1 Samuel 20

First Book of Samuel chapter 1 Samuel 20 1 Samuel 19 chapter 19 1 Samuel 21 chapter 21 First book of Samuel Old Testament 9 Nevi'im 3 Former Prophets David and Jonathan. Rembrandt.jpg 250px "David and Jonathan" by Rembrandt (1640). 1 Samuel 20 is the twentieth chapter of the First Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the first part of the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible.Halley 1965 182 According to Jewish tradition, the book was attributed to the prophet Samuel, with additions by the prophets Gad and Nathan,Hirsch Emil G. SAMUEL, BOOKS OF http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13080-samuel-books-of www.jewishencyclopedia.com but modern scholars view it as a composition of a number of independent texts throughout 630–540 y.Knight 1995 62Jones 2007 197 This chapter contains the account of David's escape from Saul's repeated attempts to kill him.Jones 2007 209Coogan 2007 429 Hebrew Bible This is within a section comprising 1 Samuel 16 to 2 Samuel 5 that records the rise of David as the king of Israel.Jones 2007 207 Text This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 42 verses. Textual witnesses Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Biblical Hebrew are of the Masoretic Textual tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).Würthwein 1995 35-37 Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q51 (4QSama; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 37–40Ulrich 2010 278–281Dead sea scrolls - 1 SamuelAugust 2026Fitzmyer 2008 354Q51 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library and 4Q52 (4QSamb; 250 BCE) with extant verses 26–42.Ulrich 2010 281–282Fitzmyer 2008 354Q52 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century).Würthwein 1995 73-74The whole book of 1 Samuel is missing from the extant Codex Sinaiticus.Codex Sinaiticus Places Israel jerusalem 240 right Ancient Israel Places mentioned in this chapter Israel jerusalem 31.703056 35.195556 Blue_pog.svg 6 Bethlehem 100 top Israel jerusalem 31.823333 35.231111 Red_pog.svg 6 Gibeah 100 left Israel jerusalem 31.85 35.23167 Blue_pog.svg 6 Ramah 100 top Bethlehem Naioth in Ramah Analysis A continuing major theme in this chapter is how Saul's family acted against Saul and sided with David—especially Jonathan, who had previously managed to reconcile both of them and now was forced to take a side.Jones 2007 209 Jonathan initially upheld his father's oath not to harm David (1 Samuel 19:6) and therefore refused to believe that David's life was in danger.1 Samuel 19:6 he Nevertheless, he agreed to test Saul's true intentions during the celebration of hbo-latn Rosh Chodesh (hbo /roʊʔʃ ˈχo.deʃ/ lang; he yes none רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ head [of the] month)—the New Moon festival of Judaism—and to inform David of the outcome using their prearranged coded signal.Jones 2007 209–210 At this time, Saul explicitly told Jonathan that his dynasty of kingship, the House of Saul (he yes none בֵּית שָׁאוּל Bêt Šāʾûl), could not be realized as long as David was alive.Jones 2007 210 However, Saul's blind ambition had enlarged the extent of the rift between him and his family, to the point that his enmity towards David had "isolated him from his own kin".Jones 2007 209 Jonathan and David renew their covenant (20:1–29) After escaping from Saul's pursuit in Naioth, David once again sought Jonathan to find out why Saul wanted to kill him. They agreed on a method whereby Jonathan, after establishing Saul's intention, would inform David, unknown to anyone else.Jones 2007 209 Verse 5 And David said to Jonathan: Indeed, tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening.1 Samuel 20:5 NKJV "New Moon" (he yes none רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ Rosh Chodesh head [of the] month): a monthly festival that consists of hbo-latn korbanot (he yes none קָרְבָּנוֹת, sacrificial offerings) and celebratory feasting,Numbers 28:11–15 he which was also observed in other parts of ancient world, including Mesopotamia and Babylonia.Evans 2018 212 The feast may have required the entire clan to be present, and this was used as an excuse for David to be absent before the king.Evans 2018 213 The eldest son was likely to gather all the members, so David requested permission to go to "see my brothers" (1 Samuel 20:29).Evans 2018 213 According to this chapter, the feast lasted for three days.Jones 2007 210 Verse 19 And when you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed; and remain by the stone Ezel.1 Samuel 19:13 NKJV "Have stayed three days": from the Biblical Hebrew he yes שִׁלַּשְׁתָּ (hbo šilláš·tā, you did [it] a third time),BDB, שִׁלֵּשׁ 1 Sefaria Library https://www.sefaria.org/BDB%2C_%D7%A9%D6%B4%D7%81%D7%9C%D6%B5%D6%BC%D7%A9%D7%81.1?lang=bi&with=all 17 August 2026 which could be emended into he yes שִׁלִּישִׁית (he šillîšît, third a third portion), per the Christian New English Translation.Note [a] on 1 Samuel 20:19 in NET BibleAugust 2026 Saul seeks to kill Jonathan (20:30–42) Jonathan opened the conversation with Saul by providing an excuse for David's absence, then with a defense of David (verse 32) echoing David's own words in verse 1, which moved from being a position of conciliator between David and Saul to being David's defender under threat from his father (verses 30–33).Jones 2007 209 Saul's fierce reply and attempt to kill Jonathan show that David had little choice but to leave Saul's court and run away, not out of disloyalty nor for his own ambition, but due to events beyond his control.Jones 2007 210 A promise