David and Jonathan’s friendship is in crisis. How so? Read the previous post here.
In the previous post, we read that David has proposed a test in which Jonathan would lie to his father, King Saul, telling Saul that David had not shown up at Saul’s house for the New Moon festival because Jonathan gave David permission to travel to his (David’s) hometown to celebrate with his own family. All of that is a lie. But David’s intent in asking Jonathan to lie to his father is that David believes Saul will reveal his true feelings about David to Jonathan. In response to David’s proposal, Jonathan basically says, “David, I know my father, and he is not trying to harm you. He tells me everything. I would know if he had ill plans. Trust me!” This is a crisis moment in David and Jonathan’s relationship. They have differing viewpoints on Saul. Whose viewpoint will win the day. Will David concede, saying, “Ok, Jonathan, I trust you. I will go to the New Moon dinner. Forget all that I said about lying to your dad.”? Or will Jonathan concede and say, “David, lying to my dad puts me in a terrible position with my father, but you are my best friend, and I will trust you.”?
Look at verse 10: “David asked, ‘Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?’”
David makes a surprising choice in this tense moment between himself and Jonathan. David just continues on, as if it is a done deal that Jonathan is going to lie to his father to test out Saul’s intentions! When David says in verse 10, “Who will tell me if your father answers harshly,” David moves right past Jonathan’s “I would know if my father meant to harm you,” response, and continues with his own test idea that involved Jonathan lying to Saul. In other words, David is resolute in his viewpoint. David is pushing the limits of his relationship with Jonathan. How will Jonathan respond?
We find out in verse 11,
“‘Come,’ Jonathan said, ‘let’s go out into the field.’ So they went there together. Then Jonathan said to David, ‘I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel, that I will surely sound out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know? But if my father intends to harm you, may the Lord deal with Jonathan, be it ever so severely, if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father. But show me unfailing kindness like the Lord’s kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.’ So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ‘May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.’ And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.”
Jonathan concedes to David! He affirms that he will sound out his father, promising to let David know of the response. With that, crisis in their friendship is averted. So the two men renew their covenant with each other. In this covenant, their friendship is more binding than bloodline. When Jonathan says in verse 16, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account,” is it possible that Jonathan is talking about his father? Whether Jonathan fully believes that his father is David’s enemy at this point is still in doubt. But Jonathan is about to find out.
The test has been proposed. But they still haven’t finalized how Jonathan will report the results of the test to David. Look at verses 18-24,
“Then Jonathan said to David, ‘Tomorrow is the New Moon feast. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty. The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel. I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target. Then I will send a boy and say, “Go, find the arrows.” If I say to him, “Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,” then come, because, as surely as the Lord lives, you are safe; there is no danger. But if I say to the boy, “Look, the arrows are beyond you,” then you must go, because the Lord has sent you away. And about the matter you and I discussed—remember, the Lord is witness between you and me forever.’ So David hid in the field…”
We pause there in the middle of verse 24. The method for delivering the results of the test has been established. Jonathan will shoot arrows as a kind of code for good results or bad results depending on where the arrows fall. David will stay hidden. This secretive action reminds us of the seriousness of what these men are proposing. David’s life hangs in the balance.
All that is left now is for Jonathan to tell his father Saul that David is not coming to the New Moon festival. How will Saul respond? Check back tomorrow for the next post, as we find out.
Photo by Resume Genius on Unsplash
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