There are not many people who would put their own lives on the line for a friend, but Jonathan was such a friend to David. In I Samuel 20:1-4 we learned of Jonathan’s willingness to do whatever David would ask him to do (verse 4). Now we come to I Samuel 20:5-9: “And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king (Saul) at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. If thy father (Saul.) at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him. Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father. And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?”
Evidently the king required all his men to attend all of the special days, so David would either have to risk his life by going to King Saul, or concoct some story that might give him an “excused absence”. David intended to hide from Saul, but he told Jonathan to tell Saul that he was going to Bethlehem for a family annual sacrifice. The story David was asking Jonathan to tell was not at all true, but it seemed to David the only way to be excused from being with Saul during the special day. We cannot justify lying, but we do see some cases like those of David and Rahab (Joshua 2:1-7) where lies saved the lives of innocent men. After all, if enemy soldiers came to the hiding place of one’s own army we would not expect the protecting householder to say, “Oh yes the men you are seeking are here; go ahead and kill them.” David had a suspicion that Saul would not accept his absence at the feast, so he told Jonathan what to say to his father. If Jonathan’s message to Saul were not accepted, David would know Saul had determined to harm him. David called himself the servant of Jonathan, because Jonathan was acting as a “go between” for David concerning Saul, and David appreciated it enough to count himself a servant to his friend. Jonathan himself would be loyal to his friend, even if it should cost his life.
By J. Briggs King
Evangelist
Rainsville, AL
(678) 451-0921