Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(1 Samuel 20:1) And David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father that he seeks my life?"
When we last left David, Saul had his servants surrounding David's house at night waiting to kill him the next morning, but his wife Micah let him down out a window where he fled to Samuel in Ramah, and then Samuel and David went to Naioth. Saul went to Naioth after him, but the Lord put a spirit of prophecy on Saul, and he was detained a day and a night, giving David time to escape from Naioth. He came to Jonathan and begged to know what he had done that made Saul seek to kill him.
(2) And he said to him, "God forbid, you shall not die; behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will show it to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so."
Jonathan told David he was sure his father was not trying to kill him because his father always told him his plans, great or small, and he could not believe that his father would hide so great a thing from him. He was sure it was not true.
(3) And David swore moreover, and said, "Your father certainly knows that I have found grace in your eyes, and he said, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved,' but truly, as the Lord lives and your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death."
David swore to Jonathan that he knew it to be true. He told him that his father surely knew that David had found great favor with Jonathan and that he had hidden his intentions from Jonathan because of their great friendship. He swore to him that he knew his life was in imminent danger.
(4) Then Jonathan said to David, "Whatever your soul desires, I will do for you." (5) And David said to Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at the meal, but let me go that I may hide myself in the field until the third day at evening."
Jonathan assured David he would do whatever David asked him to do. David told him that the next day was the new moon which was the first day of the month, as the months of the Hebrews were lunar months, counted from new moon to new moon. On the new moon they offered sacrifices and had a feast (Numbers 28:11), and David said he would be expected to join the king at the feast. However, he asked Jonathan to let him go and hide out until the third day when the feast was over.
(6) "If your father at all misses me, then say, 'David earnestly asked of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city, for a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.'"
David told Jonathan that if his father asked about him, to tell him that David wanted to go to Bethlehem for a yearly sacrifice there for all his family. That may have been true and not just an excuse as his family did indeed make yearly sacrifices (1 Samuel 1:21).
(7) "If he says thus, 'It is well,' your servant shall have peace, but if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him."
David told Jonathan that if his father said that it was well and good that David should go to his family feast, then he knew he would be safe. However, if his father became very angry, then Jonathan could be sure that Saul determined evil against David.
(8) "Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you; notwithstanding, if there is in me iniquity, slay me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?"
David knew that Jonathan would deal kindly with him because of a covenant of friendship between Jonathan and David, of which Jonathan had been the initiator. However, David said that if there was any iniquity found in him, he implored that Jonathan kill him himself rather than bring him to his father.
(9) And Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then wouldn't I tell you?"
Jonathan told David that thought should be far from him that he would conceal his father's ill intentions against him. If he had known of any such intentions, he would have certainly told David.
(10) Then David said to Jonathan, "Who shall tell me? Or what if your father answers you roughly?"
David asked Jonathan how he would know how Saul had responded when he wasn't at the feast. What if his father dealt with him harshly because he knew that he loved David and may have protected him?
(11) And Jonathan said to David, "Come and let us go out into the field." And both of them went out into the field. (12) And Jonathan said to David, "O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded out my father anytime tomorrow or the third day, and behold, if there is good toward David, and then I do not send to you and show it to you, (13) The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan, but if it please my father to do you evil, then I will show it to you and send you away, that you may go in peace, and the Lord be with you, as He has been with my father."
Jonathan asked David to go out into the field with him, probably so that they could talk more freely, not being overheard by Saul's servants. They went out to the field, and Jonathan assured David by the Lord God of Israel, that when he knew the mood and intentions of his father, he would certainly tell him. Let the vengeance of the Lord fall on him if he failed to tell David. He would tell him if the news was good, and if it was bad, he would tell him and help him get away, that he may go in peace. He added the blessing that the Lord be with him as He had been with his father, suggesting that he might be aware that David was to succeed his father as king.
(14) "And you shall not only while I yet live show me the kindness of the Lord, that I not die, (15) But you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when the Lord has cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth."
For David's part in this covenant, Jonathan asked that he show kindness to him when he came to the throne and not take away his life. He asked that David not cut off that kindness from his family forever, or for as long as he was on the throne. Not even after the Lord had cut off all his enemies and presumably then he had peace, he was never to cut off his kindness to Jonathan's posterity.
(16) So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, "Let the Lord even require at the hand of David's enemies."
It appears that this covenant was to go beyond David's time on the throne and was to continue with his descendants, "the house of David." If either side broke this covenant, Jonathan asked that the Lord punish the violators by 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.
Jonathan asked David to swear to this oath, for he loved him like a brother or even closer, like himself, and he desired that their families continue to observe their covenant throughout their generations.
(18) Then Jonathan said to David, "Tomorrow is the new moon, and you shall be missed because your seat will be empty. (19) And when you have stayed three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you did hide yourself when the business was and shall remain by the stone Ezel."
Jonathan reiterated the fact that the next day was the new moon and that David would not be at the feast. He went on to instruct him to wait three days and then go down to the place where he had hidden before when the business of Saul seeking David's life first became known to them (1 Samuel 19:2). He told him to remain at a stone called Ezel.
