David’s life hangs in the balance. But he has proposed an idea to his best friend, Prince Jonathan, in which Jonathan will try to discover if his father, King Saul, truly intends to kill David. Jonathan, though he doubts David’s interpretation of the situation, agrees to the idea.
Jonathan will tell his father Saul that David is not coming to the New Moon festival at Saul’s house. Saul’s response should reveal Saul’s heart toward David. Here’s what happens, reading from the middle of verse 24 in 1st Samuel chapter 20:
“…and when the New Moon feast came, the king sat down to eat. He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan, and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty. Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, ‘Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.’ But the next day, the second day of the month, David’s place was empty again. ((David was hiding out all that time!!!)) Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?’ Jonathan answered, ‘David earnestly asked me for permission to go to Bethlehem. He said, “Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away to see my brothers.” ((Total lie.)). That is why he has not come to the king’s table.’ Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, ‘You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!’ ‘Why should he be put to death? What has he done?’ Jonathan asked his father. But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David. Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the feast he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David.”
David’s test works. Saul reveals his true colors, as his anger even spilled over to Jonathan! Saul truly does want to kill David. It is unlikely that Saul wanted to kill Jonathan, but in the heat of the moment, feeling betrayed by Jonathan, Saul attempts to spear Jonathan just as he had attempted with David.
None of it, however, does anything to change Jonathan’s mind about David. Jonathan will not be intimidated to join in with his father. Not by his father’s harsh words, not by his father’s harsh actions. Saul has totally lost his mind with rage and jealousy here. But Jonathan remains faithful to what is good and true, to his friendship with David. Jonathan does not give in to intimidation. It’s amazing. Jonathan has great faith in God, and thus Jonathan has godly character. So different from his father.
David’s test has its result. And the result is that Saul is bent on killing David, and now Jonathan knows this is true. Remember how Jonathan said that he would inform David of the test results? Look at verses 35-end,
“In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him, and he said to the boy, ‘Run and find the arrows I shoot.’ As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, ‘Isn’t the arrow beyond you?’ Then he shouted, ‘Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!’ The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master. (The boy knew nothing about all this; only Jonathan and David knew.) Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said, ‘Go, carry them back to town.’ After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most. Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, “The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.”’ Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.”
In this chapter, 1st Samuel 20, therefore, we get a confirmation of what we already knew from chapters 18 and 19. First, that King Saul has gone mad with jealousy and wants to kill David. Second, that Jonathan and David are best friends. This confirmation of Saul’s deadly intentions really launches David on his fugitive journey. If there was a sliver of hope that David might be able to return to Saul and serve him safely, that hope is gone. David is a wanted man. Period. After having quite the moonshot of success, it seems now like David has lost everything.
Think about how rapidly David went from being a no-name little brother shepherd who played the lyre, to being anointed as the next king, victorious in numerous battles, promoted to a high-ranking military general, serving in the king’s house, marrying his daughter, and a household name across the country. Just like that, it’s all gone. By human standards it looks like David’s life is done. Story over. Except that it is not all gone, is it?
The Spirit of God is with David. As we saw in chapter 19, David not only has the prophet Samuel on his side, he has God on his side. Here in chapter 20, he also has a friend, Jonathan. When you have a friend with you, you can walk through the most difficult times, with a different ease, confidence than when you are alone.
In chapter 18, we saw how David and Jonathan began their friendship, and here in chapter 20, we learn how their friendship matures and survives an extremely difficult challenge.
In this closing scene where David bows down before Jonathan and David weeps the most at their parting, we see how much this friendship means to him. The truth is out. There is no question anymore. David is a wanted man. These two men will now have to part ways, and they will never again have the freedom to enjoy their friendship.
So what can we learn from this story of a friendship tested and found solid? Join me tomorrow for the final post, as we’ll discuss what we might learn.
Engaging Scripture 
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