1 Samuel 20:31

31 For as long as the son of Yishai lives on the eretz, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.

1 Samuel 20:31 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:31

For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou
shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom
He would not, though heir to the crown, be sure of it; it would be precarious to him, he would be in great danger of being deprived of it on the death of his father; and therefore it would be his highest wisdom to deliver David up to be slain, as it was his greatest folly to protect him, and provide for his satiety:

wherefore now send and fetch him unto me;
send to Bethlehem for him to come to court directly:

for he shall surely die;
or he is "the son of death" ^F7; guilty of death, as the Targum, deserves to die, and Saul was determined upon his death if possible.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 (twm Nb) "filius mortis", V. L. Montanus, Vatablus, Piscator; "reus mortis", Junius & Tremellius.

1 Samuel 20:31 In-Context

29 and he said, Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he 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 brothers. Therefore he is not come to the king's table.

30 Then Sha'ul's anger was kindled against Yonatan, and he said to him, You son of a perverse rebellious woman, don't I know that you have chosen the son of Yishai to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?

31 For as long as the son of Yishai lives on the eretz, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.

32 Yonatan answered Sha'ul his father, and said to him, Why should he be put to death? what has he done?

33 Sha'ul cast his spear at him to strike him; whereby Yonatan knew that is was determined of his father to put David to death.