David has fled from Saul's presence because Saul wants to kill him. He's tried throwing a javelin at him. He's tried sending soldiers to kill him. He's even chased him to Samuel's house.
David didn't know what he had done. He didn't know why Saul wanted to kill him. He wanted answers.
I Samuel 20:1- And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
Jonathan was hoping that he could, again, talk to his father and get his father to come to his senses.
I Samuel 20:2- And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
David didn't think that would work again. He was afraid for his life.
I Samuel 20:3-8- And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death. Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee. And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him. Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
David asked Jonathan to find out for sure. He said there was a feast coming up and that Saul would want David there. He told Jonathan to say that David was keeping the feast with his family in Bethlehem. If Saul was okay with that then Jonathan would know that everything would be okay. But, if Saul got angry Jonathan would know that it wasn't safe for David to come back.
I Samuel 20:9, 16-17- And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee? So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Because Jonathan wanted to keep David safe, he had a sneaky way to get the information to David. He knew that they couldn't risk David being seen if his father really wanted him dead.
I Samuel 20:18-22- Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty. And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel. And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark. And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the LORD liveth. But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.
Jonathan told David to come back in three days. He told him to hide in a specific place. Jonathan would shoot some arrows and then send his lad to retrieve the arrows. There would be code words that only Jonathan and David knew. If Jonathan said "this side of thee" that would mean that everything was okay and David could come home. But, if he said "beyond thee" then David would have to flee because Saul really did want to kill him.
I Samuel 20:24-29- So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat. And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty. Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean. And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day? And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem: And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table.
The first day of the feast Saul said nothing about David's absence. He thought that maybe David was unclean and, according to Jewish law, he couldn't attend the feast.
But, when David wasn't there the second day Saul asked Jonathan why. Jonathan answered that David was keeping the feast with his family in Bethlehem. Now, he just had to see how the king would react to this news.
I Samuel 20:30-34- Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die. And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done? And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
Saul was so mad that he threw his javelin at Jonathan. He tried to kill his own son! Jonathan got mad and stormed out of the feast. The next morning, which was three days after he had told David he would find out, he went out to tell David the news.
I Samuel 20:35-40- And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee? And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
Jonathan shot his arrows, said his code words, and then sent the lad back to the city so that he could speak to David in private.
I Samuel 20:41-42- And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.
David and Jonathan wept. Jonathan cried because he was losing his dear friend. David cried more because he was not only losing his friend, but his wife and his home.
Jonathan sent David away and reminded him that they swore to protect each other's family no matter what the future held. Then he watched his friend leave, and with a heavy heart went back into his father's castle.
