1 Samuel 20

ARC · Chapter 20/31

1Então fugiu David de Naioth, em Rama: e veiu, e disse perante Jonathan: Que fiz eu? qual é o meu crime? e qual é o meu peccado diante de teu pae, que procura tirar-me a vida?

2E elle lhe disse: Tal não haja: não morrerás; eis que meu pae não faz coisa nenhuma grande, nem pequena, sem primeiro me dar parte; porque pois meu pae me encobriria este negocio? não ha tal.

3Então David tornou a jurar, e disse: Mui bem sabe teu pae que achei graça em teus olhos; pelo que disse: Não saiba isto Jonathan, para que se não magõe, e, na verdade, vive o Senhor, e vive a tua alma, que apenas ha um passo entre mim e a morte.

4E disse Jonathan a David: O que disser a tua alma, eu te farei.

5Disse David a Jonathan: Eis que ámanhã é a lua nova, em que costumo assentar-me com o rei para comer: deixa-me tu ir, porém, e esconder-me-hei no campo, até á terceira tarde

6Se teu pae notar a minha ausencia, dirás: David me pediu muito que o deixasse ir correndo a Beth-lehem, sua cidade; porquanto se faz lá o sacrificio annual para toda a linhagem.

7Se disser assim, Está bem; então teu servo tem paz: porém se muito se indignar, sabe que já está inteiramente determinado no mal.

8Usa pois de misericordia com o teu servo, porque fizeste a teu servo entrar comtigo em alliança do Senhor: se porém ha em mim crime, mata-me tu mesmo: porque me levarias a teu pae?

9Então disse Jonathan: Longe de ti tal coisa: porém se d'alguma maneira soubesse que já este mal está inteiramente determinado por meu pae, para que viesse sobre ti, não t'o descobriria eu?

10E disse David a Jonathan: Quem tal me fará saber, se por acaso teu pae te responder asperamente?

11Então disse Jonathan a David: Vem e saiamos ao campo. E sairam ambos ao campo.

12E disse Jonathan a David: Ó Senhor Deus de Israel, se, sondando eu a meu pae ámanhã a estas horas, ou depois d'ámanhã, e eis que houver coisa favoravel para David: e eu então não enviar a ti, e não t'o fizer saber;

13O Senhor faça assim com Jonathan outro tanto; que se aprouver a meu pae fazer-te mal, tambem t'o farei saber, e te deixarei partir, e irás em paz: e o Senhor seja comtigo, assim como foi com meu pae.

14E, se eu então ainda viver, porventura não usarás comigo da beneficencia do Senhor, para que não morra?

15Nem tão pouco cortarás da minha casa a tua beneficencia eternamente: nem ainda quando o Senhor desarraigar da terra a cada um dos inimigos de David.

16Assim fez Jonathan alliança com a casa de David, dizendo: O Senhor o requeira da mão dos inimigos de David.

17E Jonathan fez jurar a David de novo, porquanto o amava; porque o amava com todo o amor da sua alma.

18E disse-lhe Jonathan: Ámanhã é a lua nova, e não te acharão no teu logar, pois o teu assento se achará vazio

19E, ausentando-te tu tres dias, desce apressadamente, e vae áquelle logar onde te escondeste no dia do negocio: e fica-te junto á pedra de Ezel.

20E eu atirarei tres frechas para aquella banda, como se atirara ao alvo.

21E eis que mandarei o moço dizendo: Anda, busca as frechas: se eu expressamente disser ao moço: Olha que as frechas estão para cá de ti; toma-o comtigo, e vem; porque ha paz para ti, e não ha nada, vive o Senhor.

22Porém se disser ao moço assim: Olha que as frechas estão para lá de ti; vae-te embora; porque o Senhor te deixa ir.

23E quanto ao negocio de que eu e tu fallámos, eis que o Senhor está entre mim e ti eternamente.

24Escondeu-se pois David no campo: e, sendo a lua nova, assentou-se o rei para comer pão.

25E, assentando-se o rei no seu assento, como as outras vezes, no logar junto á parede, Jonathan se levantou, e assentou-se Abner ao lado de Saul: e o logar de David appareceu vasio.

26Porém n'aquelle dia não disse Saul nada, porque dizia: Aconteceu-lhe alguma coisa, pela qual não está limpo; certamente não está limpo

27Succedeu tambem ao outro dia, o segundo da lua nova, que o logar de David appareceu vasio: disse pois Saul a Jonathan, seu filho: Porque não veiu o filho de Jessé nem hontem nem hoje a comer pão?

28E respondeu Jonathan a Saul: David me pediu encarecidamente que o deixasse ir a Beth-lehem,

29Dizendo: Peço-te que me deixes ir, porquanto a nossa linhagem tem um sacrificio na cidade, e meu irmão mesmo me mandou ir: se pois agora tenho achado graça em teus olhos, peço-te que me deixes partir, para que veja a meus irmãos: por isso não veiu á mesa do rei

30Então se accendeu a ira de Saul contra Jonathan, e disse-lhe: Filho da perversa em rebeldia; não sei eu que tens elegido o filho de Jessé, para vergonha tua e para vergonha da nudez de tua mãe?

