1 Samuel 20

Please see License for Copyright notice and Licensing information.
[ Previous | Next ]

1 Samuel 20

1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

2 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.

5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.

6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.

8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?

11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.

12 And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;

13 The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not:

15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.

16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David's enemies.

17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

19 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.

20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.

21 And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the Lord liveth.

22 But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away.

23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me for ever.

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

25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.

26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.

27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?

28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:

29 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table.

30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?

31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?

33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.

34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.

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

36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?

38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

Notes

Cross Reference

Commentary

Rashi

Verse 3

<html>There is but a step. With one step I left from being before him,¹Rashi’s interpretation follows the literal meaning. Others interpret this phrase figuratively, i.e., there is but a short distance between me and death—Radak. and he drove the spear into the wall. With that step, I was saved from death.</html>

Verse 5

<html>Behold, tomorrow is the New Moon. The renewal of the moon.²From the word חָדָשׁ [=new]. He could not state that tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh, because Rosh Chodesh could only be declared by בֵּית דִין and the actual day of Rosh Chodesh is unknown until it is sanctified by בֵּית דִין. And of all those who eat at the king's table, no one declines from coming to the repast on the festive day.³The New Moon [=Rosh Chodesh] was celebrated as a festive day. See II Melachim 4:23 and Hosheia 2:13. And I usually sit with the king to eat. This is the present tense [meaning] 'and I am accustomed to sit with the king regularly, to eat beside him.' Let me leave. From now, and I will hide until the evening of the third day, and I will not be with the people eating, and my seat will be empty; the king will wonder about me either tomorrow or the following day.</html>

Verse 6

<html>Asked. He asked me for permission. An annual feast-offering. From year to year at this time.⁴It was customary for family members to offer a yearly sacrifice. Elkonoh, too, used to go to Shiloh every year [See above 1:21].</html>

Verse 7

<html>If he says thus, 'Good'. I.e., he is not angry.⁵It is a sign that he harbors no evil. It is well for your servant. He has no intention to kill me. But if he gets very angry. This is because he wants me to be accessible so that he can kill me. He has decided upon evil. The conclusion is, that he has an evil thought concerning me.</html>

Verse 8

<html>Be kind. To let me go.⁶Or by notifying me of what is happening.—Metzudas Dovid.</html>

Verse 9

<html>Far be it from you. To suspect me thus, that I know he has decided upon evil, and not to tell you.</html>

Verse 10

<html>Who will tell me. In the place where I will hide.</html>

Verse 12

<html>Adonoy the God of Yisroel. This is an expression of oath. On the third day. Of the following day. That means the third day at this time, for tomorrow is the new moon, and tomorrow my father might not wonder; but he will wonder on the third day.</html>

Verse 13

<html>So may Adonoy do to Yonoson. The Holy One, Blessed is He, when I question my father, and find that he is favorable toward you, if I do not [send word] through a messenger and reveal to you, for good I am able to reveal. But if it pleases my father to do evil to you, that I will not reveal [by messenger], lest my father find out your whereabouts,⁷I.e., the messenger might later reveal Dovid’s whereabouts to Shaul. but I will personally reveal it to you.</html>

Verse 14

<html>I will not [ask of you] if I still be alive. An expression of request, as in and if only [וָלאׁ] it will be given to your bondsman.'⁸II Melachim 5:17. It is not removed from its usual meaning, 'and will you not do with me good while I am still alive, and do with me the kindness of Adonoy before I die?' And what is the kindness? That you will not discontinue your kindness with my household. Regarding this, you will make a covenant with me in my lifetime.</html>

Verse 15

<html>Not even when Adonoy cuts off. And also, you will not remove your kindness from them even when retribution befalls my father's house, for I know that God will cut off your enemies.⁹And being that my father’s family is included among your enemies, you will not kill them.</html>

Verse 16

<html>May Adonoy exact punishment. Of this covenant. From Dovid's enemies. Scripture euphemized. Its real meaning is that the The Holy One, Blessed is He, demanded the punishment of the transgression from Dovid.¹⁰Others maintain that ‘Dovid’s enemies’ refers to Shaul and Avneir.—Mahri Kra. When he transgressed the covenant, and said to Mefiboshes, “You and Tziva shall divide the field,”¹¹II Shmuel 19:30. a bas kol came forth, and said, 'Rechavam and Yorovom shall divide the kingdom.'¹²See Maseches Shabbos 56b and Maseches Yoma 22b. And so did Targum Yonoson render, 'and Adonoy took retribution from Dovid's enemies.'</html>

