But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
The verse belongs to the history after the slaying of Goliath, when the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. They made a covenant to be united as brethren, which Jonathan sealed by giving David his robe and his garments, even his sword and his bow and his girdle. The matter known only to Jonathan and David was their secret plan to learn Saul's intention toward David, that is, the matter of David's peril and escape, while the lad knew nothing of it.
David stayed away from the new moon feast and hid in the field for three days while Jonathan watched how Saul received the explanation that David had gone to Bethlehem for a family sacrifice. A calm acceptance, with the answer that it was well, would mean David could safely return to court, but rage would settle that David must flee for his life. Saul's anger, his declaration that Jonathan could not come to the throne while David lived, and his hurling the spear at Jonathan proved his purpose to kill David. Jonathan then met David at the appointed place to tell him, where they wept together and parted with a sworn covenant between them and between their descendants forever.
The sacred bond in which Jonathan's heart was knit with David's remained unbroken in friendship until the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. This union was the Lord's doing so that Jonathan might be the means of preserving David's life when Saul sought to kill him. By God's providence David was connected with Saul so that by wise behavior he might obtain the confidence of the people. By a long course of hardships and vicissitudes he would be led to put his entire trust in God while God was preparing him to become ruler of His people.
The verse belongs to the history after the slaying of Goliath, when the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. They made a covenant to be united as brethren, which Jonathan sealed by giving David his robe and his garments, even his sword and his bow and his girdle. The matter known only to Jonathan and David was their secret plan to learn Saul's intention toward David, that is, the matter of David's peril and escape, while the lad knew nothing of it.
David stayed away from the new moon feast and hid in the field for three days while Jonathan watched how Saul received the explanation that David had gone to Bethlehem for a family sacrifice. A calm acceptance, with the answer that it was well, would mean David could safely return to court, but rage would settle that David must flee for his life. Saul's anger, his declaration that Jonathan could not come to the throne while David lived, and his hurling the spear at Jonathan proved his purpose to kill David. Jonathan then met David at the appointed place to tell him, where they wept together and parted with a sworn covenant between them and between their descendants forever.
The sacred bond in which Jonathan's heart was knit with David's remained unbroken in friendship until the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. This union was the Lord's doing so that Jonathan might be the means of preserving David's life when Saul sought to kill him. By God's providence David was connected with Saul so that by wise behavior he might obtain the confidence of the people. By a long course of hardships and vicissitudes he would be led to put his entire trust in God while God was preparing him to become ruler of His people.