What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 20:6? If your father misses me at all • David’s absence from Saul’s table would certainly be noticed; the king had been watching him closely since the spear-throwing incidents (1 Samuel 18:10-11; 19:9-10). • Jonathan and David are preparing for that moment of scrutiny, fully aware of Saul’s volatile mood (1 Samuel 20:7-8). • The phrase sets up the test: Saul’s reaction to David’s absence will reveal his true intentions toward David. Tell him • Jonathan is to act as David’s spokesman, a role that highlights covenant loyalty between friends (1 Samuel 20:12-17). • Speaking truth to authority runs through Scripture—Nathan to David (2 Samuel 12:1-7), John the Baptist to Herod (Mark 6:17-18). • Jonathan’s honesty will later contrast sharply with Saul’s deceitful spirit (1 Samuel 20:32-33). David urgently requested my permission • Though anointed, David still honors Saul’s position by seeking “permission.” Respect for God-given authority remains a biblical principle (Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:17). • The urgency underscores genuine need, not casual convenience. Similar earnest petitions appear in Nehemiah’s request to Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:4-5). • David’s appeal to Jonathan, rather than a direct approach to Saul, reflects the rupture in David-Saul relations while preserving decorum. To hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown • Bethlehem is repeatedly identified as “the city of David” (Luke 2:4; Micah 5:2). Here it grounds David’s story in family heritage and covenant history (Ruth 4:11). • Leaving the royal court for a family gathering distances David from immediate danger without openly defying Saul. • The word “hurry” reveals David’s need for swift action, similar to Joseph’s flight with Jesus to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14). Because there is an annual sacrifice for his whole clan • Families were expected to gather for sacrifices at appointed times (Deuteronomy 12:5-7; 1 Samuel 1:3). • The clan sacrifice served as a legitimate, God-ordained reason to leave the court, highlighting David’s devotion to worship despite personal peril. • Such gatherings fostered unity, spiritual renewal, and covenant remembrance, paralleling later feasts like Passover (Luke 2:41-42). summary 1 Samuel 20:6 records David and Jonathan crafting a truthful explanation that honors family worship, respects authority, and tests Saul’s heart. David’s planned absence—rooted in legitimate sacrificial duty at Bethlehem—provides Jonathan the occasion to observe Saul’s reaction and thus gauge the king’s intentions. The verse illustrates covenant loyalty, wise discernment, and faithful adherence to God-ordained family worship, all while advancing God’s sovereign plan for David’s future kingship. |
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