Verse 18

<html>Tomorrow is the New Moon. And it is customary for all those who eat at the king's table to come on the festive day to the table. And you will be missed. My father will miss you, and ask where you are. Because your seat will be empty.¹³Yonoson assumed that out of respect for Dovid no one would occupy his seat. For your seat in which you sit, will be empty, and so did Targum Yonoson render, 'and you will be sought, for your seat will be vacant.' And you will be missed. An expression of remembering. Will be empty. An expression of missing.</html>

Verse 19

<html>For three days. You shall triple the days, and then you should go down very much, i.e., when the third day arrives,¹⁴Others translate וְשִׁלַשְׁתָּ as “mark three times” [the spot where to hide] to avoid any misunderstanding. The same expression [וְשִׁלַשְׁתָּ], is used to tell the Bnei Yisroel to mark the borders of the land into three parts in Devarim 19:3. you should go down into a secret place, and hide very well, because they will seek you then. And you shall come to this secret place, where you are hiding today, which is a work day.¹⁵I.e., the day after Rosh Chodesh is described as a work day in comparison to Rosh Chodesh which is considered a holiday because they did not engage in their usual work. And similarly Targum Yonoson renders, on a week day, for he hid on that day, as it is stated, 'and Dovid hid in the field,'¹⁶Below verse 24. and immediately, 'it was the New Moon'¹⁷Ibid. on the next day. The marker stone. A stone which was a landmark for travelers.¹⁸הׇאָזֶל meaning “[a stone for] those who go.” Others, maintain that the marker stone was used as a target at which arrows were shot. The marker for those who travel. And similarly Targum Yonoson renders אֶבֶן אָתָא, 'the stone [that served as] a sign.'¹⁹For travelers.</html>

Verse 20

<html>I will shoot in that direction. This is not a dotted ה׳. Thus צִדָּה is interpreted like לַצַּד [to a side].²⁰Radak explains צִדָּה as if it had a ׳מַפִּיק ה׳ meaning ‘to its side, i.e., the side of the stone’ he will shoot the arrow. Every word which requires a 'ל' as a prefix, Scripture puts a 'ה' as a suffix,²¹Maseches Yevamos 13b. meaning, 'at the side of that stone, I will shoot arrows to a target' so that the youth will not understand, and this sign will be for you to divine whether you need to run away.</html>

Verse 21

<html>Behold, I will then send… And it is customary for the one who is looking for a shot arrow to go to the place where he sees the arrow flying, but he cannot calculate exactly; sometimes he searches for it, and the arrow is beyond him, and sometimes he goes beyond the arrow and searches for it, and you shall divine with this [sign]. If I say to the lad…take [the arrows] and come.²²To signal Dovid’s acceptability by Shaul. You should emerge from your hiding place, and take it, and come to me, for you have nothing to fear, for it is well with you. The Holy One, Blessed is He, desires that you be here, and do not fear, even if I have heard evil from [my] father.²³It is apparent that Rashi holds that Yonoson used the shooting of the arrows as a form of divination to determine whether ה׳ wanted Dovid to stay or to flee. According to Rashi, Yonoson did not plan to shoot the arrows in accordance with Shaul’s attitude toward Dovid, i.e., he would shoot the arrows close by as a signal for Dovid to come back if Shaul’s answer was positive towards Dovid; and he would shoot the arrows far off to indicate for Dovid to escape if Shaul’s answer was unfavorable to Dovid.</html>

Verse 22

<html>But, if I say thus…then go for Adonoy has sent you away. The Holy One, Blessed is He, tells you to run away and escape.</html>

Verse 23

<html>But as for the matter of which we have spoken. The covenant which we made together. Behold, Adonoy is [witness] between me and you. A witness concerning that matter.</html>

