to do or make · verb, qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular
kindness
חֶ֥סֶדChe.sed
H2617
kindness · noun, common masculine singular construct
LORD
יְהוָ֖הYah.weh
H3068
Jehovah · proper noun, a title
die
אָמֽוּת'a.Mut
H4191
to die (literally or figuratively) · verb, qal imperfect, 1st person common singular
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
2 Samuel 9:3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jon…
Ephesians 5:1-2 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 20:9-23
Here, I. Jonathan protests his fidelity to David in his distress. Notwithstanding the strong confidence David had in Jonathan, yet, because he might have some reason to fear that his father's influence, and his own interest, should make him warp, or grow cool towards him, Jonathan thought it requisite solemnly to renew the professions of his friendship to him (Sa1 20:9): "Far be it from thee to think that I suspect thee of any crime for which I should either slay thee myself or deliver thee to my father; no, if thou hast any jealousy of that, Come let us go into the field (Sa1 20:11), and talk it over more fully." He did not challenge him to the field to fight him for an affront, but to fix…
THEIR COVENANT RENEWED BY OATH. (Sa1 20:11-23)
Jonathan said to David, Come, let us go into the field--The private dialogue, which is here detailed at full length, presents a most beautiful exhibition of these two amiable and noble-minded friends. Jonathan was led, in the circumstances, to be the chief speaker. The strength of his attachment, his pure disinterestedness, his warm piety, his invocation to God (consisting of a prayer and a solemn oath combined), the calm and full expression he gave of his conviction that his own family were, by the divine will, to be disinherited, and David elevated to the possession of the throne, the covenant entered into with David on behalf of his descenda…
Show me the kindness of the Lord - When thou comest to the kingdom, if I am alive, thou shalt show kindness to me, and thou shalt continue that kindness to my family after me.
John Gill on 1 Samuel 20:14
And thou shalt not only, while yet I live, show me the kindness of the Lord,.... Such kindness as is well pleasing in the sight of God, and imitate what he shows to men, and which was covenanted, promised, and agreed to in the presence of the Lord, when David and Jonathan entered into covenant with each other; this Jonathan did not doubt of, and therefore did not make this a request:
that I die not; he had no fear nor dread on his mind, should David come to the throne while he was alive, that he would take away his life; which was usually done by tyrants and usurpers, when there were any that had a fairer title, and better claim to the throne than they.
The Church Fathers
"If I live, you will show me the kindness of the Lord, etc." [1 Samuel 20:14] This, said by Jonathan to David, whom he lamented was being harassed by the unjust persecutions of his father: If I live, you will show me the kindness of the Lord; but if I die, you will not withdraw your kindness from my house forever, when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the earth; when the Scripture added: Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, immediately adding, saying: And the Lord required it at the hand of David's enemies; by anticipation, indeed, he did it, first inserting into the history what happened much later, when Saul was killed and the kingdom was transferred to the house of David; and those who unjustly persecuted him without cause were justly punished by divine vengeance. For then the Lord required of the hand of the enemies why they had afflicted the holy man. Then they were compelled to give an account of their hatred, with which they had raged against him for so long. This can be understood in the case of Absalom, and Sheba son of Bichri, and the other enemies of David. Otherwise, if you want to know what the Lord required of the hand of David's enemies, it can be understood, if I am not mistaken, from the previous sentence, where it is said that Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, that the Lord required this of the hand of David's enemies, that is, why they also did not want to enter into a covenant of peace with him, with whom they saw was the Lord. Therefore, it seems that the Scripture anticipates this sentence and interposes it, so that the testimony of Jonathan, which he said: When he has cut off the enemies of David, every one from the earth, would be proven true, because evidently the enemies of David were cut off from the earth, not by David himself avenging against the adversaries, but by the Lord judging for him. It is rightly added: And Jonathan made David swear again, because he loved him; for as he loved his own soul, so he loved him; so that he, who embraced David with such perfect love according to the law of God, would be shown to be immune from the destruction of his enemies. Although he was taken away by death and could not have the earthly kingdom with him, as he hoped, he nevertheless without any contradiction received the partnership of the heavenly kingdom with him, whom he loved for…
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
David — Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam.…
New Moon — The first day of the lunar month was observed as a holy day. In addition to the daily sacrifice there were offered two young bullocks, a ram and seven lambs of the first year as a burnt offering,…
Oath · Jonathan and David confirm a covenant by — Jonathan and David confirm a covenant by
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
Keil & Delitzsch on 1 Samuel 20:12-23
In the field, where they were both entirely free from observation, Jonathan first of all renewed his covenant with David, by vowing to him on oath that he would give him information of his father's feelings towards him (Sa1 20:12, Sa1 20:13); and then entreated him, with a certain presentiment that David would one day be king, even then to maintain his love towards him and his family for ever (Sa1 20:14-16); and lastly, he made David swear again concerning his love (Sa1 20:17), and then gave him the sign by which he would communicate the promised information (Sa1 20:18-23).
Sa1 20:12-15
Sa1 20:12 and Sa1 20:13 are connected. Jonathan commences with a solemn invocation of God: "Jehovah, God o…
faithful love: Hebrew khesed (see study note on 20:8). Jonathan was reminding David to keep his commitment to him when he became king. It was reasonable for Jonathan to be concerned that David might kill any descendant of Saul who could make a rival claim to his throne. Saul later made a similar request of David (24:21).
Rashi on 1 Samuel 20:14
I will not [ask of you] if I still be alive. An expression of request, as in and if only [וָלאׁ] it will be given to your bondsman.'8II Melachim 5:17. It is not removed from its usual meaning, 'and will you not do with me good while I am still alive, and do with me the kindness of Adonoy before I die?' And what is the kindness? That you will not discontinue your kindness with my household. Regarding this, you will make a covenant with me in my lifetime.
