Shmuel Alef 20:17

17 And Yonatan caused Dovid to swear a shevua again, because he loved him; for he loved him with the ahavat nafsho (with the love of his own nefesh, self).

Shmuel Alef 20:17 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:17

And Jonathan caused David to swear again
Or Jonathan added to make David swears ^F21; having sworn himself to make a covenant of friendship with David and his family, he moved and insisted on it, that David should swear to keep covenant with him, and his family:

because he loved him;
it was not so much for the good and safety of his offspring that he made this motion, and was so desirous of renewing and enlarging his covenant with David, as it was his strong love and affection for him; being on that account desirous that there might be the strictest friendship imaginable retained between the two families; or he made him swear by his love to him, as some understand it, which is not so likely; the former sense is better, for he himself sware by the Lord, ( 1 Samuel 20:12 1 Samuel 20:13 ) ;

for he loved him as his own soul;
or "with the love of his soul" ^F23; with the most cordial affection, with a truly hearty and sincere love, see ( 1 Samuel 18:1 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (Poyw) "et addidit", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; so the Tigurine version.
F23 (wvpn tbha) "secundum dilectionem animae suae", Pagninus; "amore sui ipsius", Junius & Tremellius.

Shmuel Alef 20:17 In-Context

15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy chesed from my bais ad olam; no, not when Hashem hath cut off the oyevim of Dovid, every one from the pnei ha’adamah.

16 So Yonatan made Brit with the Bais Dovid, saying, Let Hashem even require it at the hands of the oyevim of Dovid.

17 And Yonatan caused Dovid to swear a shevua again, because he loved him; for he loved him with the ahavat nafsho (with the love of his own nefesh, self).

18 Then Yonatan said to Dovid, Makhar (tomorrow) is Rosh Chodesh; and thou shalt be missed, because thy moshav (seat) will be empty.

19 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the makom (place) where thou didst hide thyself on the day of the ma’aseh (deed, i.e. the eventful earlier day, see v.12), and shalt remain by the even (stone) Ezel.