UTN uW Translation Notes:

1 Samuel 20 Chapter Introduction

Structure and Formatting

This chapter continues the part of the book that describes how David became king (chapters 16–31). It describes how David’s friend Jonathan found out for certain that his father Saul intended to kill David and how Jonathan devised a secret way to warn David that he was in danger and that he should flee for his life.

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Why did Saul assume that his son Jonathan would be the next king?

In 20:31, Saul says to his son Jonathan that “all of the days that the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you will not be established, nor your kingdom.” Saul is assuming that Jonathan will be king after him unless David takes his place. He assumes this because in the ancient Near East, it was usually a king’s oldest son who became king after his death. Jonathan was Saul’s oldest son. But throughout the Old Testament, we see Yahweh accomplishing his purposes by doing things other than in the customary ways of a culture. Jonathan knew and understood this. He tells David in 23:17 that he expects David to be the next king but that he will be his most important official and advisor. Jonathan did not know that he would be killed in battle before this could happen.

Why did David flee from Naioth after Yahweh had protected him there?

Even though, as the author describes in 19:19–24, Yahweh protected David at Naioth in a supernatural way, we learn in 20:1 that “David fled from Naioth.” He seems to have been concerned that someone who was not open to Yahweh’s influence in the way that Saul and his messengers clearly were would come to try to capture him. David was right, as an ungodly man, Doeg the Edomite, killed all the priests of Yahweh in 22:18–19. However, it is not necessary to explain this reason in the text of your translation or in a footnote, since the reason becomes clear later in the story.

What was Jonathan doing with the arrows (20:20–22 and 35–40)?

By shooting arrows near the rock where he told David to hide, Jonathan provided a signal for David of whether or not he was safe. Even if David could not hear what Jonathan was saying to the boy, if he saw the boy turn around and head back toward Jonathan, then he would know that he too could return safely to the city and to Saul’s court. Similarly, if he saw the boy running farther away after Jonathan called out to him, then he too needed flee for safety.

Why did Jonathan give his seat to Abner (20:25)?

It is possible that Jonathan was showing special courtesy and honor to Abner, Saul’s cousin and general, by giving up his seat next to his father Saul and letting Abner sit there. But it’s more likely that by seeming to do this, he was actually putting some distance between himself and his father Saul, expecting that Saul might become upset when he learned that Jonathan had given David permission not to be present. In 20:33, the story shows that this was a good idea, since it gave Jonathan more time to get out of the way of the spear that Saul threw at him.

Translation Issues in This Chapter

Why did Jonathan make “the enemies of David” accountable for David’s actions?

In 20:16, when Jonathan has David promise not to harm his descendants, he says, “And may Yahweh seek from the hand of the enemies of David!” This means, “If you break this promise, may Yahweh punish your enemies!” It does not immediately make sense why Jonathan would say “the enemies of David” rather than “David.” Since this is a binding oath, the sense is that Yahweh will hold David accountable for keeping it. Yahweh would punish David, not David’s enemies, if David broke the oath. Interpreters have different understandings of why Jonathan says “the enemies of David.” It is possible that a person in this culture would not directly threaten another person with divine retribution, especially if they were on good terms. So Jonathan may be speaking indirectly. Other interpreters suggest that out of reverence for David, later scribes may have substituted the phrase about his enemies for a direct reference to David’s name. In both explanations, someone is being polite and respectful to David. But if the meaning would not be clear in this polite form, you could state it directly in your translation. You might have Jonathan say, for example, “And may Yahweh seek from the hand of David.”