1 Samuel 20:33

33 Mais Saül brandit sa lance contre lui pour le frapper. Alors Jonathan connut que son père avait résolu de faire mourir David.

1 Samuel 20:33 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:33

And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him
So provoked to wrath was he by what he said. It seems by this that Saul always had a javelin or spear in his hand, which is to be accounted for by the custom of those times; in other countries, as well as in this, the kings used to carry spears in their hands instead of sceptres, and which they used as such; so Justin F8, speaking of the times of Romulus, says, that kings in those times had spears, as an ensign of royalty, which the Greeks call sceptres; and so the Greeks called sceptres spears F9:

whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay
David;
for since he attempted to smite him, his own son, for speaking on his behalf, it might be well concluded, that such was his settled wrath and malice, that he would if possible kill David, could he get him into his hands.


FOOTNOTES:

F8 E Trogo, l. 43. c. 3.
F9 Pausanias in Boeoticis, sive, l. 9. p. 606. Vid. Barthii Animadv. ad Claudian in nupt. Honor ver. 119.

1 Samuel 20:33 In-Context

31 Car tant que le fils d'Isaï vivra sur la terre, tu ne seras jamais stable, ni toi, ni ton royaume; maintenant donc envoie-le chercher, et amène-le-moi; car il est digne de mort.
32 Et Jonathan répondit à Saül, son père, et lui dit: Pourquoi le ferait-on mourir? Qu'a-t-il fait?
33 Mais Saül brandit sa lance contre lui pour le frapper. Alors Jonathan connut que son père avait résolu de faire mourir David.
34 Et Jonathan se leva de la table tout en colère, et ne prit point son repas le second jour de la nouvelle lune; car il était affligé à cause de David, parce que son père l'avait outragé.
35 Et le matin venu, Jonathan sortit aux champs, au lieu convenu avec David; et il amena avec lui un petit garçon;
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.