Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. XX.

Vers. 1. ANd David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, &c.] Taking the opportunity of Sauls extasie, wherein he continued all day and all night, David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came to Gibeah of Saul where Jonathan was.

Vers. 2. And he said unto him, God forbid; Thou shalt not die.] It seems Jona∣than knew nothing of all that Saul had done against David, related in the former chapter; at least he might think, that if he had done any thing against David, it was onely in some frantick fit; and therefore was he thus confident, that David had no such cause of fear as he deemed he had: and that the rather too, because of the oath his father had taken, Chap. 19.6. And Saul sware, as the Lord liveth he shall not die. And because his father used to acquaint him with what he purposed to do, My father, saith he, will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me, &c.

Vers. 5. Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat, &c.] David fearing to venture himself in Sauls presence any more, till he were better satisfied how he stood affected towards him, doth here prescribe a way to Jonathan, how this might be discovered; namely, that whereas the feast of the new moon was to be kept the next day, at which time he used to sit with the king at the table, he would absent himself for three dayes, and if Saul should be highly enraged at this, hereby Jonathan might know that his father intended some mischief to him, and so was mad that he was disappointed of his purpose. The feast David here speaks of when he was by their ordinary course to sit with the king at meat, was doubtlesse a holy feast, kept with the peace-offerings of the new moon festivitie, as is evident, vers. 26. Where Saul concludes of Davids absence the first day, that by reason of some legall pollution that had befallen him he absented him∣self, He is not clean, saith he, surely he is not clean; and observable it is, that Saul as bad as he was, yet was carefull to keep this feast of the new moon, and to have his chief princes keep it with him, To morrow, saith David, is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: As for the three dayes wherein David saith he would absent himself, But let me go, that I may hide my self in the fields, unto the third day at even, this time was prefixed by David, because sooner Jona∣than might not be able happely to enform him, how Saul took his absence from the feast: For though the festivitie of the new moon lasted indeed but one day, to wit, the first day of the moneth, Numb. 28.1. (Concerning which, see the note there,) yet some kind of peace-offerings, which were offered on that day, to wit, those that were offered for a vow, or voluntary offering, might be eaten not onely on the same day whereon they were offered, but also the day following, Levit. 7.16. Therefore it seems the feast that was begun on the new moon with their peace-offerings, was continued the next day, as is evident, vers. 27. And it came to passe on the morrow, which was the second day of the moneth, that Davids place was empty &c. And so then the third was allowed for Jonathan to inform David how Saul was affected with his absence from the feast.

Vers. 6. If thy father at all misse me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of

me, that he might run to Bethlehem, &c.] It seems in Sauls absence they used to ask leave of Jonathan ere they left the Court, especially at such a festivity as that of the New-moon was, and therefore David desires Jonathan to say, that David had asked leave of him, that he might go and keep the New-moon feast with his kinred at Bethlehem. Though David left Saul in a trance at Naioth, chap. 19.23, 24. yet he might be returned thence before this conference which David had with Jonathan; at least he might suppose that he would soon come back again to Gibeah. But how could he conceive that Saul would expect David sitting at his table in the feast of the New-moon, as in former times, when he had been forced so lately to flie for his life, both from him, and from his messengers sent to apprehend him? chap. 19. I answer, No doubt Saul perswaded himself, that David would think that what he had done, he had done onely in his fits of phrensie, and that being now come again to himself, he would be as farre from laying violent hands upon him, as ever before. Now though David were not so simply credulous as to think so, but discerned his settled malice against him, and verily believed that for all his prophecying at Naioth, he would thirst after his bloud as formerly; yet supposing rightly as it was, that Saul in this his confidence and dissimulation, would expect him at the feast the next day; he adviseth Jonathan to observe how he would take his absence, as concluding that thereby they might discern what his purposes were. As for Davids appointing Jo∣nathan by an untruth to excuse his absence, in this doubtlesse David, as the best are wont to do, forgot himself.

Vers. 8. For thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee.] That is, a covenant made in the presence of God, wherein God was invoca∣ted to bear witnesse against, and to punish the party transgressing the covenant,

If there be in me iniquity, slay me thy self, &c.] It may be that David spake this to Jonathan, as to one that had power under his father, even to punish with death those that were liable to such a sentence.

Vers. 10. Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? &c.] That is, see∣ing it will not be safe for you to come to me, nor yet to trust such a message with any of your servants, how shall I know whether your father be enraged at my absence, or no?

Vers. 11. And Jonathan said unto David, Come, let us go out into the field.] Because he could not, it seems, speak his mind so freely to David in the place where they were, without some danger of being over-heard, therefore Jonathan desired David to go with him out into the field: or rather in answer to the question David had propounded in the foregoing verse, he invites him to go out with him into the field, that there he might shew him, how by the token of shooting his arrows, he meant to inform him, whether there were any cause why he should flee from his father, or no

Vers. 13. The Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.] That is, the Lord advance thee to the kingdome as he did my father, and make thee victorious over thine enemies, as my father hath been. Whether he had heard of Davids an∣ointing, either by David himself or any other, it is hard to say; most likely it is that he knew of the doom which Samuel had pronounced against his father, and ob∣serving the speciall hand of God that was with David, did thereupon conclude that doubtlesse he was the man to whom God intended the kingdome, whereto he willing∣ly

yields, and onely seeks to make a covenant with David, and therefore we see af∣terwards also, how confidently he spake of Davids being king: chap. 23.17. And he said unto him, Fear not, for the hand of my father Saul shall not find thee, and thou shalt be king over Israel, &c.

