1 Samuel 20:26-36

26 And Saul spake not anything in that day; for he thought, that in hap it befelled to him, that he was not clean, neither purified. (And Saul did not say anything about David that day; for he thought perhaps it befell that David was not clean, or purified.)
27 And when the second day after the calends had shined, again the place of David appeared void. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why cometh not the son of Jesse, neither yesterday, neither today, to eat? (And when the second day came after that the new moon had shone, again David's place was empty. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, Why cometh not the son of Jesse to eat, not yesterday, or today?)
28 And Jonathan answered to Saul, He prayed me meekly that he should go into Bethlehem (He humbly asked me if he could go to Bethlehem);
29 and he said, Suffer thou me, for solemn sacrifice is (now) in my city; one of my brethren [hath] called me; now therefore, if I [have] found grace in thine eyes, I shall go soon, and I shall see my brethren (I shall go swiftly, and I shall see my brothers); for this cause he cometh not to the table of the king.
30 And Saul was wroth against Jonathan, and said to him, Thou son of the woman willfully ravishing a man (Thou son of the woman who willfully robbeth a man), whether I know not, that thou lovest the son of Jesse into thy [own] confusion, and into the confusion of thy shameful mother?
31 For in all the days in which the son of Jesse liveth on [the] earth, thou shalt not be stablished, neither thy realm (thou shalt not be secure, nor shall thy kingdom); therefore right now/at once send thou, and bring him to me, for he is the son of death.
32 And Jonathan answered to Saul his father, and said, Why shall he die? what hath he done?
33 And Saul took a spear, that he should smite him, and Jonathan understood, that it was determined of his father, that David should be slain (and Jonathan understood that his father was determined to kill David).
34 Then Jonathan rose (up) from the table in full fierce wrath, and he ate not bread in the second day of calends (and he ate nothing on the second day of the feast); for he was sorry for David, for his father had shamed him.
35 And when the morrowtide had shined, Jonathan came into the field, and a little child with him, by the covenant made of David. (And when the morning came, Jonathan went into the field, and had a young boy with him, as by the pact which he had made with David.)
36 And Jonathan said to his child, Go thou, and bring to me the arrows that I shoot. And when the child had run forth, he shot another arrow beyond the child. (And Jonathan said to his boy, Go thou, and bring me back the arrows that I shoot. And as the boy ran forth, he shot the arrows beyond the boy.)

1 Samuel 20:26-36 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 20

David fleeing from Naioth came to Jonathan, and acquainted him with his circumstances, and entreated his favour, 1Sa 20:1-8; which Jonathan promised, and renewed the covenant with him, 1Sa 20:9-17; a scheme was formed between them, by which David might know whether Saul was reconciled to him, and he might come to court, 1Sa 20:18-23; which being tried, Jonathan found it was not safe for him to appear, 1Sa 20:24-34; of which he gave notice by the signals agreed on, 1Sa 20:35-40; and they took their leave of one another with strong expressions of affection and attachment to each other, 1Sa 20:41,42.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.