1
So David fled from Naioth near Ramah and came to Jonathan, and said, “What have I done? What is my guilt, and what is my sin against your father, that he seeks my life?”
2
But Jonathan said to him, “Far be it from that! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing, whether great or small, without telling me. Why should my father hide this matter from me? It cannot be!”
3
But David answered, saying, “Your father knows well that you are fond of me. Therefore he thinks, ‘Jonathan must not know this, lest he be grieved.’ Yet as the LORD lives, and as you live, there is but a step between me and death.”
4
Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever your heart desires, I will do for you.”
5
David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I ought to sit and eat with the king. If you let me go, I will hide in the field until the third evening.
6
If your father misses me, then you shall say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem, his city, because there is a yearly sacrifice there for all his clan.’
7
If he says, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe. But if his anger is quickly aroused, know that he has decided to bring harm.
8
Therefore show kindness to your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant before the LORD. But if there is guilt in me, then kill me yourself. Why should you bring me to your father?”
9
Jonathan said, “Far be it from that! For if I knew for certain that my father had decided to bring harm upon you, would I not tell you?”
10
Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”
11
Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field.
12
Then Jonathan said to David, “By the LORD, the God of Israel, tomorrow or the day after, about this time, I will sound out my father. If things are favorable for David, shall I not send to you and tell you?
13
But if it pleases my father to bring harm upon you, may the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not tell you and send you away, so that you may go in safety. May the LORD be with you, as He was with my father before.
14
If I am still alive, will you not show me the steadfast love of the LORD? But if I am dead,
15
do not cut off your steadfast love from my household forever. And when the LORD cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth,
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may the name of Jonathan not be cut off from the house of David. May the LORD require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”
17
And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as his own soul.
18
Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon; and you will be missed, for your seat will be empty.
19
But on the third day you will surely be sought; go to the place where you hid yourself on the day of the deed, and stay beside the stone heap.
20
And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target.
21
Then I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say plainly to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them,’ then come, for as the LORD lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger.
22
But if I say to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the LORD has sent you away.
23
And concerning the matter that we have spoken of, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever.”
24
So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat down at the table to eat.
25
The king sat in his place, as usual, by the wall. Jonathan faced him, Abner sat beside Saul, but David’s place was empty.
26
Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him; he is probably unclean; yes, he is surely unclean.”
27
But on the day after the new moon, the second day, when David’s place was still empty, Saul asked Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”
28
Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem,
29
saying, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brothers themselves have summoned me. Therefore, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go and see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.”
30
Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?
31
For indeed, as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you and your kingdom will not be established. Now therefore send and bring him to me, for he must die.”
32
But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
33
Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan to kill him. So Jonathan knew that his father had determined to kill David.
34
Therefore Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger. On the second day of the new moon he ate no food, because he was grieved for David, because his father had dishonored David.
35
In the morning Jonathan went out into the field with a little boy, according to his agreement with David.
36
And he said to his boy, “Run, find the arrows that I shoot.” As soon as the boy ran, Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him.
37
When the boy came to the place where the arrow that Jonathan had shot lay, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “Is not the arrow farther on?”
38
Then Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry, be quick, do not stand still!” So Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrow and returned to his master.
39
But the boy knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40
Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy who attended him and said to him, “Go, carry them into the city.”
41
So the boy went away, and David rose from beside the stone mound; he bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself three times. They kissed one another and wept together. Finally David restrained himself.
42
Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace; for we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring forever.’” (20-43) Then David arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.
🤝💔🏹 Summary of 1 Samuel 20 – True Friendship Amid Betrayal
1 Samuel 20 is an emotional chapter that shows the true friendship between David and Jonathan, even in great danger. David realizes that King Saul truly wants to kill him. In this difficult situation, Jonathan must choose between loyalty to his father (Saul) or to truth and his friend (David). In love and faith, Jonathan helps David escape and speaks a heartbreaking farewell. This is a story of loyalty, trust, and integrity under the pressure of political and family conflict.
📌 1. David Seeks an Answer from Jonathan (verses 1–11)
➡️ David asked, “What is my fault, that your father wants to kill me?”
➡️ Jonathan was at first uncertain, because he had not yet seen his father’s intent
➡️ David made a plan: he would hide during the new moon feast
➡️ If Saul became angry because of David’s absence, that would be a sign of his intent to kill him
🎯 Seeking the truth can require courage and sacrifice from both sides.
📌 2. A Covenant of Friendship and a Secret Plan (verses 12–23)
➡️ Jonathan swore to help David and prayed that the Lord would be with him
➡️ They made a secret code with arrows:
If the arrow goes beyond a certain place, it is a sign of danger
➡️ Jonathan also asked David to promise that he would show kindness to his descendants in the future
🎯 True friendship is always grounded in lasting commitment and faith in the Lord.
📌 3. Saul Becomes Angry and Insults Jonathan (verses 24–34)
➡️ On the day of the feast, David was absent; Saul asked on the second day and was very angry
➡️ Saul called David “a son of destruction” and told Jonathan to bring David to be killed
➡️ When Jonathan defended David, Saul hurled a spear at his own son!
🎯 Blind hatred for the truth can destroy relationships within one’s own family.
📌 4. Jonathan Gives David a Warning Sign (verses 35–40)
➡️ As agreed, Jonathan shot the arrow as a signal that Saul truly intended evil
➡️ He told his servant to gather the arrows as part of the secret code
🎯 Under great pressure, Jonathan’s integrity remained firm for the sake of truth and love.
📌 5. A Heartbreaking Farewell (verses 41–42)
➡️ David and Jonathan finally met in secret and wept together
➡️ David was deeply moved, and they made a covenant before the Lord to keep steadfast love between their descendants
🎯 A friendship bound in the Lord is not easily broken by the betrayal of the world.
📖 Main Lessons
- Loyalty to God and truth is more important than blood ties
- True friendship is built on love, commitment, and faith
- At times, standing for what is right causes us to be rejected by our own family
- The Lord is present in relationships founded on truth and genuine love
- Wise and symbolic communication (such as the sign of the arrows) is needed in times of crisis
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“Greater love has no one than this, that one should lay down his life…”
➡️ Jonathan was willing to put himself in danger for his friend, a picture of true love.
“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
➡️ Jonathan risked his position for David’s sake.
“Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.”
➡️ Jonathan chose God and truth, not blind loyalty to his father.
“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love…”
➡️ The friendship of David and Jonathan is an example of loving fellowship among God’s people.
🕊️ “The LORD be witness between me and you, between my descendants and your descendants.” – 1 Samuel 20:42
🕊️ “Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan…” – 1 Samuel 20:33
🕊️ “They wept together, but David wept even more.” – 1 Samuel 20:41
🕊️ “If I am still alive, show me the LORD’s steadfast love.” – 1 Samuel 20:14
