1 Samuel 20:18

JONATHAN REVEALS THE SIGN THAT WILL ALERT DAVID

"Then Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is the new moon; and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. And on the third day you will be greatly missed; then go to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand, and remain beside yonder stone heap. And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. And behold, I will send the lad, saying, `Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,' then you are to come, for, as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. But if 50say to the youth, `Look, the arrows are beyond you,' then go, for the Lord has sent you away. And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is between you and me forever."

There is nothing here that demands any special comment. The signal by which David would know whether or not he was an outlaw condemned to flee from the wrath of the king, or if a reconciliation could be brought about - that signal was clear enough. It would turn upon Jonathan's words to the lad who would be assigned to chase his arrows.

"On the third day" (1 Samuel 20:19). This refers to the third day of the feast. The first day of the feast, David would be missed; but the real test would come if he missed the second day of the feast. The feast was apparently a night affair, because it was "in the morning" (1 Samuel 20:35) of that third day (following the second of the feast) that Jonathan would give the pre-arranged signal to David.

"Go to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand" (1 Samuel 20:19). This is a reference to that occasion when Jonathan had successfully arranged a reconciliation.

"Remain beside yonder stone heap" (1 Samuel 20:19). F. C. Cook wrote that, "This hiding place was either a natural cavernous rock, or some ruin of an ancient building, especially suited for a hiding place."[10]