1 Samuel 20:3

3 And David sware moreover, and said , Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith , Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved : but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

1 Samuel 20:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:3

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.

1 Samuel 20:3 In-Context

1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done ? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

2 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die : behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

3 And David sware moreover, and said , Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith , Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved : but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth , I will even do it for thee.

5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat : but let me go , that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.