Arrows
1 Sam 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?
David asks a question that many believers have asked: What have I done that I am persecuted, it must be some sin in my life? God is glorified when we trust in him.
John 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
John 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
We already know that satan will use another to persecute a servant of God. These are devil's using a human who has yielded to them because of unforgiveness.
2 Tim 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
1 Sam 20:2 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 show it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
Jonathan speaks of a close relationship to his father, as Jesus was close to Father God. Saul was not as Jesus' father, but of the devil. Jonathan was the friend of David and would share all things from the father.
John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
1 Sam 20:3 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.
We are sometimes blinded to the bad spirit in a loved one, we choose not to see, only seeing good things that we wish to see. Saul's hatred for David was no secret. Jonathan appears to not believe his father desires to kill David, yet Saul had ordered David killed in front of Jonathan and his own servants earlier.
1 Sam 19:1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
1 Sam 20:4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.
Jonathan wished to show David that he was in no way hostile to him, he would do anything for him. He remained his loyal friend. We do not give open ended promises to strangers or evil people. The promises belong to the people of God.
1 Sam 20:5 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.
The Jew's still celebrate the feast of the new moon; Rosh-Hodesh. These things are no longer required in the New Covenant.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
1 Sam 20:6 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.
David would probably visit Bethlehem as he said, but would return to the field. He would not walk in a lie.
1 Sam 20:7 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.
This is a test of Saul's intentions towards David. At one time Saul swore before God that he would not kill David. Later, he asks others to help him slay him. Saul is a double minded man. Who could trust him?
James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
1 Sam 20:8 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?
David tests to see if Jonathan is in agreement with his father.
1 Sam 20:9 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?
Sometimes it is easy to talk of no fear, but to David his well being is at stake. He has given up all to dwell by the kings command in the royal house, now he is being hunted as a fugitive. When we give up all to God, as David has, God will supply his needs. It is time to obey the eternal King.
1 Sam 20:10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?
1 Sam 20:11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
1 Sam 20:12 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 show it thee;
He speaks before the LORD God, that he would be honest with David.
1 Sam 20:13 The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will show 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.
The LORD show you mercy as he has my father Saul.
2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
1 Sam 20:14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:
1 Sam 20:15 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.
1 Sam 20:16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.
1 Sam 20:17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Jonathan knew that David would overcome his enemies and someday be king. He had him to swear an oath that he would be kind to the descendants of Saul's family. David would keep this oath.
1 Sam 20:18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
1 Sam 20:19 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.
After staying three days in Bethlehem, then come to the hiding place in the field.
1 Sam 20:20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
1 Sam 20:21 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.
1 Sam 20:22 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.
They agreed on a plan to signal David as to Saul's intentions. Some advise abused women to stay with the husband. This is a similar situation. The husband may be as unstable as Saul, and to stay could lead to death. No one is required to stay with a devil, that may end up killing them. Be careful who you choose as your marriage partner.
1 Sam 20:23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.
Their friendship and covenant was to be forever. Just imagine seeing these two friends when we are in heaven? I think some things must wait until heaven. This can be a hostile world for the servant of God.
1 Sam 20:24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
1 Sam 20:25 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.
Abner was Saul's uncle and captain of his military.
1 Sam 20:26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
There are a list of things that could make a man unclean, see Leviticus 23:3-7. The ceremonial law required washing and the sun to go down. So a day must pass to be made clean.
1 Sam 20:27 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?
1 Sam 20:28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:
1 Sam 20:29 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.
Jonathan tells his father of David's story to test him.
1 Sam 20:30 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?
1 Sam 20:31 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.
Angry slandering words, Jonathan basically is called a bastard for siding with lowly David. Even more, you shall lose your right to the kingdom because of him.
1 Sam 20:32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
1 Sam 20:33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
Saul's hatred for David was so intense and so demonic that he throws his javelin at his own son to kill him. Saul was a mad man, there was no reasoning with him. A word of caution for us all. Our anger, no matter the cause should not be thrust at a family member. We tend to allow our emotions freedom at home, more than in public. Angry words can do lasting damage.
1 Sam 20:34 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.
The anger was justified. How the religious like to keep their religious days and ceremonies, but what of their heart?
1 Sam 20:35 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.
1 Sam 20:36 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.
1 Sam 20:37 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?
1 Sam 20:38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
1 Sam 20:39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
1 Sam 20:40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
1 Sam 20:41 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.
Deep sorrows over the father's sinful behavior. The two close friends embraced each other, each grieving over sin and separation.
1 Sam 20:42 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.
A sad parting of two covenant friends. Saul as a type of the devil has caused separation and sorrows. David must leave behind his home, his wife and best friend. He would leave his position as a captain of thousands. He would leave behind his reputation as an honorable servant of God and the women's songs of David has killed his ten thousands. This was a time he must spend as a homeless person, trusting only in the LORD. It will be a time of spiritual learning and shaping to be God's choice of king.
Mat 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
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