31Porque todos os dias que o filho de Jessé viver sobre a terra nem tu serás firme, nem o teu reino: pelo que envia, e traze-m'o n'esta hora; porque é digno de morte.

32Então respondeu Jonathan a Saul, seu pae, e lhe disse: Porque ha de elle morrer? que tem feito?

33Então Saul atirou-lhe com a lança, para o ferir: assim entendeu Jonathan que já seu pae tinha determinado matar a David.

34Pelo que Jonathan, todo encolerisado, se levantou da mesa: e no segundo dia da lua nova não comeu pão; porque se magoava por causa de David, porque seu pae o tinha maltratado.

35E aconteceu, pela manhã, que Jonathan saiu ao campo, ao tempo que tinha ajustado com David, e um moço pequeno com elle.

36Então disse ao seu moço: Corre a buscar as frechas que eu atirar. Correu pois o moço, e elle atirou uma frecha, que fez passar além d'elle.

37E, chegando o moço ao logar da frecha que Jonathan tinha atirado, gritou Jonathan atraz do moço, e disse: Não está porventura a frecha mais para lá de ti?

38E tornou Jonathan a gritar atraz do moço: Apressa-te, avia-te, não te demores. E o moço de Jonathan apanhou as frechas, e veiu a seu senhor.

39E o moço não entendeu coisa alguma: só Jonathan e David sabiam d'este negocio.

40Então Jonathan deu as suas armas ao moço que trazia, e disse-lhe: Anda, e leva-as á cidade.

41E, indo-se o moço, levantou-se David da banda do sul, e lançou-se sobre o seu rosto em terra, e inclinou-se tres vezes: e beijaram-se um ao outro, e choraram juntos até que David chorou muito mais.

42E disse Jonathan a David: Vae-te em paz: o que nós temos jurado ambos em nome do Senhor, dizendo: O Senhor seja entre mim e ti, e entre a minha semente e a tua semente, seja perpetuamente. Então se levantou David, e se foi; e Jonathan entrou na cidade.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

David and Jonathan devise a secret plan to test Saul's true intentions. Confirming that Saul is determined to kill David, the two friends part in an emotional farewell, renewing their covenant of eternal loyalty between their families.

Explanation

The plan involving arrow signals, worked out between David and Jonathan to discreetly test Saul's disposition without exposing David to direct risk, shows careful, realistic planning in the face of a genuine life-threatening situation. Saul's violent reaction against his own son Jonathan, calling him 'son of the perverse rebellious woman' and even hurling a spear at him for defending David, reveals how Saul's obsession had by now completely corrupted his judgment and his closest family relationships. The farewell between the two friends, where 'David wept more,' and the renewal of a covenant that would extend to future generations of their families, lays the groundwork for the kindness David would later show to Jonathan's surviving son, Mephibosheth, in 2 Samuel 9.

