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1 Samuel 20

BLIVRE · Chapter 20/31

1E Davi fugiu de Naiote que é em Ramá, e veio diante de Jônatas, e disse: Que fiz eu? qual é minha maldade, ou qual meu pecado contra teu pai, que ele busca minha vida?

2E ele lhe disse: Em nenhuma maneira; não morrerás. Eis que meu pai nenhuma coisa fará, grande nem pequena, que não a revele a mim; por que pois me encobrirá meu pai este negócio? Não será assim.

3E Davi voltou a jurar, dizendo: Teu pai sabe claramente que eu achei favor diante de teus olhos, e dirá: Não saiba isto Jônatas, para que não tenha pesar: e certamente, vive o SENHOR e vive tua alma, que apenas há um passo entre mim e a morte.

4E Jônatas disse a Davi: Que diga tua alma, e eu o farei por ti?

5E Davi respondeu a Jônatas: Eis que amanhã será nova lua, e eu costumo sentar-me com o rei a comer: mas tu deixarás que me esconda no campo até à tarde do terceiro dia.

6Se teu pai fizer menção de mim, dirás: Rogo-me muito que o deixasse ir logo a Belém sua cidade, porque todos os de sua linhagem têm ali sacrifício anual.

7Se ele disser, Está bem, teu servo terá paz; mas se se irar, sabe que a malícia está nele completa.

8Farás, pois, misericórdia com teu servo, já que trouxeste teu servo a aliança do SENHOR contigo: e se maldade há em mim mata-me tu, que não há necessidade de levar-me até teu pai.

9E Jônatas lhe disse: Nunca tal te suceda; antes bem, se eu entendesse ser completa a malícia de meu pai, para vir sobre ti, não havia eu de revelá-lo a ti?

10Disse então Davi a Jônatas: Quem me dará aviso? Ou que se teu pai te responder asperamente?

11E Jônatas disse a Davi: Vem, saiamos ao campo. E saíram ambos ao campo.

12Então disse Jônatas a Davi: Ó SENHOR Deus de Israel, quando houver eu perguntado a meu pai amanhã a esta hora, ou depois de amanhã, e ele parecer bem para com Davi, se então não enviar a ti, e o revelar a ti,

13O SENHOR faça assim a Jônatas, e isto acrescente. Mas se a meu pai parecer bem fazer-te mal, também te o revelarei, e te enviarei, e te irás em paz: e seja o SENHOR contigo, como foi com meu pai.

14E se eu viver, farás comigo misericórdia do SENHOR; mas se for morto,

15Não tirarás perpetuamente tua misericórdia de minha casa, nem quando o SENHOR exterminar um por um os inimigos de Davi da face da terra.

16Assim Jônatas fez aliança com a casa de Davi, dizendo: O SENHOR o exija da mão dos inimigos de Davi.

17E voltou Jônatas a jurar a Davi, porque o amava, porque o amava como à sua alma.

18Disse-lhe logo Jônatas: Amanhã é lua nova, e tua falta será percebida, porque teu assento estará vazio.

19Estarás, pois, três dias, e logo descerás, e virás ao lugar de onde estavas escondido o dia do incidente, e esperarás junto à pedra de Ezel;

20E eu atirarei três flechas até aquele lado, como que me exercitando ao alvo.

21E logo enviarei o criado dizendo-lhe: Vai, busca as flechas. E se disser ao jovem: Eis ali as flechas mais aqui de ti, toma-as: tu virás, porque tens paz, e nada há de mal, vive o SENHOR.

22Mas se eu disser ao jovem assim: Eis ali as flechas mais ali de ti: vai-te, porque o SENHOR te enviou.

23E quanto às palavras que eu e tu falamos, seja o SENHOR entre mim e ti para sempre.

24Então Davi se escondeu no campo, e vinda que foi a lua nova, sentou-se o rei a comer pão.

25E o rei se sentou em sua cadeira, como costumava, no assento junto à parede, e Jônatas se levantou, e sentou-se Abner ao lado de Saul, e o lugar de Davi estava vazio.

26Mas aquele dia Saul não disse nada, porque se dizia: Haverá lhe acontecido algo, e não está limpo; não estará purificado.

27O dia seguinte, o segundo dia da lua nova, aconteceu também que o assento de Davi estava vazio. E Saul disse a Jônatas seu filho: Por que não veio a comer o filho de Jessé hoje nem ontem?

28E Jônatas respondeu a Saul: Davi me pediu encarecidamente lhe deixasse ir até Belém.

29E disse: Rogo-te que me deixes ir, porque temos sacrifício os de nossa linhagem na cidade, e meu irmão mesmo me mandou; portanto, se achei graça em teus olhos, farei uma escapada agora, e visitarei a meus irmãos. Por isto, pois, não veio.

30Então Saul se acendeu contra Jônatas, e disse-lhe: Filho da pervertida e rebelde! Não sei eu que tu escolheste ao filho de Jessé para vergonha tua, e para vergonha da nudez de tua mãe?

31Porque todo o tempo que o filho de Jessé viver sobre a terra, nem tu serás firme, nem teu reino. Envia, pois, agora, e traze-o a mim, porque morrerá.

32E Jônatas respondeu a seu pai Saul, e disse-lhe: Por que morrerá? O que ele fez?

33Então Saul lhe lançou uma lança para feri-lo: de onde entendeu Jônatas que seu pai estava determinado a matar a Davi.

34E levantou-se Jônatas da mesa com exaltada ira, e não comeu pão o segundo dia da lua nova: porque tinha dor por causa de Davi, porque seu pai lhe havia afrontado.

35Ao outro dia de manhã, saiu Jônatas ao campo, ao tempo marcado com Davi, e um jovem pequeno com ele.

36E disse a seu jovem: Corre e busca as flechas que eu atirar. E quando o jovem ia correndo, ele atirava a flecha que passava mais além dele.

37E chegando o jovem onde estava a flecha que Jônatas havia atirado, Jônatas deu vozes atrás o jovem, dizendo: Não está a flecha mais além de ti?

38E voltou a gritar Jônatas atrás o jovem: Apressa-te, corre, não pares. E o jovem de Jônatas agarrou as flechas, e veio a seu senhor.

39Porém nenhuma coisa entendeu o jovem: somente Jônatas e Davi entendiam o negócio.

40Logo deu Jônatas suas armas a seu jovem, e disse-lhe: Vai-te e leva-as à cidade.

41E logo que o jovem se havia ido, se levantou Davi da parte do sul, e inclinou-se três vezes prostrando-se até a terra: e beijando-se o um ao outro, choraram o um com o outro, ainda que Davi chorou mais.

42E Jônatas disse a Davi: Vai-te em paz, que ambos juramos pelo nome do SENHOR, dizendo: o SENHOR seja entre mim e ti, entre minha descendência e a tua descendência para sempre.

📖 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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