1 Samuel 23:16

16 Then Saul's son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in [his faith in] God,^[a]

1 Samuel 23:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:16

And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose
And came from Gibeah, which, according to Bunting ^F15, was twenty two miles from the place where David was:

and went to David into the wood:
having had intelligence where he was, this being a proper place to have an interview with him privately:

and strengthened his hand in God;
and his heart too, his hand of faith to lay hold on God, as his covenant God and lean and rely upon him; he strengthened him in his power and in his providence, and in his promises to him; the Targum is,

``he strengthened him in the Word of the Lord;''

not only in his word and promise, but in Christ the essential Word of God, who should spring from him according to the flesh.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 Travels p. 334. (text not clear could be 834 or some other number)

1 Samuel 23:16 In-Context

14 David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.

15 David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh when he saw that Saul had come out to take his life.

16 Then Saul's son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in [his faith in] God,

17 saying, "Don't be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel, and I'll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true."

18 Then the two of them made a covenant in the Lord's presence. Afterwards, David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.

Footnotes

• [a]. 1 Sm 30:6