Shmuel Alef 20:31

31 For as long as Ben Yishai liveth al ha’adamah (upon the earth) thou shalt not be established, nor malkhutecha (thy kingdom). Wherefore now send and bring him unto me, for he is ben mavet (son of death, he shall surely die).

Shmuel Alef 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.

Shmuel Alef 20:31 In-Context

29 And he said, Let me go, now; for we have mishpakhat zevach in the Ir; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there; and now, if I have found chen in thine eyes, let me get away, now, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the Shulchan HaMelech.

30 Then af Sha’ul (anger of Sha’ul) was kindled against Yonatan, and he said unto him, Thou ben of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I have da’as that thou hast chosen Ben Yishai to thine own shame, and unto the shame of ervat immecha (thy mother’s nakedness)?

31 For as long as Ben Yishai liveth al ha’adamah (upon the earth) thou shalt not be established, nor malkhutecha (thy kingdom). Wherefore now send and bring him unto me, for he is ben mavet (son of death, he shall surely die).

32 And Yonatan answered Sha’ul Aviv, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? What hath he done?

33 And Sha’ul cast the khanit (spear) at him to strike him dead; whereby Yonatan knew that it was determined of Aviv to slay Dovid.