Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 23:16
And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
16 18. Jonathan’s last meeting with David
16. strengthened his hand in God ] Revived his courage by pointing him to the true ground of confidence. Cp. ch. 1Sa 30:6; Job 4:3.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A touching example of mutual fidelity between friends. The humility and unselfish love of Jonathan is apparent in 1Sa 23:17.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
1Sa 23:16
And Jonathan went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
The true in life
Two lessons stand out in this chapter. First, that the most heroic heart may sometimes be overcome with fear. Few men had a more intrepid soul than the conqueror of Goliath; yet now he was driven by fear of Saul into the wood. We are subject to variations of mood. Secondly, that the crimes of a father may alienate the hearts of his children. Jonathan the son of Saul was now succouring the man whom his own sire hated, and sought to destroy. Evil, even in a parent, cannot be loved, nor wrong in a parent obeyed.
I. The deep depression of a true soul. Few men ever had a truer soul than David–clear in its perceptions of truth, strong in its attachments to truth, inflexible in its allegiance to truth. But that soul, in the wood here, is under depression. Several things tend to depress the true spirit in this world.
1. Seemingly adverse circumstances. Jacob: All these things are against, me.
2. Providential discrepancies. Job, Aspah. My foot had well nigh slipped.
3. Non-success in religious service.
4. Consciousness of moral unworthiness.
5. Physical infirmities.
II. The distinguishing power of a true man. What is the distinguishing power which a true man has? To destroy life! Brutes can do this. To weaken faith, and shake confidence? A child can do this. What then? To strengthen a brothers heart in God! This is what Jonathan did now in the wood. But how can a true man strengthen a depressed brother thus?
1. By a truthful exposition of Gods method of governing the fallen in this world. The Gospel unfolds that method; shows that it is to the true corrective, not penal.
2. By a practical expression of genuine sympathy. One breath of it infuses new life to the soul.
3. By a devout intercession with Heaven.
III. The highest function of a true friend. It is one thing to have the power to strengthen, and another thing to use it when and where required. (Homilist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 16. And Jonathan – strengthened his hand in God.] It is probable that there was always a secret intercourse between David and Jonathan, and that by this most trusty friend he was apprised of the various designs of Saul to take away his life. As Jonathan well knew that God had appointed David to the kingdom, he came now to encourage him to trust in the Most High, and to assure him that the hand of Saul should not prevail against him; and at this interview they renewed their covenant of friendship. Now all this Jonathan could do, consistently with his duty to his father and his king. He knew that David had delivered the kingdom; he saw that his father was ruling unconstitutionally; and he knew that God had appointed David to succeed Saul. This he knew would come about in the order of Providence; and neither he nor David took one step to hasten the time. Jonathan, by his several interferences, prevented his father from imbruing his hands in innocent blood: a more filial and a more loyal part he could not have acted; and therefore, in his attachment to David, he is wholly free of blame.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Jonathan went where David had appointed to meet him at that time, and strengthened his hand in God; he comforted and supported him against all his fears, by minding him of Gods infallible promises made to him, and his singular providence which hitherto had and still would be with him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16, 17. Jonathan went to David intothe wood, and strengthened his hand in Godby the recollectionof their mutual covenant. What a victory over natural feelings andlower considerations must the faith of Jonathan have won, before hecould seek such an interview and give utterance to such sentiments!To talk with calm and assured confidence of himself and family beingsuperseded by the man who was his friend by the bonds of a holy andsolemn covenant, could only have been done by one who, superior toall views of worldly policy, looked at the course of things in thespirit and through the principles of that theocracy whichacknowledged God as the only and supreme Sovereign of Israel. Neitherhistory nor fiction depicts the movements of a friendship purer,nobler, and more self-denying than Jonathan’s!
