to declare to him, Jehonathan, all the words, the these. And he caused to bring, Jehonathan, David unto Saul. And he was to his faces according to time, trebly.

⁸And it caused to add, the battle, to be. And he went out, David, and he was fought in the Philistines. And he caused to strike in them, ‘wound, whopping’. And they fled from his faces.

⁹And it was, ‘breath, Yehovah’, evilness unto Saul. And he in his house sitting, and his spear in his hand. And David thrumming in hand. ¹⁰And he sought, Saul, to cause to strike in the spear in David, and in the wall. And he cleaved from ‘faces, Saul’. And he caused to strike the spear in the wall. And David, he fled, and he was eluded in the night, it.

¹¹And he sent, Saul, messengers unto ‘house, David’ to guard him, and to cause to kill him in the morning. And she caused to declare to David, Michal, his wife, to say, “If you not ‘elude your soul’ the night, tomorrow you ‘being caused to die’.” ¹²And she caused to descend, Michal, David through the window, and he went, and he bolted, and he was eluded. ¹³And she took, Michal, the teraphim, and she put unto the bed. And ‘quilt, the goats’ she put – his headpieces, and she plumped in the garment. ¹⁴And he sent, Saul, messengers to take David. And she said, “Rubbed, he.”

 

1 Samuel 19:1-14 (NKJV)

Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David. ² So Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. ³ And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you.”

⁴ Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. ⁵ For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”

⁶ So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.” ⁷ Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.

⁸ And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him.

⁹ Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. ¹⁰ Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.

¹¹ Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” ¹² So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. ¹³ And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. ¹⁴ So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”