Fun facts

  • The new moon feast mentioned in this chapter (v.5) was a regular monthly celebration on Israel's religious calendar, an ordinary social and religious occasion that becomes the setting for a deep political and personal crisis.
  • The covenant renewed between David and Jonathan 'for ever,' including their future generations (v.42), would be fulfilled literally decades later when David, now king, actively seeks out Jonathan's descendants to show them kindness.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 1 Samuel 20:1After narrowly escaping at Naioth, David goes straight to Jonathan for an explanation — he still does not fully understand why the king’s pursuit has become so personal and final.
  2. 1 Samuel 20:2Jonathan’s confidence in his own closeness to his father shows he had not yet realized how much Saul had already decided to act alone, hiding his plans even from his own son.
  3. 1 Samuel 20:3David understands the situation better than Jonathan does: Saul knew his son would protect his friend, so he deliberately hid his most recent plans against David from him.
  4. 1 Samuel 20:4Jonathan’s unconditional readiness to do “whatsoever thy soul desireth” shows just how far his loyalty went — ready to act even against his own father’s will if necessary.
  5. 1 Samuel 20:5The new moon marked the start of the month on the Israelite calendar and was celebrated with a religious feast at court — missing that meal, as David plans to do, would be strange enough to require an explanation, which Jonathan already anticipates.
  6. 1 Samuel 20:6The agreed-upon excuse uses a real, verifiable family religious event, a yearly sacrifice in Bethlehem, making it more credible than a simple unexplained absence.
  7. 1 Samuel 20:7David and Jonathan turn Saul’s reaction to hearing the excuse into a safe, indirect test to discover his true intentions, without having to confront him directly.
  8. 1 Samuel 20:8David asks Jonathan to be the one to kill him himself, if there is any real guilt — preferring to die by his loyal friend’s hand rather than be handed over and killed by Saul’s hostile hands.
  9. 1 Samuel 20:9Jonathan reaffirms his loyalty with a categorical promise: he would never hide from David a real threat coming from his own father.
  10. 1 Samuel 20:10David’s practical question — how to learn the outcome without being present — is the trigger that leads to the elaborate system of arrow signals the two work out next.
  11. 1 Samuel 20:11Going out to the field, far from the palace’s ears, guaranteed the privacy needed to plan a scheme as delicate as this one.
  12. 1 Samuel 20:12Jonathan invokes God’s own name as witness to the commitment, turning the plan into a solemn oath, not just an informal arrangement between friends.
  13. 1 Samuel 20:13Jonathan openly acknowledges that God’s favor is shifting from Saul to David — a remarkable admission coming from the king’s own son, with no apparent jealousy.
  14. 1 Samuel 20:14Jonathan is already thinking ahead, asking for future protection for himself in case David becomes king — openly recognizing that this is his friend’s likely destiny.
  15. 1 Samuel 20:15The request extends beyond Jonathan’s own life, covering all his future descendants — it will be remembered and fulfilled later by David regarding Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son.
  16. 1 Samuel 20:16Extending the covenant from David the person to his whole future “house” turns the two friends’ personal pact into a promise with lasting dynastic weight.
  17. 1 Samuel 20:17Repeating the oath reinforces how serious the commitment was — swearing once was not enough; the covenant needed to be renewed and confirmed before the coming separation.
  18. 1 Samuel 20:18Jonathan precisely describes what will happen at the royal meal, preparing David to understand exactly what to watch for from a distance.
  19. 1 Samuel 20:19The detailed hiding plan, including a specific geographic landmark, shows how much precision the two needed for the signal system to work without error.
  20. 1 Samuel 20:20Using target practice as a cover was perfect: no one at the palace would find it odd to see Jonathan shooting arrows, which hid the real coded message inside the gesture.
  21. 1 Samuel 20:21The agreed-upon code turned the position of the arrows relative to the boy into a simple, safe signal: safe to approach or not.
  22. 1 Samuel 20:22The second signal, indicating danger, gave David a clear instruction to flee without needing direct contact or the risk of being seen returning to the palace.
  23. 1 Samuel 20:23Jonathan closes by reaffirming that the bond between the two does not depend on passing circumstances — it is sealed as something permanent before God.
  24. 1 Samuel 20:24The scene shifts to the royal banquet itself, where David’s planned absence is about to be noticed by Saul.
  25. 1 Samuel 20:25The specific mention of where everyone sat shows how formal and fixed the seating arrangement was — David’s absence would be visually obvious to anyone present.
  26. 1 Samuel 20:26Saul first assumes an innocent, common explanation: temporary ritual impurity, something that would naturally keep someone from taking part in a sacred meal.
  27. 1 Samuel 20:27The absence repeating on the second day rules out the innocent explanation of ritual impurity, which would only last until evening — now Saul demands a direct answer.
  28. 1 Samuel 20:28Jonathan carries out exactly the plan agreed on in the field, using the excuse prepared in advance.
  29. 1 Samuel 20:29Jonathan fleshes out the excuse with convincing details — mentioning a specific brother summoning David makes the story more concrete and harder to question.
  30. 1 Samuel 20:30Cursing Jonathan over the “confusion of thy mother’s nakedness” is an ancient form of insult that questions the legitimacy of his very birth — Saul is, in effect, calling his son a bastard for choosing David’s side.
  31. 1 Samuel 20:31Saul reveals his real, deeper motivation: it is not just personal anger, but the concrete political fear that David threatens Jonathan’s own succession to the throne.
  32. 1 Samuel 20:32Jonathan defends David for the second time in the book with the same direct, reasonable question, demanding his father justify the death sentence with some real crime.
  33. 1 Samuel 20:33This time it is Jonathan himself who takes Saul’s spear attack — the same impulsive violence used before against David now turns against the son who dares to defend him.
  34. 1 Samuel 20:34Jonathan’s refusal to eat, a gesture of protest and grief, shows how shaken he was both by the threat against David and by the direct violence he received from his own father.
  35. 1 Samuel 20:35Jonathan carries out exactly the plan agreed on in the field, including the boy who would serve as the innocent instrument of the secret code.
  36. 1 Samuel 20:36The execution of the signal follows the agreed script exactly — the arrow shot beyond the boy already silently carries the message of danger to David hiding nearby.
  37. 1 Samuel 20:37Jonathan’s shout to the boy literally repeats the code agreed with David — a scene that looks innocent to anyone who does not know the plan, but carries the full warning signal.
  38. 1 Samuel 20:38The urgency in Jonathan’s voice, telling the boy to hurry, adds a note of real tension to the scene, as if the silent farewell could not be drawn out any longer.
  39. 1 Samuel 20:39The boy serves as an unwitting, innocent messenger — his total ignorance of the real meaning protects the secret between the two friends.
  40. 1 Samuel 20:40Sending the boy away with the weapons is the last necessary step before Jonathan and David can finally meet alone, with no witnesses.
  41. 1 Samuel 20:41Bowing three times before Jonathan, even as close friends, shows that David still formally recognized his friend’s royal position — the shared weeping seals the most painful farewell between the two so far.
  42. 1 Samuel 20:42The covenant between the two, repeated and expanded throughout the chapter, is reaffirmed one last time before the final separation — each one following a completely different path from here on.

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