1 Samuel 19:3

19:1-10 How forcible are right words! Saul was, for a time, convinced of the unreasonableness of his enmity to David; but he continued his malice against David. So incurable is the hatred of the seed of the serpent against that of the woman; so deceitful and desperately wicked is the heart of man without the grace of God, Jer 17:9.

And I will go out,.... In the morning, at the same time his father used to take his morning walk: and stand beside my father in the field where thou art; on that side of him next to David, that he might not see him, and yet be so near, that David might hear what passed between them: and I will commune with my father of thee; speak in favour of him, and endeavour to dissuade him from attempting to take away his life, which was of so much importance and usefulness in the commonwealth of Israel: and what I see that I will tell thee; what David could not well hear he would inform him of, and what he could perceive in the countenance of Saul, as well as conclude from his words, that he would make known to David, that so he might know better what he had to do, and provide for his safety.

1 Samuel 19:3-5. I will stand by my father in the field — In which it is likely Saul used to walk in the morning and take the fresh air. Thereabouts he advised David to lurk in some secret place; that he might speedily acquaint him with the issue of his discourse with his father, 1 Samuel 19:4-7 . Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul — Which he could not do without hazard to himself. Herein, therefore, he performed the duty of a true friend and of a valiant man. He put his life in his hand — Or, in the greatest hazard: And slew the Philistine — He puts him in mind of that hazardous enterprise wherein he slew Goliath; in which David did indeed hazard his life greatly, for had he missed with his sling he must certainly have been slain.

In the field where thou art; in the field where my father useth to walk, where also I would have thee to hide thyself, that I may know where to find thee at hand, to acquaint thee with the success of my endeavours, that thou mayst accordingly either return to court, or speedily depart.

CHAPTER 19 1Sa 19:1-7. Jonathan Discloses His Father's Purpose to Kill David. 1. Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David—The murderous design he had secretly cherished he now reveals to a few of his intimate friends. Jonathan was among the number. He prudently said nothing at the time, but secretly apprised David of his danger; and waiting till the morning, when his father's excited temper would be cooled, he stationed his friend in a place of concealment, where, overhearing the conversation, he might learn how matters really stood and take immediate flight, if necessary.

Jonathan warded off the first outbreak of deadly enmity on the part of Saul towards David. When Saul spoke to his son Jonathan and all his servants about his intention to kill David (את־דּוד להמית, i.e., not that they should kill David, but "that he intended to kill him"), Jonathan reported this to David, because he was greatly attached to him, and gave him this advice: "Take heed to thyself in the morning; keep thyself in a secret place, and hide thyself. I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will talk to my father about thee (בּ דּבּר, as in Deuteronomy 6:7 ; Psalm 87:3 , etc., to talk of or about a person), and see what (sc., he will say), and show it to thee." David was to conceal himself in the field near to where Jonathan would converse with his father about him; not that he might hear the conversation in his hiding-place, but that Jonathan might immediately report to him the result of his conversation, without there being any necessity for going far away from his father, so as to excite suspicion that he was in league with David.

The second betrayal of David by the Ziphites occurred after David had married Abigail at Carmel, and when he had already returned to the desert of Judah. On 1 Samuel 26:1 and 1 Samuel 26:2 compare the explanations of 1 Samuel 23:19 and 1 Samuel 24:3 . Instead of "before (in the face of) Jeshimon" (i.e., the wilderness), we find the situation defined more precisely in 1 Samuel 23:19 , as "to the right (i.e., on the south) of the wilderness" (Jeshimon).