Shmuel Alef 23:18

18 And they two made a brit (covenant) before Hashem; and Dovid stayed at Choresh, and Yonatan went to his bais.

Shmuel Alef 23:18 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:18

And they two made a covenant before the Lord
Renewed the covenant they had before made in the name and fear of God, and before him as a witness of it. Kimchi and Abarbinel interpret this phrase,

before the Lord,
of the covenant being made before Abiathar, with the Urim and Thummim in his hand; and so Jerom ^F16, before Gad the prophet, and Abiathar who wore the ephod:

and David abode in the wood;
being a proper place for him for secrecy and safety:

and Jonathan went to his house;
in Gibeah; and these two dear and cordial friends never saw one another more, as is highly probable.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 76. K.

Shmuel Alef 23:18 In-Context

16 And Yonatan Ben Sha’ul arose, and went to Dovid at Choresh, and strengthened his yad in Elohim [i.e., encouraged him in G-d].

17 And he said unto him, Fear not; for the yad Sha’ul Avi shall not find thee; and thou shalt be Melech over Yisroel, and I shall be mishneh (second) unto thee; and that also Sha’ul Avi knoweth.

18 And they two made a brit (covenant) before Hashem; and Dovid stayed at Choresh, and Yonatan went to his bais.

19 Then came up the Ziphim to Sha’ul to Giveah, saying, Doth not Dovid hide himself among us in metzadot (strongholds, masadas) at Choresh, in the hill of Chachilah, which is on the south of Yeshimon?

20 Now therefore, O Melech, come down according to all the desire of thy nefesh to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the yad HaMelech.