1 Samuel 23:15

JONATHAN VISITS DAVID IN THE WILDERNESS

"And David was afraid because Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the Wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul's son, rose, and came to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, "Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; Saul my father also knows this." And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord; David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home."

How strange it is that Jonathan so easily found David and visited him in his hiding place; and yet Saul seldom knew David's whereabouts.

"Saul my father knows this" (1 Samuel 23:17). Henry believed that, "Jonathan had sometimes heard his father say that David would be king."[13] In fact, David's tremendous success in so many different enterprises, and his countless providential escapes from danger must long ago have convinced Saul that David would be his successor. This only accentuates the perverse wickedness of Saul who thus set himself adamantly opposed to what he knew to be the will of God.

Willis pointed out three things which Jonathan did for David by way of encouraging him. (1) Saul would not be able to find him, for God would protect David; (2) David would indeed be king; and (3) Saul himself was perfectly aware of all this.

"The two of them made a covenant" (1 Samuel 23:18). "In all probability, this was a renewal of the covenant mentioned earlier in 1Sam. 18:3,1 Samuel 20:8."[14]