1 Samuel 20:7-17

7 If he should say, It is well; thy slave shall have peace; but if he is very wroth, then be sure that the evil is determined in him.
8 Therefore, thou shalt deal in mercy with thy slave, for thou hast brought thy slave into a covenant of the LORD with thee; notwithstanding, if there is iniquity in me, slay me thyself, for why should thou bring me to thy father?
9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee, for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would I not be obliged to show it to thee?
10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? Or what if thy father answers thee roughly?
11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And both of them went out into the field.
12 Then Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I shall have asked my father tomorrow at this time or after tomorrow and, behold, if there is good toward David and I then do not send unto thee and show it to thee,
13 the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do thee evil, then I will show it to thee and send thee away that thou may go in peace; and the LORD be with thee as he has been with my father.
14 And if I live, thou shalt show me the mercy of the LORD, but if I am dead,
15 thou shalt not cut off thy mercy from my house for ever. When the LORD has cut off one by one the enemies of David from the face of the earth, remove even Jonathan from thy house if I fail thee and require it at the hand of David’s enemies.
16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David.
17 And Jonathan swore unto David again because he loved him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

1 Samuel 20:7-17 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.

The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010