1 Samuel 20:33

33 And Saul took a spear, that he should smite him, and Jonathan understood, that it was determined of his father, that David should be slain (and Jonathan understood that his father was determined to kill David).

1 Samuel 20:33 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:33

And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him
So provoked to wrath was he by what he said. It seems by this that Saul always had a javelin or spear in his hand, which is to be accounted for by the custom of those times; in other countries, as well as in this, the kings used to carry spears in their hands instead of sceptres, and which they used as such; so Justin ^F8, speaking of the times of Romulus, says, that kings in those times had spears, as an ensign of royalty, which the Greeks call sceptres; and so the Greeks called sceptres spears ^F9:

whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay
David;
for since he attempted to smite him, his own son, for speaking on his behalf, it might be well concluded, that such was his settled wrath and malice, that he would if possible kill David, could he get him into his hands.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F8 E Trogo, l. 43. c. 3.
F9 Pausanias in Boeoticis, sive, l. 9. p. 606. Vid. Barthii Animadv. ad Claudian in nupt. Honor ver. 119.

1 Samuel 20:33 In-Context

31 For in all the days in which the son of Jesse liveth on [the] earth, thou shalt not be stablished, neither thy realm (thou shalt not be secure, nor shall thy kingdom); therefore right now/at once send thou, and bring him to me, for he is the son of death.

32 And Jonathan answered to Saul his father, and said, Why shall he die? what hath he done?

33 And Saul took a spear, that he should smite him, and Jonathan understood, that it was determined of his father, that David should be slain (and Jonathan understood that his father was determined to kill David).

34 Then Jonathan rose (up) from the table in full fierce wrath, and he ate not bread in the second day of calends (and he ate nothing on the second day of the feast); for he was sorry for David, for his father had shamed him.

35 And when the morrowtide had shined, Jonathan came into the field, and a little child with him, by the covenant made of David. (And when the morning came, Jonathan went into the field, and had a young boy with him, as by the pact which he had made with David.)