is made by David to extend his covenant with Jonathan to include Jonathan's "house" (verse 15) and his "descendants" (verse 42), anticipating David's kindness to Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9), and the survival of the house of Saul.Jones 2007 210 Verse 41 When the boy got there, David emerged from his concealment at the Negeb. He flung himself face down on the ground and bowed low three times. They kissed each other and wept together; David wept the longer. "At the Negeb": translated from the Masoretic Text (hbo מֵאֵ֣צֶל הַנֶּ֔גֶב mēʾēṣel hanneg̲eb̲ yes none).1 Samuel 20:41 Hebrew Text Analysis. Biblehub The Septuagint, as the Codex Vaticanus, renders it "from the Argab" (grc yes none ἀργὰβ argàb stone heap) or "from beside the mound".Note [a] on 1 Samuel 20:41 in NET BibleAugust 2026 In contrast, the Codex Alexandrinus of the Septuagint has "from sleep." The Targum Jonathan renders the phrase as "from beside the Stone of the Sign, which is facing South" (jpa yes מִסְטַר אֶבֶן אָתָא דְלָקֳבֵיל דָרוֹמָא mistar ʾeven ʾātāʾ d-lāqobēl daromāʾ), corresponding to the Masoretic Hebrew "from beside the south" (he yes none מֵאֵצֶל הַנֶּגֶב meʾētsel han-negev). Syriac and Arabic versions harmonize with verse 19 by repeating the reference to Ezel, where "Nagev" is a loanword from the Hebrew "Negev" (arid land). The Arabic and Syriac versions also have the repetition of the statement in 1 Samuel 20:19.Ellicott, C. J. (Ed.) (1905). Ellicott's Bible Commentary for English Readers. 1 Samuel 20. London: Cassell and Company, Limited, [1905-1906] Online version: (OCoLC) 929526708. Accessed 28 April 2019.Keil, Carl Friedrich; Delitzsch, Franz. Commentary on the Old Testament (1857-1878). 1 Samuel 20. Accessed 24 Juni 2018. See also 22em Abner Javelin Jesse Jonathan and David Oath Bible Related Bible parts: 1 Samuel 15, 1 Samuel 18, 1 Samuel 19 Notes References Sources Commentaries on Samuel Auld Graeme 1 & 2 Samuel https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA213 James D. G. Dunn and John William Rogerson Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible Eerdmans 2003 9780802837110 Bergen David T. 1, 2 Samuel https://books.google.com/books?id=eGT6fWsajqcC B&H Publishing Group 1996 9780805401073 Chapman Stephen B. 1 Samuel as Christian Scripture: A Theological Commentary Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company 2016 978-1467445160 https://books.google.com/books?id=kS4XDAAAQBAJ Evans Paul 1-2 Samuel The Story of God Bible Commentary Tremper Longman Zondervan Academic 2018 978-0310490944 https://books.google.com/books?id=Uy8-DwAAQBAJ Gordon Robert I & II Samuel, A Commentary https://books.google.com/books?id=JMJ1ZAnswuUC&dq=I+%26+II+Samuel:+a+commentary+Gordon&pg=PA338 Paternoster Press 1986 9780310230229 Hertzberg Hans Wilhelm I & II Samuel, A Commentary https://books.google.com/books?id=friNN7IdjOIC&q=Saul+appointed+anointed+instituted&pg=PA19 Westminster John Knox Press 1964 trans. from German 2nd edition 1960 978-0664223182 19 Tsumura David Toshio The First Book of Samuel https://books.google.com/books?id=iLKAlhLDkMwC Eerdmans 2007 9780802823595 General Breytenbach Andries Past, Present, Future: the Deuteronomistic History and the Prophets Brill 2000 Who Is Behind The Samuel Narrative? https://books.google.com/books?id=uP22QHpnKq8C&dq=Breytenbach+Who+is+behind+the+Samuel+narrative&pg=PA50 Johannes Cornelis de Moor and H.F. Van Rooy 9789004118713 Coogan Michael David Michael D. Coogan The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 Coogan Michael David Marc Zvi Brettler Carol Ann Newsom Pheme Perkins Augmented 3rd Oxford University Press 2007 978-0195288810 https://books.google.com/books?id=HmpMPgAACAAJ Fitzmyer Joseph A. A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company https://books.google.com/books?id=TILXeWJ2eNAC 2008 9780802862419 Grand Rapids, MI Halley Henry H. Henry Hampton Halley Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary 24th (revised) Zondervan Publishing House 1965 https://archive.org/details/halleysbiblehand00henr registration 0-310-25720-4 Hayes Christine Introduction to the Bible Yale University Press 2015 https://books.google.com/books?id=SKbkXYHxvlAC 978-0300188271 Jones Gwilym H. 12. 1 and 2 Samuel The Oxford Bible Commentary John Barton John Barton (theologian) John Muddiman John Muddiman Oxford University Press first (paperback) 2007 196–232 978-0199277186 https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJdVkgEACAAJ February 6, 2019 Klein R.W. Samuel, books of https://books.google.com/books?id=6OJvO2jMCr8C Bromiley, Geoffrey W The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Eerdmans 2003 9780802837844 Knight Douglas A https://books.google.com/books?id=SNLN1nEEys0C&q=630+BCE&pg=PA62 James Luther Mays, David L. Petersen and Kent Harold Richards Chapter 4 Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomists Old Testament Interpretation T&T Clark 1995 9780567292896 Ulrich Eugene The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants 2010 Brill https://archive.org/details/TheBiblicalQumranScrolls Würthwein Ernst Ernst Würthwein The Text of the Old Testament Wm. B. Eerdmans Grand Rapids, MI 1995 Erroll F. Rhodes 0-8028-0788-7 https://books.google.com/books?id=FSNKSBObCYwC January 26, 2019 External links Jewish translations: Shmuel I - I Samuel - Chapter 20 (Judaica Press). Hebrew text and English translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org Christian translations: Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English) 1 Samuel chapter 20. Bible Gateway 20 Category:David Category:Saul