1 Samuel 20: Jonathan and David's Covenant of Friendship

Short answer: In 1 Samuel 20, David flees from Saul and seeks Jonathan's help to discover Saul's true intentions. Jonathan and David renew their covenant, and when Saul openly seeks David's death, Jonathan sends David away in peace.

What 1 Samuel 20 says

The chapter opens with David fleeing from Naioth in Ramah and confronting Jonathan with three urgent questions about what he has done to provoke Saul. Jonathan initially insists that David will not die, because his father discloses everything to him. But David swears that Saul knows Jonathan favors David and is hiding his murderous plan to spare Jonathan grief. David declares that there is only a step between him and death. Jonathan responds with a promise to do whatever David asks. David then proposes a test: he will hide in the field during the new moon feast, and Jonathan will observe Saul's reaction when David's seat is empty. If Saul is calm, David is safe; if Saul is angry, evil is determined. David appeals to their covenant and asks Jonathan to deal kindly with him, even offering to be killed himself if he has done wrong. Jonathan vows to reveal any evil he discovers.

Jonathan takes David out into the field and swears by Yahweh, the God of Israel, that he will sound out his father by the next day or the third day. He promises to disclose whether Saul intends good or evil toward David. Jonathan invokes a solemn curse on himself if he fails to send David away in peace, and he asks that Yahweh be with David as he was with Saul. He then secures a covenant with David's house, asking that David show him Yahweh's loving kindness while he lives and never cut off kindness from his house, even when Yahweh cuts off David's enemies. Jonathan makes David swear again because he loves him as his own soul. They arrange a signal: Jonathan will shoot three arrows and send a boy to find them. If he tells the boy the arrows are on this side, David can come back in peace; if he says they are beyond, David must flee because Yahweh has sent him away. Jonathan declares that Yahweh is between them forever.

David hides in the field, and when the new moon feast arrives, Saul sits in his usual seat by the wall. Jonathan stands, Abner sits by Saul's side, but David's place is empty. Saul says nothing that first day, assuming David is ceremonially unclean. On the second day, however, Saul asks Jonathan why the son of Jesse has not come to eat. Jonathan explains that David earnestly asked permission to go to Bethlehem for a family sacrifice, and that his brother commanded him to be there. Saul's anger burns against Jonathan, and he calls him the son of a perverse rebellious woman, accusing him of choosing David to his own shame and his mother's shame. Saul declares that as long as David lives, Jonathan will not be established or have a kingdom, and he orders Jonathan to bring David so he can be put to death. Jonathan asks why David should die and what he has done. Saul casts his spear at Jonathan, and Jonathan knows his father is determined to kill David. Jonathan leaves the table in fierce anger and eats no food that second day, grieving for David because Saul had treated him shamefully.

In the morning, Jonathan goes out into the field at the appointed time with a little boy. He tells the boy to run and find the arrows he shoots. As the boy runs, Jonathan shoots an arrow beyond him. When the boy reaches the place, Jonathan cries out that the arrow is beyond him and urges him to hurry. The boy gathers the arrows and returns to his master, not knowing anything; only Jonathan and David understood the matter. Jonathan gives his weapons to the boy and sends him back to the city. Once the boy is gone, David rises from the south, falls on his face, and bows three times. They kiss one another and weep together, with David weeping the most. Jonathan tells David to go in peace, because they have both sworn in Yahweh's name that Yahweh is between them and between their offspring forever. David departs, and Jonathan returns to the city.

Verses that carry the chapter

• “David swore moreover, and said, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, ‘Don’t let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved;’ but truly as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.” (1 Samuel 20:3)” (1 Samuel 20:3) — David's oath that there is but a step between him and death captures the life-threatening danger he faces and sets the urgency for the entire chapter.
• “Yahweh do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in peace. May Yahweh be with you, as he has been with my father.” (1 Samuel 20:13) — Jonathan's vow to disclose his father's intentions and send David away in peace shows his costly loyalty and his willingness to defy Saul.
• “So Jonathan made a covenant with David’s house, saying, “Yahweh will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.” (1 Samuel 20:16)” (1 Samuel 20:16) — The covenant with David's house extends Jonathan's commitment beyond his own lifetime and links the two families under Yahweh's oversight.
• “Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.” (1 Samuel 20:33) — Saul's spear cast at Jonathan confirms that Saul is determined to kill David and reveals how far Saul will go to protect his throne.

Gospel connection

The covenant between Jonathan and David points forward to the greater covenant God makes with his people through Jesus Christ. Jonathan, though heir to the throne, willingly protects and blesses David, the one Yahweh has chosen. This mirrors the self-giving love of Christ, who though equal with God humbled himself to secure the safety and inheritance of his people. Jonathan's request that David show loving kindness to his house forever anticipates the enduring faithfulness God promises in the new covenant. The sorrow and separation in this chapter also remind us that the path to God's promised kingdom often passes through suffering and tears, just as Jesus himself would be rejected and handed over before being exalted.

Application

This chapter asks us to examine where our ultimate loyalty lies. Jonathan had to choose between the approval of his father and the safety of his friend, and he chose to honor the covenant he had made before Yahweh. We may face similar moments when doing what is right costs us family peace, reputation, or comfort. The chapter also invites us to be the kind of friend David found in Jonathan: one who speaks truth, acts decisively, and keeps promises even when it is dangerous. Finally, it calls us to trust God's timing when we must flee or wait in a field, knowing that Yahweh is between us and those we love, and that he will not abandon his purposes.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not tell us what David did during the three days he hid, nor does it describe his inner thoughts beyond his fear and tears. It does not explain why Saul assumed David was ceremonially unclean on the first day, only that he thought something had happened to him. It does not record any words from Yahweh, nor does it say that God directly told David to flee. The text does not state that Jonathan became king or that he ever saw David again after this parting. It also does not claim that Jonathan's love for David was anything other than the deep covenant friendship the text describes. Where the narrative is silent, we should not fill in details.

Questions for study

1. Why does David insist that Jonathan test Saul rather than simply trusting Jonathan's first assurance that David will not die?
2. What does Jonathan risk by making a covenant with David and by speaking up for him at the new moon feast?
3. How does Saul's response to Jonathan reveal his priorities and his view of David?
4. What does the signal with the arrows show about how carefully Jonathan and David planned for David's safety?
5. In what ways does this chapter challenge us to keep our promises and show loyal love even when it is costly?

Keep reading

Related studies: 1 Samuel 1 Bible Study, 1 Samuel 10 Bible Study, 1 Samuel 11 Bible Study, 1 Samuel 12 Bible Study.

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FAQ

Why did David hide in the field instead of attending the new moon feast?

David suspected Saul intended to kill him, so he stayed away to test Saul's reaction when his seat was empty. Jonathan agreed to observe Saul and report back.

What was the covenant between Jonathan and David?

It was a solemn agreement before Yahweh in which Jonathan asked David to show loving kindness to his house forever. Jonathan also made David swear again because he loved him as his own soul.

How did Jonathan signal David that he was in danger?

Jonathan shot arrows and sent a boy to find them. If he told the boy the arrows were beyond him, David would know he had to flee because Yahweh had sent him away.