1 Samuel 20:1-11

David and Jonathan Covenant

20 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said [a]to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?” He said to him, “Far from it, you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small [b]without disclosing it to me. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!” Yet David vowed again, [c]saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.’ But truly as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is [d]hardly a step between me and death.” Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever [e]you say, I will do for you.” So David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I ought to sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening. If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, because it is the yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.’ If he [f]says, ‘It is good,’ your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, know that he has decided on evil. Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But if there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?” Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me [g]if your father answers you harshly?” 11 Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out to the field.

Why was Saul hiding his actions from his own son? I think David guessed half-right, that Jonathan would be grieved. But also that Jonathan might try to help David and thus imperil his own life. Yet, I think there is one more underlying reason.

Saul knew in his heart that what he was trying to do was selfish, foolish, and just plain wrong. God himself had stopped Saul from killing David in Naioth, and if he didn’t know that God was protecting David before, he surely knew it now.

When we are trying to do something sneaky, underhanded, and just plain wrong/immoral, we try to hide it from those closest from us… because surely they would be grieved.

So, when you find yourself hiding a particular action, watch yourself! That’s a sure sign that you shouldn’t be doing it, and warning bells should be going off. Listen to them, and heed the warning that God is giving you.

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