Vers. 14. And thou shalt not onely while yet I live shew me the kindnesse of the Lord &c.] That is, either first, the kindnesse which the Lord requires us to shew one to another, and which is so pleasing and acceptable to him: or secondly, the kindnesse which the Lord is wont to shew to his faithfull servants, and wherein thou shalt approve thy self like unto God: or thirdly, the great kindnesse which by covenant made in the Lords presence, thou hast bound thy self to shew me. And thus whilest David was in an humbled and afflicted estate, Jonathan beheld him as king of Israel, and so did the believing thief look upon Christ, when he hung upon the crosse: Luke 23.42. And he said unto Jesus, Lord remember me when thou co∣mest into thy kingdome.

Vers. 16. Let the Lord even require it at the hands of Davids enemies.] And so consequently of me, if I keep not covenant but prove an enemy to David.

Vers. 17. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him.] As desirous to make a sure and stedfast league with him, whom he so dearly loved.

Vers. 18. Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon, and thou shalt be missed, &c.] See the notes vers. 5, 6.

Vers. 19. Thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thy self when the businesse was in hand, and thou shalt remain by the stone E∣zel, &c.] According to this Translation of ours, the meaning of these words must needs be this, that Jonathan advised David, that on the third day he should go down to the place where he hid himself at the first, and should stay there till he came thi∣ther, and did by his shooting of arrows, according to their following agreement▪ se∣cretly inform him whether he might safely come to his father or no. Now the place intended, was doubtlesse that where David hid himself when Jonathan first gave him notice of his fathers purpose to kill him, chap. 19.2. Saul my father seeketh to kill thee, now therefore I pray thee take heed to thy self and hide thy self &c. and therefore Jonathan saith, Where thou didst hide thy self, when the businesse was in hand, because then was the first time when Saul did discover his purpose to kill Da∣vid. As for the stone Ezel, that is, that sheweth the way, which was hard by that place, it was probably some stone to direct travellers the way they were to go.

Vers. 20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, &c.] The reason why Jonathan did not agree to meet with David, and so to make known to him how his father stood affected towards him, but rather to give him warning thus secretly by shooting of arrows, was because he desired to decline as much as might be his fa∣thers jealousie of any intercourse that was betwixt him and David.

Vers. 27. And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Sauls side, and Davids place was empty.] To wit, Jonathan arose to Abner coming to sit down, as thereby testi∣fying his respect of him, &c. It seems that Saul and Jonathan were set down at the table before Abner came; and so when he came, Jonathan rose as by way of honour to Abner, because he was the kings cosin, and captain of the host, and then Abner sat by Sauls side, and Davids place was empty; whereby it may appear that (as Jo∣sephus

saith) Jonathan sat at the right hand of the king, and David used to sit on his left hand, as being his sonne in law, and so Abner now sitting on that side, he was next Saul, because Davids place was empty: yet the meaning of those words and Jo∣nathan arose, may be, that Saul being set down in his seat, Jonathan arose to sit down at the table by his father.

Vers. 26. Something hath befallen him, he is not clean, surely he is not clean.] See the note verse 5.

Vers. 27. Saul said unto Jonathan his sonne, Wherefore cometh not the sonne of Jesse, &c.] This title be gives him the sonne of Jesse, sheweth in part his discon∣tent and displeasure against him.

Vers. 30. Thou sonne of the perverse rebellious woman, &c.] As if he had said, thou art right thy mothers sonne, she hath been alwayes perverse and rebellious, and so art thou: We need not enquire wherein Jonathans mother had deserved this cen∣sure; for this is the property of wrathfull persons, to spare none in their anger, but to speak any thing that may grieve or dishonour the partie against whom their spirit is stirred; and therefore he addes also, Thou hast chosen the sonne of Jesse to thine own confusion, and to the confusion of thy mothers nakednesse: that is, to the disho∣nour and shame of thy mother, to wit, by bereaving her of the honour of having a king for her sonne, yea, by bringing a stain of dishonesty upon her: because if Da∣vid should succeed in the kingdome▪ and Jonathan be passed by, it would imply that Jonathan were illegitimate, and base born, and so not fit to inherit, and that there∣fore David that was onely Sauls sonne in law, was chosen in his room,

Vers. 40. And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad.] That is, his quiver, bow, and arrows.

Vers. 41. And assoon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place towards the south, &c.] When they first agreed that Jonathan should give notice to David, how his father stood affected towards him by the shooting of his arrows, and the words he should speak to the lad that was sent to fetch them, they agreed upon this secret way of giving David intelligence, because they thought some body might be present in the field where it was done, and hardly could hope for an opportunity to meet and consult together; yet when Jonathan had done that, and looking about perceived the coast was clear, he sent away the lad, and then David arose out of a place towards the south, that is, the place where he had hid himself, south-ward of the field where all this had been done, and so they had an opportunity beyond their expectation to mourn with one another, and conferre together before their parting.

And they kissed one another, and wept one with another till David exceeded.] His condition being now in the eye of reason most grievous and most miserable.