1 Samuel 20:19

Contextual Overview

⁹“No!” Jonathan responded. “If I ever find out my father has evil intentions against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?” ⁹ Yonatan said, Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn't I tell you that? ⁹ 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? ⁹ Then Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! For if I know for certain that my father decided evil should come upon you, would I not have told it to you?" ⁹ And Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you?" ⁹ Jonathan answered, "No, never! If I learn that my father plans to hurt you, I will warn you!" ⁹ Jonathan said, "Far be it from you to suggest this! If I were at all aware that my father had decided to harm you, wouldn't I tell you about it?" ⁹Jonathan said, "Far be it from [happening to] you! In fact, if I indeed learn that my father has decided to harm you, would I not tell you about it?" ⁹ Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! For if I in fact learn that my father has decided to inflict harm on you, would I not inform you?" ⁹ And Ionathan answered, God keepe that from thee: for if I knewe that wickednesse were concluded of my father to come vpon thee, would not I tell it thee?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

quickly: or, diligently, Heb. greatly

hide thyself: 1 Samuel 20:5, 1 Samuel 19:2

when the business: Heb. in the day of the business

Ezel: or, that sheweth the way.

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 20:35 - at the time

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And [when] thou hast stayed three days,.... From court, either at Bethlehem, which seems most probable, or in some other place incognito; however, not in the field he proposed to hide himself in, where he could not continue so long for want of food:

[then] thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself; which makes it clear that he did not continue there during that time, but went elsewhere; from whence he was to come in haste at the expiration of three days, to the place he first hid himself in, and which was fixed upon to meet at:

when the business was [in hand]; when the affair was discoursed of, about getting knowledge how Saul was affected to David, and of informing him of it; or "on the day of work" x; or business, on a working day, as the Septuagint; and so the Targum, on a common day; when, as the Vulgate Latin, it was lawful to work on it; and such was the day when Jonathan and David conversed together about the above affair; it being the day before the new moon, or first day of the month, on which day they used not to work: Some render it, "thou shalt three times go down" y to that place; and the sense is, that he should come on the morrow, and if he found not Jonathan there, he might conclude that as yet he knew nothing of his father's mind, and therefore should come the day following that; and if he found him not then, to come on the third day, that so he might be on the spot, let him come on which day he would:

and shalt remain by the stone Ezel; which, because it signifies "going", the Jewish commentators generally understand it as a sign to direct travellers which way to go; but one would think this should be an improper place for David to be near, since it must be where two or more ways met, and so a public frequented place; others think therefore it had its name from David and Jonathan often going thither, to discourse with each other; the Septuagint calls it Ergab; and so the place where Jonathan, the son of Saul, exercised himself by shooting darts, is called by Jerom z; it is said by Josephus a to be an hundred fifty furlongs (about nineteen miles), from Jerusalem, and from Jordan sixty, (about eight miles).

x ביום המעשה "in die operis", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "die profesto", Tigurine version. y שלשת תרד מאד "tertiabis, descendes valde", Montanus; "descendes ter, [vel] tertiabis descendere", Castalio; so Patrick. z De loc. Heb. fol. 91. C. a Apud Adrichem. Theatrum T. S. p. 17.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The stone Ezel - It is not mentioned elsewhere, except possibly in 1 Samuel 20:41, where see the note.