Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 23:18
And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
18. to his house ] Home to Gibeah, where Saul was ( 1Sa 23:19). It was the final parting of the friends.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They two made a covenant, i.e. renewed their former covenant before the Lord; setting themselves as in Gods presence, and calling upon him to be witness between them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And they two made a covenant before the Lord,…. Renewed the covenant they had before made in the name and fear of God, and before him as a witness of it. Kimchi and Abarbinel interpret this phrase,
before the Lord, of the covenant being made before Abiathar, with the Urim and Thummim in his hand; and so Jerom p, before Gad the prophet, and Abiathar who wore the ephod:
and David abode in the wood; being a proper place for him for secrecy and safety:
and Jonathan went to his house; in Gibeah; and these two dear and cordial friends never saw one another more, as is highly probable.
p Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 76. K.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
After these encouraging words, they two made a covenant before Jehovah: i.e., they renewed the covenant which they had already made by another solemn oath; after which Jonathan returned home, but David remained in the wood.
The treachery of the Ziphites forms a striking contrast to Jonathan’s treatment of David. They went up to Gibeah to betray to Saul the fact that David was concealed in the wood upon their mountain heights, and indeed “ upon the hill Hachilah, which lies to the south of the waste.” The hill of Ziph is a flattened hill standing by itself, of about a hundred feet in height. “There is no spot from which you can obtain a better view of David’s wanderings backwards and forwards in the desert than from the hill of Ziph, which affords a true panorama. The Ziphites could see David and his men moving to and fro in the mountains of the desert of Ziph, and could also perceive how he showed himself in the distance upon the hill Hachilah on the south side of Ziph (which lies to the right by the desert); whereupon they sent as quickly as possible to Saul, and betrayed to him the hiding-place of his enemy” (v. de Velde, ii. pp. 104-5). Jeshimon does not refer here to the waste land on the north-eastern coast of the Dead Sea, as in Num 21:20; Num 23:28, but to the western side of that sea, which is also desert.
1Sa 23:20 reads literally thus: “ And now, according to all the desire of thy soul, O king, to come down (from Gibeah, which stood upon higher ground), come down, and it is in us to deliver him (David) into the hand of the king.”
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
18. They two made a covenant before the Lord Alone in the wilderness of Ziph, and probably at the still hour of night, with none but Jehovah to witness, they solemnly renewed the covenant in which they had bound themselves twice before. 1Sa 18:30; 1Sa 20:16. This was the last time that Jonathan and the son of Jesse met.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Sa 23:18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
Ver. 18. And they two made a covenant. ] This is the second time, for more assurance; or, as Lyra reckoneth, the third: (1.) In the house; (2.) 1Sa 18:3 In the field; 1Sa 20:5 (3.) Here in the wood. Let us oft renew and reinforce our covenants with God, that we may the better observe them: all will be found little enough.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
covenant. Some codices, with two early printed editions, add “in a wood”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
1Sa 18:3, 1Sa 20:12-17, 1Sa 20:42, 2Sa 9:1, 2Sa 21:7
Reciprocal: 1Sa 20:8 – thou hast 2Sa 5:3 – before 2Ki 11:4 – made a covenant 1Ch 11:3 – before Psa 88:8 – put
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 23:18. They two made a covenant before the Lord We have reason here to admire the sincere friendship of Jonathan, which remained so unshaken to David in all events, as well in his adversity and dangers, as in his prosperity and successes. It is to be observed, that, after making this covenant, they never came together again, that we find, in this world.