Verse 25

<html>On the seat against the wall. At the head of the couch, next to the wall. Yonoson rose. He stood up from his place, because it is not proper for a son to recline beside his father;²⁴Others suggest that Yonoson wanted to keep his distance from Shaul and his show of respect was only a guise. their custom was to eat while reclining on couches, and Dovid would recline between Yonoson and Shaul. Now that Dovid did not come, Yonoson did not recline until Avneir sat down beside Shaul, and afterwards, Yonoson sat beside Avneir. And if you say that he did not sit as all, Scripture states, 'And Yonoson rose from the table,'²⁵Below verse 34. implying that he had been sitting.</html>

Verse 26

<html>Something happened. He has experienced [a discharge of] semen. He must be impure. And he has not yet immersed himself for his [discharge of] semen, for had he immersed himself for his [discharge of] semen, he would not have to wait for sunset [to eat] ordinary food.²⁶See Vayikra 22:4. For he is not ritually pure. This [clause] gives reason for the matter, because he is not pure, he, therefore, did not come, so that he would not contaminate the feast.²⁷Either because they were accustomed to maintain the stringencies associated with ritual purity even for ordinary food; or perhaps the New Moon feast consisted of the consecrated food of the peace offerings.—Radak.</html>

Verse 27

<html>The day after the New Moon. The day following the renewal²⁸חֹדֶשׁ here means ‘renewal’ i.e., Rosh Chodesh and not ‘month.’ of the moon. The second [day]. The second day of the month.</html>

Verse 29

<html>And he, my brother, summoned me. The eldest of the household, summoned me that I be here;²⁹The phrase נִשְׁאֹל נִשְׁאַל reflects the two reasons for his request to go to Beis Lechem. One was to participate in his family’s annual sacrifice and the other reason was because the eldest of the household had summoned him there. and he is my brother Eliav. Let me hurry away. Esmucier in O.F. I shall go away for a day and come [back].</html>

Verse 30

<html>A straying woman, deserving of punishment.נָע is an expression of straying and wandering, a gadding woman. Just as you have זַעֲוָה from זָע, similarly you have נַעֲוָה from נָע, and the 'ת' is for construct state, for it is connected to הַמַּרְדּוּת. Deserving of punishment. Who deserves to be chastised and disciplined. Another explanation is that when the men of Binyomin grabbed the girls of Shiloh, who came out to dance in the vineyards,³⁰See Shoftim 21:20-21. Shaul was bashful, and did not want to grab, until she herself came, behaving insolently, and pursued him. Straying. Because of the vineyards. And that is the winepress, as in 'purge the winepress'³¹Maseches Avodah Zorah 74b. [and] 'His winepresses will drip with wine,'³²Bereishis 49:12 Targum Unkelus. in the Targum's translation of 'His eyes are red [from wine].'</html>

Verse 34

<html>He was saddened over Dovid. Concerning Dovid. Because his father had humiliated him. Concerning Dovid.³³Yonoson did not eat any food on the second day of the New Moon for two reasons and both were ‘concerning Dovid.’ Firstly, he was “saddened” that his father was set upon killing Dovid and secondly because his father “humiliated” him both by verbal abuse and by action [throwing the spear].—Radak</html>

Verse 35

<html>For the meeting with Dovid. At the time which Dovid had set for him.</html>

Verse 36

<html>Beyond him. The arrow went beyond the lad.</html>

Verse 41

<html>From near the southern side. [Targum renders,] 'from the side of the landmark stone which was toward the south.' Until Dovid exceeded. I.e., he cried more.³⁴I.e., ‘more than Yonoson.’ However, according to Ralbag, ‘more than is fitting.’ Dovid cried more than Yonoson because unlike Yonoson who could return home now, Dovid would have to flee from Shaul who was seeking to kill him.</html>

Verse 42

<html>Go to peace. And the oath which we have sworn, may ה׳ be its witness forever.</html>

ARC Wiki

Table of Contents

1 Samuel 20

1 Samuel 20

Notes

Cross Reference

Commentary

Rashi

Verse 3

Verse 5

Verse 6

Verse 7

Verse 8

Verse 9

Verse 10

Verse 12

Verse 13

Verse 14

Verse 15

Verse 16

Verse 18

Verse 19

Verse 20

Verse 21

Verse 22

Verse 23

Verse 25

Verse 26

Verse 27

Verse 29

Verse 30

Verse 34

Verse 35

Verse 36

Verse 41

Verse 42