1 Samuel 20:24-34
24 So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.
25 Now the king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan stood up and Abner sat down by Saul’s side; but David’s place was empty.
26 Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “It must have been an accident; he is not clean, undoubtedly he is not clean.”
27 But it came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David’s place was empty again; so Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”
28 And Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly requested leave of me to go to Bethlehem.
29 He said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has ordered me to attend. So now, if I have found favor in your sight, let me slip away so that I may see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”
30 Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?
31 For, as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now then, send men and bring him to me, for he is doomed to die!”
32 But Jonathan replied to his father Saul and said to him, “Why must he be put to death? What has he done?”
33 Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike and kill him; so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death.
34 Then Jonathan got up from the table in the heat of anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, because he was worried about David since his father had insulted him.
Jonathan’s Defense for David
The feast of new moon
Now, the new moon feast came, and a meal was arranged. (1) This meal was ritualistic, and one could not partake of it without being purified first. (2) Saul, Jonathan, and the general Abner were seated at the table, but David’s seat was empty. It was rare for David, who esteemed the Lord’s festivals highly, to be absent like this. (3) Saul thought that David must have become unclean. It is commanded in Leviticus 15:16, “Now if a man has a seminal emission, he shall bathe all his body in water and be unclean until evening.” (4) However, David was still not seen the next day. When Saul asked for an explanation, Jonathan answered that he had given David permission to go to Bethlehem, as David had requested.
Saul’s anger
Finally, Saul became angry and revealed his true intentions. (1) The reason for his anger was that David had put his family before him, the king. Additionally, Saul was upset that David had ignored him and asked Jonathan for permission to go to Bethlehem. However, the biggest issue was that he had lost the opportunity to kill David. (2) Saul hurled insults at Jonathan with vile words, shouting, “For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now then, send men and bring him to me, for he is doomed to die.” Saul understood the prophecy of Samuel that David was to become king. (3) Jonathan straightforwardly confronted his father with his doubts and tried to defend David. However, Saul, fueled by anger, even attempted to kill Jonathan, his own son. (4) Jonathan left the dining table and went outside, deeply distressed because it had become clear that his father Saul harbored intentions to kill David. Let’s learn from Jonathan’s attitude. Standing by and supporting the servant of God brings great blessings. Even if it seems dangerous and requires sacrifice at the moment, ultimately, God’s blessings will come. Are you walking with those who fear and believe in God?
Today's prayer
Almighty God, help me fear You, love You, serve You, and walk with those who serve You. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.