1 Samuel 20 - Printer Friendly

What does 1 Samuel 20 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

With the intervention of the Holy Spirit, David has escaped King Saul's attempts to capture him near Ramah (1 Samuel 19:18–24). Instead of running away from Saul, David returns to Saul's home base of Gibeah to ask Saul's son Jonathan for help and for answers about why Saul is trying to arrest and kill him (1 Samuel 20:1).

Jonathan can't believe his father would break his prior agreement (1 Samuel 19:6) but agrees to help. David has a plan. When Saul notices he isn't at the new moon feast, Jonathan will tell the king he gave David permission to go to a sacrifice with his clan in Bethlehem. If the king becomes angry, Jonathan will know Saul still wants to kill David (1 Samuel 20:2–7).

David, sounding desperate, reminds Jonathan of their friendship covenant (1 Samuel 18:1–4). If David is guilty, he'd rather Jonathan kills him now than for Saul to do it later. David understands it would be in Jonathan's self-interest to defeat an "enemy," instead of risking his own life and future to help a friend. Jonathan quickly affirms he's loyal to David, not his father. He would immediately tell David if he knew Saul wanted to kill him (1 Samuel 20:8–11).

Jonathan swears he will warn David as soon as he knows the truth about Saul's intentions. He further affirms his commitment to David by acknowledging David will one day be king. His conviction is so strong that he asks David to swear not to kill either Jonathan or his offspring when he takes Israel's throne (1 Samuel 20:12–17).

Jonathan refines David's plan. On the third day of the feast, Jonathan will shoot arrows in the field where David is hiding. Depending on how he directs his servant boy to fetch the arrows, David will know whether to stay or leave (1 Samuel 10:18–23).

On the first day of the feast, Saul notices David is gone but assumes he's ceremonially unclean. The next day, though, Saul asks Jonathan where David is, and Jonathan says he's in Bethlehem with his family. Saul explodes in a rage, insulting Jonathan and his mother. He knows Jonathan has sided with David and demands that Jonathan turn David over if he ever hopes to be king himself. When Jonathan asks what David has done, Saul throws a spear at his own child. Jonathan leaves the feast in a fierce anger of his own (1 Samuel 20:24–34).

The next morning, Jonathan acts out the plan he had made with David, then tells the boy to quickly gather the arrows and take his weapons back to the city. When the boy is gone, David comes out of his hiding place and the two men weep together. Jonathan tells David to go in peace because their oaths of friendship to each other before the Lord will continue to bind them and their descendants forever (1 Samuel 20:35–42).

David flees with only the clothes on his back. He goes to Ahimelech the priest and lies, saying he's on the king's business. Ahimelech gives David the holy bread and a weapon: Goliath's sword. After a tense visit with the king of Gath, David escapes to the cave of Adullam. Soon, he's surrounded: first by his brothers, and then by the needy and disenfranchised. Before long, these people will be his army (1 Samuel 21:1—22:5).

In 1 Samuel 20:1–3, Jonathan begins to accept that his father, King Saul, wants to kill his best friend, David. Despite Jonathan's defense of David, Saul continues to try to kill David (1 Samuel 19). David hatches a scheme so he and Jonathan can know for sure. When Jonathan learns the truth, he's heartbroken. David leaves for good and accidentally creates his own army (1 Samuel 21:1—22:5). He will continue to fight for Israel independently until Saul dies.

First Samuel 20:4–11 presents David's case to Jonathan. He crafts a way to prove that Saul wants him dead and puts his life in Jonathan's hands. Jonathan promises to warn David if he's in danger. They go to a field where Jonathan vows his loyalty to David and begs for David's mercy on Jonathan and his family when David becomes king (1 Samuel 20:12–17).

First Samuel 20:12–17 records Jonathan's vows of loyalty to David. David has warned that Jonathan's father, King Saul, wants David dead. Jonathan doesn't believe him. But he agrees to David's plan to uncover the truth (1 Samuel 20:1–11). Now, Jonathan vows his allegiance to David and begs for David's protection when he becomes king. Next, Jonathan will refine and fulfill David's plan. When he finds out his father's twisted intent, he returns to alert David, and they part ways (1 Samuel 20:18–42).

First Samuel 20:18–23 explains how Jonathan refines David's plan to discover if King Saul wants to kill David. Jonathan doesn't believe his father is that evil, but he is deeply loyal to David and agrees to find the truth (1 Samuel 20:1–17). If Saul flies into a rage because David doesn't come to the new moon feast, Jonathan will warn David that he isn't safe. This is exactly what happens, and Jonathan is heartbroken for himself and his friend (1 Samuel 20:24–42).

First Samuel 20:24–29 describes how Jonathan sets the trap for his father. David says Saul wants to kill him; Jonathan can't believe it but agrees to find out (1 Samuel 20:1–23). It's the feast of the new moon, and David isn't at Saul's table. Jonathan explains that David is home with his family. Saul knows his son is lying and explodes in anger. Furious and hurt, Jonathan leaves the table. The next day, he must tell his best friend to flee for his life (1 Samuel 20:30–42).

In 1 Samuel 20:30–34, Jonathan finally accepts the truth. David has told him his father, King Saul, wants to kill David. Jonathan couldn't accept that his dad could be so evil. They set a trap, and Saul falls right in (1 Samuel 18:1–29). Jonathan realizes that not only does Saul want David dead, but the king is also furious with Jonathan for his loyalty to David. Jonathan lets David know he needs to leave immediately. As they part, Jonathan reminds David to protect his children when David is made king (1 Samuel 20:35–42).

First Samuel 20:35–40 comes after David's test has worked, so Jonathan accepts that his father wants to kill his best friend (1 Samuel 20:18–34). To notify David, Jonathan takes a servant boy to archery practice. By telling the boy that the arrow landed beyond him, he's telling David that David needs to leave. Jonathan dismisses the boy with the weapons, and Jonathan and David say goodbye (1 Samuel 20:41–42).

First Samuel 20:41–42 records how David leaves Gibeah and Jonathan forever. Jonathan can no longer deny the depth of his father's hatred for David. The friends weep together, and Jonathan, again, reminds David of his oath: when David becomes king, he must not think of Jonathan or his children as rivals. He must keep them safe. Jonathan returns to his father, and David leaves. After convincing a priest into giving him food and a sword, and staying a short while in Gath, David settles in the wilderness and builds his own army (1 Samuel 21:1—22:5).

Chapter Summary:

In 1 Samuel 20, David flees Saul for good. David goes to Jonathan at Gibeah to ask why Saul is trying to kill him. Jonathan agrees to find out. The two swear oaths of commitment to each other and plan to learn Saul's intentions. At the feast of the new moon, Saul becomes enraged at David's absence, as well as Jonathan's misplaced loyalty, and Jonathan knows David is in danger. The next day, Jonathan signals to David that he must flee. They part with tears and affirmations of their sworn friendship to each other.

Chapter Context:

David knows Saul wants to kill him (1 Samuel 19), but Jonathan can't accept it. The two decide to prove the king's intent, and Jonathan finally admits David's right. They part, trusting in their oath of friendship. David flees to Nob, where he tricks the priest out of bread and Goliath's sword, and makes a short visit to Gath. Eventually, David goes to the wilderness where his brothers meet him—along with four hundred men and their families who are in dire straits: the beginning of David's army (1 Samuel 21:1—22:5).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.

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