1 Samuel 20:37

20:35-42 The separation of two such faithful friends was grievous to both, but David's case was the more deplorable, for David was leaving all his comforts, even those of God's sanctuary. Christians need not sorrow, as men without hope; but being one with Christ, they are one with each other, and will meet in his presence ere long, to part no more; to meet where all tears shall be wiped from their eyes.

And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot,.... To the mark which he told him he should shoot at, and whereabout he might expect to find the arrow: Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, is not the arrow beyond thee? he cried with a loud voice and said this, not so much that the lad might hear him, but that David, who lay hid near the place, might hear him; so that if they had no opportunity of seeing and conversing with each other through any person going by at that time, David might know by this sign that evil was determined against him, and must flee for his life; the Syriac and Vulgate Latin versions read, "behold, the arrow is beyond thee"; so Noldius (k). (k) Concord. Ebr. Part. p. 265. No. 1141.

1 Samuel 20:37 . When the lad was come to the place — That is, near to the place: or, and the lad went; or, was going on to the place; for the words following show that he was not yet come thither. The Hebrew word בוא bo, signifies either to come or to go. See Ruth 3:7 ; and Jonah 1:3 .

1Sa 1:20. Samuel Born. 20. called his name Samuel—doubtless with her husband's consent. The names of children were given sometimes by the fathers, and sometimes by the mothers (see Ge 4:1, 26; 5:29; 19:37; 21:3); and among the early Hebrews, they were commonly compound names, one part including the name of God.

When the boy came to the place of the shot arrow (i.e., to the place to which the arrow had flown), Jonathan called after him, "See, the arrow is (lies) away from thee, farther off;" and again, "Quickly, haste, do not stand still," that he might not see David, who was somewhere near; and the boy picked up the arrow and came to his lord. The Chethibh החצי is evidently the original reading, and the singular is to be understood as in 1 Samuel 20:37 ; the Keri החצּים is an emendation, according to the meaning of the words. The writer here introduces the remark in 1 Samuel 20:39 , that the boy knew nothing of what had been arranged between Jonathan and David.

When the boy came to the place of the shot arrow (i.e., to the place to which the arrow had flown), Jonathan called after him, "See, the arrow is (lies) away from thee, farther off;" and again, "Quickly, haste, do not stand still," that he might not see David, who was somewhere near; and the boy picked up the arrow and came to his lord. The Chethibh החצי is evidently the original reading, and the singular is to be understood as in 1 Samuel 20:37 ; the Keri החצּים is an emendation, according to the meaning of the words. The writer here introduces the remark in 1 Samuel 20:39 , that the boy knew nothing of what had been arranged between Jonathan and David.

Verses 37, 38. - He answered him not. From this silence Saul concludes that some sin has been committed, and therefore calls together all the chief of the people - literally, "the corner stones" ( Judges 20:2 ) - to inquire who was the guilty person, and wherein he had sinned. 1 Samuel 14:37