Jonathan really had trouble believing his father was
deliberately trying to kill David, but he had finally been convinced to find
out if it was true. If it wasn’t true,
there would be no problem, but if it were, Even letting David know could put
him in danger, so Jonathan devised a secret way of warning David while
pretending to be practicing with his Bow and arrow, in I Samuel 20:18-23. “Then
Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed,
because thy seat will be empty. And when
thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the
place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt
remain by the stone Ezel. And I will
shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark. And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go,
find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on
this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and
no hurt; as the LORD liveth. But if I
say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way:
for the LORD hath sent thee away. And as
touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be
between thee and me for ever.”
There was a special feast on the first of every month. Jonathan advised David to stay hidden until
after the feast to see how Saul reacted to his absence. If he got unreasonably angry he would know
something was going on and warn David by shouting instructions at his armor
bearer that he needed to go further but if he thought it safe he would tell him
he’d gone too far. It was a really simple code,
but shouldn’t ever be suspected.
The next day was the day of the celebration and Saul didn’t
seem upset at first, as we see in I Samuel 20:24-25. “So
David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat
him down to eat meat. And the king sat
upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan
arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty. Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that
day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is
not clean.”
Under the law, if a person had come into contact with a dead
body or someone with a potentially contagious disease, they were to avoid
considered unclean and were to avoid contact with other people for twenty four
hours to eliminate the likelihood of spreading any possible pathogens. When David didn’t show up for the
celebration, Saul assumed this was why he was absent. It hardly ever occurs to selfish and self-centered
people that their actions are causing people to distrust and avoid them. David was supposed to forget that Saul had
made repeated efforts to kill him and act as if nothing had happened.
When David didn’t show up the second day, Saul began to
suspect maybe he hadn’t forgotten, and began to question his absence, in I
Samuel 20:27-29. “ And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the
month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son,
Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?
And Jonathan answered Saul,
David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem: And he said, Let me go, I
pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath
commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me
get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the
king's table.”
Like most selfish people, Saul could not stand losing
control. When told Jonathan had given
David permission to go to his own family’s celebration Saul became enraged,
insisting David had to be killed and accusing Jonathan of working against him,
in I Samuel 20:30-32. “Then Saul's anger was kindled against
Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do
not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and
unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon
the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send
and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.”
Saul’s outburst didn’t make sense to Jonathan, and he
questioned Saul’s reasons, in I Samuel 20:32-33. “And
Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be
slain? what hath he done? And Saul cast
a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of
his father to slay David.” Like many
self-centered people, Saul couldn’t stand having his decisions questioned,
probably because he had no valid reason.
In I Samuel 19:1-7, Jonathan had been able to reason with Saul. This time his selfishness had grown so much
he could not be reasoned with. Instead,
he turned his anger on Jonathan, attempting to kill him. Jonathan could longer overlook his father’s
selfishness.
Embarrassed and hurt by Saul’s outburst, Jonathan refused to
stay for lunch. It was obvious David was
right about his father, and the following morning Jonathan sent David the
warning he had promised, in I Samuel 20:34-39.
“So Jonathan arose from the table
in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was
grieved for David, because his father had done him shame. And it came to pass in the morning, that
Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little
lad with him. And he said unto his lad,
Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an
arrow beyond him. And when the lad was
come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after
the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee? And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed,
haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his
master. But the lad knew not any thing:
only Jonathan and David knew the matter.”
Knowing it might be the last chance to visit his friend,
Jonathan sent his helper home and met with david in I Samuel 20:40-42. “And
Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to
the city. And as soon as the lad was
gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the
ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept
one with another, until David exceeded. And
Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in
the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my
seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into
the city.”
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