On the Run

1 Samuel 20:24b-42

^24bAnd when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. ²⁵The king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty. ²⁶Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean; surely he is not clean.” ²⁷But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” ²⁸Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. ²⁹He said, ‘Let me go, for our clan holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.” ³⁰Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? ³¹For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” ³²Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” ³³But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. ³⁴And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him. ³⁵In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him a little boy. ³⁶And he said to his boy, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. ³⁷And when the boy came to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” ³⁸And Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry! Be quick! Do not stay!” So Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master. ³⁹But the boy knew nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. ⁴⁰And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, “Go and carry them to the city.” ⁴¹And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most. ⁴²Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

After a significant break due to illness and an extended time playing grandma, I’m back at my computer, ready to write. Perhaps a brief reminder of where we are in the story is in order.

David has proven to be a national hero by killing Goliath and placing himself on Saul’s radar. He is invited to Saul’s court to serve in the military and serve Saul as court musician. He has also become the best friend of Saul’s oldest son, Jonathan. Jealousy over David’s success has driven Saul to attempt to murder him on more than one occasion. Because of this threat to his life, it’s time for David to run.

Jonathan and David have established a way for Jonathan to communicate the imminent threat to David without Saul learning that Jonathan has betrayed him. This is point in David’s story where he leaves the court of Saul permanently. He will remain on the run from Saul for over 10 years. Thus we have this scene between the two best friends where they part company in order for Saul’s murderous threats to go unanswered. They swear allegiance to one another, and their future children. David then flees into the countryside. It is a story filled with pathos and deep emotion.

I’ve always considered my dear friends a gift from God Himself. I can’t imagine having to part company because of a threat to their lives. David and Jonathan are both loyal and constant friends. To lose their close proximity is deeply painful. Later in David’s story, he will show his loyalty to Jonathan by caring for Jonathan’s son. He remembers that friendship far into his life. I pray that you have friendships such as this one, for God blesses us mightily with one another.