1Sa23:19-29. SAUL PURSUESHIM.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose,…. And came from Gibeah, which, according to Bunting o, was twenty two miles from the place where David was:
and went to David into the wood: having had intelligence where he was, this being a proper place to have an interview with him privately:
and strengthened his hand in God; and his heart too, his hand of faith to lay hold on God, as his covenant God and lean and rely upon him; he strengthened him in his power and in his providence, and in his promises to him; the Targum is,
“he strengthened him in the Word of the Lord;”
not only in his word and promise, but in Christ the essential Word of God, who should spring from him according to the flesh.
o Travels, &c. p. 334. (text not clear could be 834 or some other number)
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(16) And Jonathan Sauls son arose, and went to David.Some have wished to show that the account of the last interview between the friends really belongs to the secret meeting between David and Jonathan recounted in 1 Samuel 20, and that it has got transposed; but such a view is quite untenable, for the narrative here is circumstantial, and even mentions the scene of the interviewthe wood, or, less probable, the town named Horesh. The expression strengthened his hand in God is added by the narrator to show how sorely tried was the king of the future at this juncture, notwithstanding that so many gallant spirits rallied round him. The determined and relentless hostility of the king of the land, his sovereign, and once his friendthe apparent hopelessness of his strugglethe cruel ingratitude of whole bodies of his fellow countrymen, such as the men of Ziphhis homeless, outlawed condition: all these things naturally weighed upon the nervous and enthusiastic temperament of David, which was soon depressed. His sad forebodings in his desolateness and loneliness at this time are breathed forth in not a few of the Psalms which tradition ascribes to him. At such a juncture the warm sympathy, the steady onlook to a sunnier future of one like Jonathan was a real help to David. Jonathan was far-sighted enough when Davids fortunes were at their lowest ebb to look confidently forward to a time when all these thick dark clouds of trouble should have passed away. Jonathan, we know (1Sa. 20:14-15) possessed sufficient confidence in Davids future fortune even to ask the hunted exile to remember him, the prince, with kindness when he should have come into his kingdom. Such warm sympathy, such glowing trustful words, we may well imagine, raised the spirits of the outlaw, and gave him new courage to face the grave difficulties of his dangerous position.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. Jonathan arose and went to David Whether Jonathan ever accompanied his father in the pursuit after David we are nowhere told, but it is very evident that he never sought to take his friend. His true heart was incapable of such duplicity.
Strengthened his hand in God Encouraged and cheered him in his faith and hope. He was now satisfied that David was destined to be king; his anointing by Samuel was probably well known, and Jonathan’s greatest desire was to be next to him in the kingdom, and in that position to share his friendship as in the past.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(16) And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. (17) And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. (18) And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
It must have been a very refreshing thing to the heart of David, this interview with Jonathan. And, no doubt, the Lord graciously brought it to pass for a relief to poor David, to bear him up under his trouble. But, Reader, I hope you will not need from me to be reminded, that if the visit of Jonathan was so sweet and seasonable to David, what must his visits be to his poor ones in distress, who is a Friend at all times, and a Brother born for adversity? Surely, dearest Jesus, if the kindness, and friendship, and love of Jonathan was so constant, well may I depend upon thee, whose love is from everlasting, and whose friendship is like thyself, the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever. Do I see Jonathan, a poor creature like myself, and whose friendship, at the highest, could be but creature friendship, thus faithful to his David; and shall I ever more doubt thy love, thy friendship, dearest Jesus, when both are the result of Creator and Redeemer affections. Oh! for grace to behold thy frequent visits in the woods of this world, and the wilderness state, and as frequently to renew the covenant engagements before Jehovah, in which thou hast promised to be my portion, and I to be the purchase of thy blood forevermore.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 23:16 And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
Ver. 16. Jonathan Saul’s son arose.] Jonathan could tell where to find David, though Saul could not: there being messengers still passing between them as fast friends, solicitous of each other’s welfare. a
And strengthened his hand in God.
a Lyra.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
strengthened: Deu 3:28, Neh 2:18, Job 4:3, Job 4:4, Job 16:5, Pro 27:9, Pro 27:17, Ecc 4:9-12, Isa 35:3, Isa 35:4, Eze 13:22, Luk 22:32, Luk 22:43, Eph 6:10, 2Ti 2:1, Heb 12:12, Heb 12:13
Reciprocal: Gen 48:2 – strengthened Jdg 7:11 – thine hands 1Sa 22:8 – that my son 2Sa 1:26 – thy love 2Sa 9:1 – show him 2Ch 17:1 – and strengthened Psa 119:150 – draw nigh Pro 17:17 – General Ecc 4:10 – if Mal 3:16 – spake
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 23:16. Jonathan went and strengthened his hand in God He comforted and supported him against all his fears, by considerations on the divine goodness and power, and by reminding him of Gods faithful promises made to him, and of his singular providence, which hitherto had been, and still would be with him.