I Samuel 20:1-42
A competition is held to find the laziest man in the
world.
Three finalists are chosen and brought on stage.
The first man is asked, “Why do you think you’re
the laziest?”
He says, “Because I’m too lazy to answer that
question.”
The second man is asked the same question. He
responds, “I’m too lazy to even think about
answering.”
The third man doesn’t say anything, just lies on the
floor, holding his hand out.
When asked what he’s doing, he says, “Waiting for
someone to give me the prize.”
Last week we talked about how God protected David from
Saul’s attempts to kill him. God used Saul’s family and
the Holy Spirit to keep the future king safe from harm.
This morning we are going to see Jonathan and David
devise a plan to check Saul’s attitude towards David and
to keep David safe.
For context, David is still on the run.
After Saul tried killing him in the castle at Gibeah,
Jonathan reasoned with Saul and convinced him not
to kill David. He invited David back to the castle, only to
attempt to murder him once again for the third time.
David escaped and returned to his home where his wife
Michal then helped him escape by lowering him
down through a window.
Finally, David flees to Ramah to seek shelter with
Samuel.
When Saul finds out he is there, he sends people to kill
David, but the Holy Spirit came upon them so they
prophesied.
Now, the scene turns back to Saul’s castle at Gibeah.
1 Samuel 20:1-11
David asks his friend two questions.
What have I done?
What is my guilt?
David has done nothing wrong. He is trying to find out
why Saul keeps trying to kill him.
Jonathan reassures David that he won’t let his dad kill
him.
His dad tells him everything he does, big or small.
He promises to find out why Saul wants David dead.
David is worried that Saul knows about their friendship.
He tells Jonathan there is only a step between him and
death.
The Ruse
David tells Jonathan his plan.
Notice we don’t read anything about God telling David
what to do or seeking His counsel. David takes matters
into his own hands here.
Right after God protected him in so many different ways.
It would be easy to criticize David, if only we were
different.
How often do we try to help God or take matters into our
own hands when we don’t see God working the way we
think He should or as quickly as we think He should?
He tells Jonathan he isn’t coming to the new moon dinner
the next day.
Saul would definitely expect David to be there. Why I am
not quite sure after he has tried to kill him these three
times with his spear and these other times by the hand of
his servants.
The point of this is to see how Saul will respond to
David’s absence.
David tells Jonathan to tell Saul he has gone to
Bethlehem for the yearly sacrifice. But really David will
be hiding in the field until the third evening.
David believes that one of two things will happen when
Saul notices that David isn’t at the dinner .
1. Saul will say good! He doesn’t actually want David dead.
2. Saul will be angry! Saul does want David eliminated.
David asks Jonathan to deal kindly with him.
This is the Hebrew word chesed and it means to show
mercy to one in need from the one with the power to
help.
This word is often used for God’s lovingkindness towards
His children. It’s a reminder of the covenant they have
between each other.
David asks Jonathan to go ahead and kill him if David is
guilty rather than allowing Saul to do the job.
Jonathan promises to tell David how his dad reacts.
David asks who will tell him if Saul answers Jonathan
roughly.
Jonathan likely takes David to the field so no one
overhears their plan.
I Samuel 20:12-17
Jonathan Blesses David
Out in the field Jonathan calls on God as his witness that
he will keep his word to David.
He also tells David he is willing to die as well if he fails to
tell David about his dad’s anger against David.
Finally, Jonathan asks for the Lord’s blessing upon David.
3 times in two verses Jonathan mentions the name of the
Lord to show his loyalty to David.
Jonathan then asks for David’s favor when he becomes
king.
It seems that he knows David is the next king, not
himself.
Jonathan makes a covenant with David regarding the
Lord taking vengeance on David’s enemies.
He is asking for David’s mercy on him.
David was asking for Jonathan’s mercy earlier, now
Jonathan is asking for David’s mercy; same Hebrew word
is used again here – chesed.
I Samuel 20:18-23
The Ruse Continued
Jonathan continues telling David how things will go down.
It is obvious that David will be missed because verse 25
mentions only 4 people at the table including Saul.
Jonathan’s plan is for David to go down to the stone heap
and hide there until the third day.
The plan avoided any face to face interaction between
David and Jonathan.
Shooting the arrows and planning ahead what to say in
either case was a pretty good way of communicating the
information without anyone knowing what was going on.
If Jonathan told the boy to come back this way that was
a green light for David. Everything was going to be fine.
If Jonathan told the boy that the arrows were beyond
him, that was code red, Go! Now! Saul wants you dead.
That was the ruse.
Bringing the young boy also created a witness to
Joanthan and David not talking. The boy went out with
Jonathan and only saw him shoot some arrows.
I Samuel 20:24-29
The Dinner Party
Saul didn’t say anything the first day of the feast.
Scripture tells us he thought David and accidentally made
himself unclean.
I wonder if the thought crossed Saul’s mind that David
may not be coming because he was afraid that Saul
might attempt to kill him again?!
The second day David didn’t show up and Saul asked
Jonathan where he was.
This is where Jonathan lies to his dad.
He even embellishes what David told him in the initial
ruse.
He adds that his brothers requested that he come to
Bethlehem for the annual sacrifice.
I Samuel 20:30-34
Saul’s Anger
Saul responds how we imagine he would respond.
His anger is kindled against Jonathan.
He defames his own wife while berating his son.
It’s ironic that he is the one in the wrong because David
has done nothing wrong.
He has only done good for Saul:
● Playing the harp for him
● Killing the giant
● Subduing the Philistines
Jonathan attempts to reason with Saul asking why he
wants David dead.
Saul responds by attacking Jonathan with his spear. The
same way he tried to kill David three times before, now
it’s his own son.
Jonathan storms out without eating.
Dinner party ruined with a death attempt.
And Jonathan grieved for David.
I Samuel 20:35-42
The Secret Message
Because of Saul’s reaction, Jonathan took the boy to the
field the next day and shot the arrows beyond him and
told him to Go, Be quick! Do not stay.
Jonathan sent the boy away after he retrieved the arrows
so he could have a few minutes to talk with David one
last time. (well, actually the second to last time).
When David saw the boy was gone, he got up and bowed
three times before Jonathan.
This was a show of respect. Even though David was going
to be the next king, he wasn’t yet.
They also both wept and kissed each other.
Again don’t get this wrong, this was an expression of
friendship. It was a custom of their day.
The tears were tears of farewell.
Jonathan sends David off with a message of peace.
What is God teaching us from this chapter of Scripture?
APPLICATION
God is NOT the Author of Injustice
David was a man after God’s own heart, but he was also
on the run because of Saul’s envy and jealousy.
When we face trials, they are not always because of our
own personal sin. No matter what happens in our life, we
must trust God and follow His commands.