(20) "And I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a mark. (21) And behold, I will send a lad, 'Go find the arrows.' If I expressly say to the lad, 'Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,' then you come, for there is peace to you and no hurt, as the Lord lives. (22) But if I say thus to the young man, 'Behold, the arrows are beyond you,' go your way for the Lord has sent you away."
Jonathan devised a signal for David. After the three days, he would go out to the field and shoot three arrows. He would tell the servant with him to go fetch the arrows. If he expressly told the young man that the arrows were to the side of him, then David was to come forth because Jonathan meant that it was safe and no harm would come to him; as sure as the Lord lived, he could be assured of his safety. However, if he said to the young man that the arrows were beyond him, that was David's signal to go away, for it was not safe. Jonathan said it would mean that the Lord had sent him away. They assigned everything to the will of God. If Saul became angry at David's absence, it would be the will of God that David should leave.
(23) "And the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between you and me forever."
Jonathan added, as if it might be the only parting message he could make if David was to flee after his signal, that the Lord was the witness to their covenant that should remain forever.
(24) So David hid himself in the field, and when the new moon had come, the king sat down to eat the meal. (25) And the king sat upon his seat as at other times, upon a seat by the wall, and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.
David hid in the field as he and Jonathan had planned. The new moon came the following day, and Saul sat down to eat the feast. He sat at his usual place by the wall. Jonathan arose, probably out of respect for his father who had come to the table. Abner, Saul's cousin and the captain of his army, sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.
(26) Nevertheless, Saul spoke not anything that day, for he thought, "Something has befallen him; he is not clean, surely, he is not clean."
However, Saul didn't say anything about David not being there. He assumed something had happened that made him unclean and not lawful for him to attend the feast.
(27) And it came to pass on 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, neither yesterday nor today?" (28) And Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. (29) And he said, 'Let me go, I pray you, 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, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brethren.' Therefore he comes not to the king's table."
On the second day of the feast, when David was absent again, Saul asked Jonathan why he was not there for two days in a row. Jonathan gave Saul the prearranged story that David had asked to return to his home for a sacrifice his family was having, saying that his brother had commanded his attendance. David had pleaded with Jonathan, and in Saul's absence, Jonathan gave him permission to go.
(30) Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of the perverse rebelliousness! 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?"
Saul became angry with Jonathan, calling him rebellious and saying that he knew he had chosen David over his own family and had brought shame to himself and to his mother. After all, Jonathan should have succeeded Saul to the throne, so what would men think? They might assume Jonathan had no right to the throne, that a son-in-law took his place, perhaps because his mother had played the whore, and he was no son of Saul. Saul felt that Jonathan had brought shame on the entire family.
(31) "For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the ground, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now, therefore, send and fetch him to me, for he shall surely die."
Indeed, Saul told Jonathan that as long as David lived, Jonathan would never be established as king. Therefore, he told Jonathan to go get David and bring him back to him, as he must die.
(32) And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, "Why shall he be killed? What has he done?" (33) And Saul cast a javelin at him to strike him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to kill David.
Jonathan asked Saul why David should be killed, what he had done to deserve death. Saul was so angry that he cast his javelin at Jonathan with the intention of hitting him with it. Jonathan knew without a doubt that Saul intended to kill David.
(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 done him shame.
Jonathan was also very angry and arose from the table without eating of the feast. He grieved for David, and he was angry because of what his father had done to him in calling him perverse and rebellious and even trying to kill him in his anger.
(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 to the lad, "Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot." As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
The next morning Jonathan went out to the field with a lad with him, as he had prearranged with David. He told the lad to run ahead and fetch the arrows he was going to shoot. He then shot an arrow beyond the lad as he was running.
(37) And when the lad had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, "Isn't the arrow beyond you?"
The young man went to the place at which the arrow had been shot, but Jonathan cried out to him that he thought the arrow was beyond him, which of course was the signal to David that he should run away.
(38) And Jonathan cried after the lad, "Make speed, haste, do not stay!" And Jonathan's lad had gathered up the arrows and came to his master. (39) But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. (40) And Jonathan gave his artillery to his lad and said to him, "Go, carry them to the city."
Jonathan then called to his lad to get the arrows quickly, which he did and came back to Jonathan. The lad knew nothing of David in the field and that Jonathan had just given him a signal. Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the young man and told him to take them back to the city.
(41) 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 with one another until David exceeded.
As soon as the young man left, David came out from hiding and fell on his face to the ground. He bowed himself three times before Jonathan, probably reverencing him as the prince who could have had him killed, but instead was his great faithful friend. They kissed one another and wept until David's emotions exceeded. He was losing more than his friend Jonathan. He had lost his wife and his family before that. He had lost the altar of God as he was to be in exile.
(42) And Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, since we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, 'The Lord be between you and me, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.'" And he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.
Jonathan told David he could go in peace because of the covenant that he and David had made that would remain throughout their generations of descendants. David rose up and departed, and Jonathan went to the city.
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