841 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David sware moreover, and said,.... To assure Jonathan of the truth of it, that he did most certainly seek after his life, of which, as he had no doubt himself, by an oath he endeavoured to remove any that might be in Jonathan, who was not willing to believe his father could be guilty of so foul a crime: thy father certainly knoweth that I...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said Jonathan unto David,.... Now giving credit to what he had said, and in order to comfort and support him under the apprehensions he had of danger: whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do [it] for thee; for the preservation of his life, by speaking to his father on his behalf, endeavouring to dissuade him from his evil intentions, or...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David said unto Jonathan,.... Moved that the following method might be taken as a trial of the disposition of Saul's mind towards David: behold, tomorrow [is] the new moon; the first day of the month, which was kept solemnly with burnt offerings and peace offerings, see Numbers 10:10. Some say (r) this feast was not kept for the new moon, but...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If thy father at all miss me,.... Or diligently inquires after me: then say, David earnestly asked leave of me, that he might run to Bethlehem his city: the place of his birth, called the city of David, where he was born and had lived, Lu 2:4, which was not far from Gibeah, and whither he could soon run; and which shows the haste he proposed to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If he say thus, [it is] well,.... It is very well, it is very good and right in him to do so: thy servant shall have peace; it will be a token that the wrath of the king was removed, and that his mind was well disposed towards David, and things had taken an happy turn, and would issue in his peace and prosperity: but if he be very wroth; with...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Therefore thou shall deal kindly with thy servant,.... By informing him how his father's mind stood affected to him, that he might conduct himself accordingly, either by appearing at court, or by providing for his safety by flight: for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee; a covenant of friendship between Jonathan...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jonathan said, far be it from thee,.... To entertain such a thought of me, or to have the least suspicion of me, that I should conceal my father's ill intentions against thee, if known to me; for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would I not tell it thee? certainly I would; canst thou doubt of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said David to Jonathan, who shall tell me?.... The disposition of Saul's mind towards him, whether he gave a kind answer to the report of Jonathan concerning him: or what [if] thy father answer thee roughly? or hard words, as the Targum, whether he answers in a kind, loving, and smooth manner, or whether in a rough and angry one: the question...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jonathan said unto David, come, and let us go out into the field,.... That they might more fully, and freely, and familiarly talk of this affair between them, without any danger of being overheard by the servants of Saul, as they were in his palace, where they now were: and they went out both of them into the field; which belonged to Gibeah.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel,.... Or by the Lord God of Israel, I swear unto thee; for this is the form of the oath, as Jarchi and Kimchi observe: when I have sounded my father about tomorrow any time, [or] the third [day]; searched, inquired, and found out how his disposition is: and, behold, [if there be] good toward David;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan,.... Recompense evil more than can be thought of and expressed, should he neglect to inform David of the good disposition of Saul unto him: but if it please my father [to do] thee evil; if he seems determined upon it to take away thy life: then I will show it thee; not by a messenger, by whom it would not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thou shalt not only, while yet I live, show me the kindness of the Lord,.... Such kindness as is well pleasing in the sight of God, and imitate what he shows to men, and which was covenanted, promised, and agreed to in the presence of the Lord, when David and Jonathan entered into covenant with each other; this Jonathan did not doubt of, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever,.... His family should partake of it as well as himself: no, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David, everyone from the face of the earth; Saul and his sons, and everyone that should oppose his settlement in the kingdom: Jonathan's meaning is, that the covenant between...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So Jonathan made [a covenant] with the house of David,.... Not with David himself only, which was now renewed, but with his family also: [saying], let the Lord even require [it] at the hand of David's enemies; take vengeance on Jonathan, or on any of his posterity, should they break this covenant, by showing themselves enemies to David, and his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jonathan caused David to swear again,.... Or Jonathan added to make David swears (u); having sworn himself to make a covenant of friendship with David and his family, he moved and insisted on it, that David should swear to keep covenant with him, and his family: because he loved him; it was not so much for the good and safety of his offspring...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then Jonathan said to David, tomorrow [is] the new moon,.... The first day of the month, as David had before observed, 1 Samuel 20:5; and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty; or be inquired after, because not in his usual place at mealtime.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And [when] thou hast stayed three days,.... From court, either at Bethlehem, which seems most probable, or in some other place incognito; however, not in the field he proposed to hide himself in, where he could not continue so long for want of food: [then] thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself; which makes...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And, behold, I will send a lad,.... That attended on him, and carried his bow and arrows, and fetched his arrows when he had shot them: [saying], go, find out the arrows; where they are fallen, and return them: if I expressly say unto the lad, behold, the arrows [are] on this side of thee, take them; on one side of him, whether the one or the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But if I say thus unto the young man, behold, the arrows [are] beyond thee,.... Being shot to a greater distance than where the young man was: go thy way, for the Lord hath sent thee away; then he was to depart directly, without staying to have any conversation with Jonathan, which would not be safe for either of them, and so make the best of his...