1 Samuel 20:20 Kommentar

David, having several times narrowly escaped Saul's fury, begins to consider at last whether it may not be necessary for him to retire into the country and to take up arms in his own defence. But he will not do so daring a thing without consulting his faithful friend Jonathan; how he did this, and what passed between them, we have an account in this chapter, where we have as surprising instances of supernatural love as we had in the chapter before of unnatural hatred. I. David complains to Jonathan of his present distress, and engages him to be his friend (Sa1 20:1-8). II. Jonathan faithfully promises to get and give him intelligence how his father stood affected to him, and renews the covenant of friendship with him (Sa1 20:9-23). III. Jonathan, upon trial, finds, to his grief, that his father was implacably enraged against David (Sa1 20:24-34). IV. He gives David notice of this, according to the appointment between them (Sa1 20:35-42).

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 20 David fleeing from Naioth came to Jonathan, and acquainted him with his circumstances, and entreated his favour, Sa1 20:1; which Jonathan promised, and renewed the covenant with him, Sa1 20:9; a scheme was formed between them, by which David might know whether Saul was reconciled to him, and he might come to court, Sa1 20:18; which being tried, Jonathan found it was not safe for him to appear, Sa1 20:24; of which he gave notice by the signals agreed on, Sa1 20:35; and they took their leave of one another with strong expressions of affection and attachment to each other, Sa1 20:41.

And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof,.... On the side of the stone Ezel; three are pitched upon, according to the number of the days David was missing: as though I shot at a mark; as if he made the stone the mark he shot at; so that his shooting would not be taken notice of.

And I will send three arrows near him, etc. And I, the Church says to the Lord, with you dwelling in the hearts of the perfect, will send preachers of the holy and undivided Trinity, who, with wings of virtues, will be quick-flying, penetrating with the sharpness of their speech, stirred by the bow of diligent reading, to strike with the word of faith those who are more fragile and still, and almost earthly, yet remaining in the vicinity of the strong, held by the friendly bond of love, so that, touched by the salutary wound of charity, they may be compelled to bear all visible things gravely, to rest in the memory of their Creator alone, and to have His sole vision as sweetness. But I will send them, not as if they would end the uncertain course of the word, but as if training me to the sign of true and singular salvation, as if following only the look of divine will, directing all the blows of my doctrine to the intended target, I will pursue to the prize of the heavenly calling of God in Christ Jesus. I will also send listeners eager to obey the faith; who, diligently seeking through all the spiritual teachings or deeds of the doctors, may piously relate to the glory of my state, by following it devoutly. To these listeners, indeed, if I show them capturing these same teachers who are near them, and placed among them by living well, if you deign to visit me, I will show that the usual blessing from the Jews is to be increased because peace is yours, with the arms of the hateful at rest meanwhile. But if I show that the same teachers, humbled by me, being further cast out and pursued from Judea, go and tend to visit all nations; because this is the will and providence of the eternal Father, that, blindness coming upon Israel, the fullness of the nations may enter the gates of life. Of the single word of the Father, which we shall have spoken, I confessing, and you teaching, let God the Father almighty Himself alone be the eternal witness between me and you; and rightly, because the Father alone knows the secrets of the Son, and only to those whom the Father has deigned to reveal them. Of these, the same Son speaks to the Father: And you revealed them to little children (Matthew XI). Who decreed that this God, begotten before the ages, should be incarnate at the end of the ages, and that they should be saved by the same incarnation. But speaking these things, the Church does not instruct the Lord as if He were ignorant of what He should do, nor does she teach what she herself shall do as if He were unaware; but she prays devotedly that He accomplish these things quickly, which she has learned mercifully to be done by Him. What she should do rightly, having received through Him, she ceaselessly praises herself for this by giving thanks.

David complains to Jonathan of Saul's enmity against him; Jonathan comforts him, Sa1 20:1-10. They walk out into the field, and renew their covenant, Sa1 20:11-17. David asks Jonathan's leave to absent himself from Saul's court; and Jonathan informs him how he shall ascertain the disposition of his father towards him, Sa1 20:18-23. David hides himself; is missed by Saul; Jonathan is questioned concerning his absence; makes an excuse for David; Saul is enraged, and endeavors to kill Jonathan, Sa1 20:24-33. Jonathan goes out to the field; gives David the sign which they had agreed on, and by which he was to know that the king had determined to take away his life, Sa1 20:34-39. He sends his servant back into the city; and then he and David meet, renew their covenant, and have a very affectionate parting, Sa1 20:40-42.

I will shoot three arrows - Jonathan intended that David should stay at the stone Ezel, where probably there was some kind of cave, or hiding place; that, to prevent all suspicion, he would not go to him himself, but take his servant into the fields, and pretend to be exercising himself in archery; that he would shoot three arrows, the better to cover his design; and that, if he should say to his servant, who went to bring back the arrows, "The arrows are on this side of thee," this should be a sign to David that he might safely return to court, no evil being designed; but if he should say, "The arrows are beyond thee," then David should escape for his life, Saul having determined his destruction.

DAVID CONSULTS WITH JONATHAN FOR HIS SAFETY. (Sa1 20:1-10) David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan--He could not remain in Naioth, for he had strong reason to fear that when the religious fit, if we may so call it, was over, Saul would relapse into his usual fell and sanguinary temper. It may be thought that David acted imprudently in directing his flight to Gibeah. But he was evidently prompted to go thither by the most generous feelings--to inform his friend of what had recently occurred, and to obtain that friend's sanction to the course he was compelled to adopt. Jonathan could not be persuaded there was any real danger after the oath his father had taken; at all events, he felt assured his father would do nothing without telling him. Filial attachment naturally blinded the prince to defects in the parental character and made him reluctant to believe his father capable of such atrocity. David repeated his unshaken convictions of Saul's murderous purpose, but in terms delicately chosen (Sa1 20:3), not to wound the filial feelings of his friend; while Jonathan, clinging, it would seem, to a hope that the extraordinary scene enacted at Naioth might have wrought a sanctified improvement on Saul's temper and feelings, undertook to inform David of the result of his observations at home.