1 Samuel 20:30

Contextual Overview

²⁴So David hid in the countryside. ²⁴ So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat food. ²⁴ So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat. ²⁴ So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon came, the king was seated at the feast. ²⁴ So David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. ²⁴ So David hid in the field. When the New Moon festival came, the king sat down to eat. ²⁴ So David hid in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat down to eat his meal. ²⁴So David hid in the field; and when the New Moon [festival] came, the king sat down to eat food. ²⁴ So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. ²⁴ So Dauid hid him selfe in the field: and when the first day of the moneth came, the King sate to eate meate.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Saul's: Job 5:2, Proverbs 14:29, Proverbs 19:12, Proverbs 19:19, Proverbs 21:24, Proverbs 25:28, Proverbs 27:3, James 1:19, James 1:20

Thou: etc. or, Thou perverse rebel, Heb. Son of perverse rebellion, Proverbs 15:2, Proverbs 21:24, Matthew 5:22, Ephesians 4:31, Ephesians 6:4

and unto the: This reflection on the mother of Jonathan, by the passionate monarch, reflects more dishonour on himself than on his brave and noble minded son. Mungo Park gives an instance of the prevalence of the same principles in Africa; for he says, "Maternal affection is every where conspicuous among the Africans, and creates a correspondent return of tenderness in the child. Strike me,' said my attendant, but do not curse my mother.' I found the same sentiment to prevail universally in all parts of Africa." King Saul, unable to villify Jonathan to his own satisfaction by personal reproaches, outstepped the ordinary abuse of his day, and proceeded to that which was designed to produce unusual vexation, and vented the bitterness of his mind by maligning the character of his own wife and Jonathan's mother.

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 20:10 - answer thee 1 Samuel 22:7 - the son of Jesse 1 Samuel 22:8 - that my son 1 Samuel 24:20 - I know well 1 Samuel 25:10 - Who is David 1 Kings 12:13 - answered 2 Chronicles 10:16 - the son Psalms 120:6 - soul Psalms 124:3 - their wrath Proverbs 12:16 - fool's Proverbs 18:3 - General Daniel 3:13 - in his Matthew 1:6 - Jesse

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan,.... For giving David leave to go, and for excusing him in this manner:

and he said unto him, thou son of the perverse and rebellious [woman]; most of the Jewish commentators supply it as we do, but the supplement of woman may as well be left out, and be read, "thou son of perverse rebellion" f; thou perverse and rebellious wretch, perverse in thy temper, and rebellious in thy conduct; for the design of the expression is not to reproach his mother, for which there seems no provocation, but Jonathan only; and the next clause confirms it, which expresses a concern for his mother's honour and credit; the Targum is,

"an obstinate son, whose rebellion is hard,''

or intolerable; according to which, Abarbinel says, it may refer to David:

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? The above writer observes, that he does not say to his own confusion, because David would not reign in his lifetime, only after his death, but to the shame of Jonathan and his mother; to Jonathan's shame, who would be reckoned by men an arrant fool, to be so friendly to a rival, and who in all probability would jostle him out of the throne; and what would men say of him? that either he was not fit to reign, or had no right to the throne, that a son-in-law took place before him; and that his mother had played the whore, and he was no son of Saul, having nothing of his genius, temper, and disposition in him, as appeared by loving such his father hated; and besides, his mother would not have the honour she expected, to be the mother of a king.

f בן נעות המרדות "fili perversae rebellionis", Pagninus, Montanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The greatest insult and most stinging reproach that can be cast upon an Oriental is to reproach his parents or ancestors (see Job 30:8). Saul means to intimate that Jonathan was stubborn from his mother’s womb.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 20:30. Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman] This clause is variously translated and understood. The Hebrew might be translated, Son of an unjust rebellion; that is, "Thou art a rebel against thy own father." The Vulgate, Fili mulieris virum ultro rapientis; "Son of the woman who, of her own accord, forces the man." The Septuagint is equally curious, Υἱε κορασιων αυτομολουντων; "Son of the damsels who came of their own accord." Were these the meaning of the Hebrew, then the bitter reflection must refer to some secret transaction between Saul and Jonathan's mother; which certainly reflects more dishonour on himself than on his brave son. Most sarcasms bear as hard upon the speaker, as they do on him against whom they are spoken. Abusive language always argues a mean, weak, and malevolent heart.