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1 Samuel 20:8-17

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8 "Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for 1you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. But 2if there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?"
9 Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?"
10 Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if * your father answers you harshly?"
11 Jonathan said to David, "Come, and let us go out into the field." So both of them went out to the field.
12 Then Jonathan said to David, "The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and make it known * to you?
13 "If it please my father to do you harm, 3may the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not make it known * to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And 4may the LORD be with you as He has been with my father.
14 "If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the LORD, that I may not die?
15 "5You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever *, not even when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth."
16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "6May the LORD require it at the hands of David's enemies."
17 Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because 7he loved him as he loved his own life.
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1 Samuel 20:8-17 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 7

  • 1. 1 Samuel 18:3; 1 Samuel 23:18
  • 2. 2 Samuel 14:32
  • 3. Ruth 1:17; 1 Samuel 3:17
  • 4. Joshua 1:5; 1 Samuel 17:37; 1 Samuel 18:12; 1 Chronicles 22:11, 16
  • 5. 2 Samuel 9:1, 3
  • 6. Deuteronomy 23:21; 1 Samuel 25:22
  • 7. 1 Samuel 18:1

Footnotes 3

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.