Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 20:20
And I will shoot three arrows on the side [thereof], as though I shot at a mark.
20. I will shoot, &c.] This sign was arranged in case Jonathan should be watched by Saul’s spies, and prevented from getting an interview with David without endangering him. No suspicion would be excited by Jonathan’s carrying the bow which was his usual weapon (1Sa 18:4).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
1Sa 20:20-37
And I will shoot three arrows.
The claims of friendship
I. The arrows taught that a strong and noble friend was standing in the breach.
1. Never be ashamed to own a friend. Do not count him your friend whose name you are ashamed to mention.
2. Never be ashamed to speak up for the cause of Truth. Let the arrows witness to the simplicity and fervour of your allegiance to whatever is lovely and of good report.
II. The arrows spoke of imminent danger. Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to put David to death. The arrows are beyond thee. You have hoped against hope; you have tried to keep your position; you have done your duty, pleaded your cause, sought the intercession of your friends, prayed, wept, agonized: but it is all in vain; the arrows flight proves that you must go whither you may. But take these thoughts for your comfort.
1. There are things we never leave behind. David had an inalienable possession in the love of his friend, in the devotion of the people, in the memory of Gods goodness. There are threads woven into the fabric of our life which can never be extracted or obliterated.
2. There is a Divine purpose determining our course. To the had there was but royal caprice in the flight of the arrow. What are you going, my little fellow? I am picking up the princes arrows; we generally go for game, but he is playing at it today. That was all he knew; how little did he divine the purpose of his Master, and still less realise that each flitting arrow was, so to speak, taken from Gods quiver and directed by His hand. There is no chance in a good mans life. Let us recognise the providence of the trifle. He is sending us away.
3. The going forth is necessary to secure greater happiness than we leave. Had David lingered in the palace, his life would have been forfeited, and he would have missed all the glory and bliss with which his cup ran over in after years. This was the way to the throne. Follow the arrows flight then–beyond the warm circle in which you bare so long sheltered; beyond the southland to the icy north; beyond the known to the unknown. Like another Abraham, go into the land which God will show thee; like another Columbus, turn thy prow in the wake of the setting sun.
III. The arrows taught that human love must suffer separation. This was the lash meeting of these two noble hearts for a long time. Indeed, the friends only met once more, shortly before Jonathans death. They had realised that this must be so. These are the hours that leave sears on hearts and whiten the hair. Christ comes to us in these dark moments as of old to the disciples, on whom had broken the full import of his departure. Let not your hearts be troubled. (F. B. Meyer, B. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 20. I well shoot three arrows] Jonathan intended that David should stay at the stone Ezel, where probably there was some kind of cave, or hiding place; that, to prevent all suspicion, he would not go to him himself, but take his servant into the fields, and pretend to be exercising himself in archery; that he would shoot three arrows, the better to cover his design; and that, if he should say to his servant, who went to bring back the arrows, “The arrows are on this side of thee,” this should be a sign to David that he might safely return to court, no evil being designed; but if he should say, “The arrows are beyond thee,” then David should escape for his life, Saul having determined his destruction.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He chose this way to avoid Sauls suspicion, because bows and arrows were the principal arms of those times; and Jonathan, as well as others, did oft go forth to exercise himself with them, both for recreation, and improvement of his skill in that art. Besides, he knew not that he should have any opportunity of private converse with David, by reason of passengers, though the event proved better than he expected.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And I will shoot three arrows on the side [thereof],…. On the side of the stone Ezel; three are pitched upon, according to the number of the days David was missing:
as though I shot at a mark; as if he made the stone the mark he shot at; so that his shooting would not be taken notice of.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(20) I will shoot three arrows.The two friends agree on a sign. It was a very simple one, and seems to speak of very early primitive times. Jonathan slightly varies from his original purpose. In 1Sa. 20:12 it seems as though he meant to have sent a special messenger had the news been good, but now the arrangement is that in either event he should come himself out from the city into the solitary valley where it was agreed David should remain in hiding by the stone Ezel. Dean Payne Smith rather strangely conceives that the arrows of the sign were to be aimed at the stone Ezel, but the description points to the mark as situated on the side of Ezel, in or behind which David was to be concealed.
The prince agreed that after the feast he would leave the city, as though about to practise shooting at a mark, and that he would bring with him a servantprobably-one of his young armour-bearerswhen, at the spot agreed upon in the neighbourhood of Davids place of concealment near Ezel, he would post his servant in his place as marker, and then would shoot. After shooting, he would call out to his attendant, the arrows are on this side of thee (that is, between the mark and Jonathan himself), then David would know all was well; but if he cried the arrows are beyond thee, that is, on the further side of the mark, David would understand that all was over, and that he must fly. Jonathan evidently took these precautions not knowing whether or no he would be accompanied by friends of his father from the city, in which case the sign agreed upon would be sufficient to tell David what had happened at the feast. As it turned out, Jonathan was able to escape observation, and to go alone with his servant to the place of meeting. He used the sign to attract his friends attention, and then followed the last sorrowful parting, told in 1Sa. 20:41-42.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 20:20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side [thereof], as though I shot at a mark.
Ver. 20. And I will shoot three arrows. ] Which shall be as so many , a sure token between us, if we cannot conveniently come together for discourse but we shall be discovered.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Reciprocal: 1Sa 20:36 – Run