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John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 20:25

And the king sat upon his seat as at other times ,.... Upon the seat he usually sat on: even upon a seat by the wall ; on a couch by the side of the wall; or, as Jarchi and R. Isaiah say, at the head of the couch by the wall, which was the most honourable place; and Kimchi observes, it was the custom in those days to eat meat sitting on beds or couches, see 1 Samuel 28:23 , and Jonathan arose ; either in reverence to his father, when he came in and took his seat, or in respect to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 20:26

Nevertheless, Saul spake not anything that day ,.... About David's absence, took no notice of it, said nothing about it: for he thought something had befallen him ; some impurity, some nocturnal pollution, see Leviticus 15:16 , he is not clean, surely he is not clean ; which he repeated in his mind for the confirmation of it, and in contempt, and to the reproach of David; and in this way he accounted for his absence the first day, and so was easy, it not being lawful and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 20:27

And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month ,.... The Targum is,"and it was on the day after it, which was the intercalation of the second month;'when the beginning of the month was judged of by the appearance of the moon, and there was a difficulty about that, what day it appeared on, two days were kept for it; and Abarbinel F5 Comment. in Exod. xii. is clear for it, that two days were kept in this month; but if this was not the case, since the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 20:28

And Jonathan answered Saul ,.... In reply to Saul's question, and to excuse David, he said: David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem ; his own city, his native place, where his family lived, whom he was desirous to see, and yet chose not to go without asking leave; and as Saul was not at home, he asked leave of Jonathan, who was next to him, and acted for him; and he was very pressing and importunate in his suit, and therefore Jonathan could not well deny him it; and he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 20:29

And he said, let me go, I pray thee, for our family hath a sacrifice in the city ,.... In the city of Bethlehem where they lived, a peace offering on account of the new moon, and as an anniversary thanksgiving for the mercies of the year, 1 Samuel 20:6 ; and seeing, though he was not at the feast in one place, he observed it in another, his absence at court was the more excusable; and the rather, since it was kept by him with his own family, in his own city: besides, it is added: and my... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 20:30

Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan ,.... For giving David leave to go, and for excusing him in this manner: and he said unto him, thou son of the perverse and rebellious woman ; most of the Jewish commentators supply it as we do, but the supplement of woman may as well be left out, and be read, "thou son of perverse rebellion" F6 בן נעות המרדות "fili perversae rebellionis", Pagninus, Montanus. ; thou perverse and rebellious wretch, perverse in thy temper, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 20:31

For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom ,.... He would not, though heir to the crown, be sure of it; it would be precarious to him, he would be in great danger of being deprived of it on the death of his father; and therefore it would be his highest wisdom to deliver David up to be slain, as it was his greatest folly to protect him, and provide for his satiety: wherefore now send and fetch him unto me ; send to Bethlehem for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 20:32

And Jonathan answered Saul his, father, and said unto him ,.... Making no answer to the charges of perverseness, rebellion, and folly brought against himself, which he bore with patience, but could not bear to hear his dear friend spoken against, and as worthy of death; and therefore in answer to that says: wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done ? has he attempted to take away thy life? to deprive thee of thy crown? to settle himself upon the throne? what overt act of treason has... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 20:33

And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him ,.... So provoked to wrath was he by what he said. It seems by this that Saul always had a javelin or spear in his hand, which is to be accounted for by the custom of those times; in other countries, as well as in this, the kings used to carry spears in their hands instead of sceptres, and which they used as such; so Justin F8 E Trogo, l. 43. c. 3. , speaking of the times of Romulus, says, that kings in those times had spears, as an ensign of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 20:34

So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger ,.... Resenting his father's attempt to smite him, and his resolution to slay David: and did eat no meat the second day of the month ; not then at that meal he was just sat down to, nor at another time that day, his stomach was so full through indignation at his father, and grief for his friend David; and besides, being a mourner on the above accounts, he might not eat of the sacrifices: for he was grieved for David ; that his death... read more

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