And David sware moreover, and said
To assure Jonathan of the truth of it, that he did most certainly
seek after his life, of which, as he had no doubt himself, by an
oath he endeavoured to remove any that might be in Jonathan, who
was not willing to believe his father could be guilty of so foul
a crime:
thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in
thine eyes:
that he was high in his favour, that he had a great value for
him, and he had a large share in his love and friendship, and
that was the reason why he hid from him his base intentions:
and he saith, let not Jonathan know this, lest he be
grieved;
as he would be, both for the evil his father would be guilty of,
and the danger David, his beloved friend, would be in:
but truly, [as] the Lord liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth,
[there is]
but a step between me and death;
as appeared by his casting a javelin at him, ( 1 Samuel
18:11 ) , sending messengers to his own house to slay him, (
1 Samuel
19:11 ) , and others to Naioth to seize him, ( 1 Samuel
19:20 ) , and coming himself thither with an intention to
kill him, ( 1 Samuel
19:22 1 Samuel
19:23 ) , and in each of these instances he had a narrow
escape for his life; and this he declared in the most solemn
manner by an oath, for the confirmation of the truth of it to
Jonathan.