The First Book Of Samuel. Day 61, Saul Tries To Kill His Own Son

In yesterday's study Jonathan and David devised a signal by which David can be informed whether it's safe to return to the king's court or whether he must flee the area. The New Moon feast is about to take place and David is expected to be present at the celebration held at the king's court. When Saul notices David is missing, Jonathan is going to pretend that David went up to Bethlehem to spend the holiday with his family. Saul's reaction to this information will tell him whether to signal David to come out of hiding or whether to tell him to run for his life.

"So David hid in the field, 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." (1 Samuel 20:24-25) Many scholars presume this was a table that held only four, with the other guests seated at other tables around the room. If Saul sits in a chair on one end of the room with his back against the wall, he is able to see and be seen by everyone there. Another purpose for sitting with his back to the wall may be so no one can sneak up behind him; we are soon going to learn much more about his ever-increasing paranoia. He is going to falsely assume that plots are afoot against him and that assassins are lying in wait for him wherever he goes. 

This is the table for the most prominent men at the feast: King Saul, Jonathan the crown prince, Abner the commander of the army, and David the king's son-in-law and famous slayer of Goliath. Since Jonathan's assigned seat is opposite his father, we can assume that David's assigned seat is opposite Abner. There's no way Saul or anyone else can miss the fact that David isn't there. But on the first day Saul says nothing about his absence. "Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, 'Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean---surely he is unclean.'" (1 Samuel 20:26) 

David has never missed a religious observance before. David has never disobeyed a summons of the king before. Saul, knowing David's steadfast and faithful character, assumes he must have come in contact with something that has rendered him unable to attend on the first day. When a person became ceremonially unclean, he or she could not attend a sacred feast but this uncleanness lasted only until after sundown, at which time the person was to bathe and dress in clean clothes and be ceremonially clean again. Their uncleanness was temporary and limited to that one day. (Leviticus 22:6-7) Saul expects David to follow the instructions of Leviticus 22 regarding ceremonial uncleanness and to attend the second day of the feast.

"But the next day, the second day of the month, David's place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, 'Why hasn't the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?'" (1 Samuel 20:27) Saul knows that Jonathan and David are best friends. He isn't happy about the friendship but he's quite aware of it. If anybody at the feast knows where David is, it's Jonathan. 

We must take note that Saul doesn't refer to David by his name. He also doesn't refer to him by his status in the royal family, such as: "Where is my son-in-law?" He doesn't refer to him by his military rank either. Instead he says something like, "Where's the son of that poor shepherd from that little town of Bethlehem?" Saul very likely phrases his question the way he does in order to show his disdain for David. He brings up David's humble birth as a way of displaying his opinion that David isn't really good enough to sit at the king's table. 

Jonathan begins carrying out the plan he made with David. He pretends David is at Bethlehem and not in Gibeah. "Jonathan answered, 'David earnestly asked me for permission to go to Bethlehem. He said, 'Let me go, for my 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.' That is why he has not come to the king's table." (1 Samuel 20:28-29) Some scholars propose that David actually did make a quick journey to Bethlehem and back and that Jonathan didn't really tell a lie. However, there is nothing in the Scriptures to support this theory. There's nothing in the Scriptures to disprove the theory either, for that matter. But some scholars are troubled by the idea that Jonathan's words are untrue if David did not go to Bethlehem, but as we've seen before, there are occasions in the Bible where people behave deceptively in order to save their own life or someone else's and on those occasions we don't find their words painted in a negative light. So we cannot suppose that a godly man like Jonathan wouldn't tell a lie if he had to in order to save a life. We cannot suppose that he faced any sort of discipline from the Lord for doing so. Jonathan is living in a fallen world where he is having to cope with a wicked father and king who has murder in his heart; lying to Saul is unfortunately the most practical way of dealing with him and keeping David safe at the same time.

Saul flies into a rage, which tells Jonathan everything he needs to know. Saul still wants David dead and probably intended to have him taken into custody during the feast and then executed after the conclusion of this religious holiday. "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!'" (1 Samuel 20:30-31) 

Saul takes his anger toward David out on David's best friend, even though David's best friend is his own son. He uses crass language unbefitting for a king, especially in the presence of honored guests. What he literally says is: "You SOB!" He follows that with, "Do you think I'm an idiot? Do you think I don't know you've betrayed me and your whole family and your own best interests by taking the side of that young nobody from the backwoods of Bethlehem? Your mother and I and your brothers and sisters can hardly hold up our heads in public because everybody is talking about how you've thrown all your support behind David instead of behind your own father! Are you too dumb to realize if David is not eliminated he is going to take the throne of Israel from me and if that happens you will never succeed me as king? David is planning a coup against me; I know he is! When he does, neither you nor any of your sons will ever wear the crown. You of all people should clearly be able to see that David's execution is not only necessary but needs to be carried out as soon as possible."

Jonathan tries to reason with his father but Saul is beyond reason. "'Why should he be put to death? What has he done?' 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." (1 Samuel 20:32-34) Saul's intense hatred of David has so consumed him that it spills over onto his own firstborn son and heir! He can't hurl his spear at David, who isn't there, so in his anger he hurls it at the man who has taken David's side.

Jonathan has chosen David's side which is the Lord's side. It's a testament to his godly character that he's more outraged by his father's treatment of David than by his father's treatment of himself. Saul's sin against David, in Jonathan's mind, is worse than his sin against Jonathan, for David is the Lord's anointed future king. To lift a hand against David is to oppose the Lord. Jonathan will not do it. He will not rebel against the Lord and he will not cause an innocent man to be harmed. In tomorrow's passage he does everything he can to protect the future king of Israel from the insane wrath of the current king of Israel.