1 Samuel 23:18

18 Then the two of them {made} a covenant before Yahweh. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.

1 Samuel 23:18 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:18

And they two made a covenant before the Lord
Renewed the covenant they had before made in the name and fear of God, and before him as a witness of it. Kimchi and Abarbinel interpret this phrase,

before the Lord,
of the covenant being made before Abiathar, with the Urim and Thummim in his hand; and so Jerom ^F16, before Gad the prophet, and Abiathar who wore the ephod:

and David abode in the wood;
being a proper place for him for secrecy and safety:

and Jonathan went to his house;
in Gibeah; and these two dear and cordial friends never saw one another more, as is highly probable.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 76. K.

1 Samuel 23:18 In-Context

16 So Jonathan the son of Saul got up and went to David [at] Horesh, and {encouraged him} through God.

17 He said to him, "Do not be afraid, for the hand of my father Saul will not find you. You will be king over Israel, and {I will be second to you}. My father Saul knows [this] also."

18 Then the two of them {made} a covenant before Yahweh. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.

19 Then [the] Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "[Is] not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, which [is] south of Jeshimon

20 So then, O king, {whenever you want} to come down, come down, and [it will be] for us to deliver him into the hand of the king."

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "cut"