Expanding a Covenant

In the midst of the uncertainty of his fugitive status, David wants to be sure Jonathan can get word to him after discovering Saul’s attitude toward him. Perhaps he believes Saul might take action to prevent Jonathan from communicating with him. At that, Jonathan proposes that the two of them go out into the field, for he wants a private place to say some solemn things to David. When they are alone, Jonathan promises that he will not leave David in uncertainty—he takes a solemn oath to send David either good news or a warning to flee. And if it is a warning he must give, he promises to send David away with the hope that God will be with him as He has been with Saul, that is, to make him king of Israel. Now we can be sure—Jonathan clearly understands what is at stake here. He knows that David is God’s anointed choice as the next king of Israel, and he has no plans to stand in David’s path to the throne. He is fully submissive to God’s will. David asked him to ” ‘deal kindly’ ” with him, and Jonathan is prepared to do just that.

But Jonathan then asks a kindness of David. He asks that, ” ‘when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth,’ ” that David will not cut him off. It is not uncommon in this time for kings, upon assuming the throne, to eliminate all other possible claimants to the crown (see Judg. 9:5; 1 Kings 15:27–30; 16:8–13; 2 Kings 10:1–11). Jonathan is asking that David will not deal this way with him or with his descendants. In effect, Jonathan is asking David to broaden their covenant, that it might require love not just for each other but for their descendants, as well. Jonathan twice notes that God will be witness to their promises (vv. 16, 23), but David readily agrees to this covenant expansion. He is promising to show God-like hesed love, mercy to multiple generations. And, as we will see, he is faithful to this promise in the future (2 Sam. 9:7; 21:7).

Finally, Jonathan outlines a method by which he will be able to communicate Saul’s attitude to David should they be unable to meet face to face. He promises that he will come out to the field where David is hiding and shoot arrows, then send a boy to fetch them. Depending on what instructions he gives the boy, David will know whether to return or to flee.