1 Samuel 20:31
in 1 Samuel 20For as long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingship shall be established. Now send for him and bring him to me, for he must surely die!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
KJV
For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 20
Commentary
8 notes on this verseIt will prove to our advantage at last, however for the present it may be thought a disparagement, and a prejudice to our secular interest. It is probable Saul knew that David was anointed to the kingdom by the same hand that anointed him, and then not Jonathan, but himself, was the fool, to think to defeat the counsels of God.
This site's exposition
Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan
on 1 Samuel 20:30-31
Saul’s rage says outright what the narrative has shown since chapter 16, that while David lives "neither you nor your kingship shall be established" for Jonathan. His insult against Jonathan’s mother is aimed at Jonathan’s loyalty, the charge of a father with no other to bring. The son who gave away his robe and sword at 18:4 is told by Saul that he has thrown away a crown.
This site's exposition
neither you nor your kingship shall be established
Matthew Henry judges it probable that Saul knew David had been chosen for the kingship. On that reading, the king is fighting against the LORD. Saul now tells Jonathan to send for David and bring him to die, the order of 19:1 given to his son again.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Who would not have loved him [David], when they saw how dear he was to his friends? For as he truly loved his friends, so he thought that he was loved as much in return by his own friends. No, parents put him even before their own children, and children loved him more than their parents. Therefore Saul was very angry and strove to strike Jonathan his son with a spear because he thought that David's friendship held a higher place in his esteem than either filial piety or a father's authority.
For love "doth nothing unseemly," but as it were with certain golden wings covereth up all the offences of the beloved. Jonathan loved David; and hearing his father say, "Thou son of damsels that have run away from their homes, thou womanly bred," he was not ashamed, though the words be full of great reproach. For what he means is this: "Thou son of mean harlots who are mad after men, who run after the passers-by, thou unnerved and effeminate wretch, who hast nothing of a man, but livest to the shame of thyself and the mother who bare thee." What then? Did he grieve at these things, and hide his face, and turn away from his beloved? Nay, quite the contrary; he displayed his fondness as an ornament. And yet the one was at that time a king, and a king's son, even Jonathan; the other a fugitive and a wanderer, I mean, David. But not even thus was he ashamed of his friendship. "For love doth not behave itself unseemly." Yea, this is its wonderful quality that not only it suffers not the injured to grieve and feel galled, but even disposes him to rejoice. Accordingly, he too, of whom we are speaking, after all these things, just as though he had a crown put on him, went away and fell on David's neck. For love knows not what sort of thing shame may be. Therefore it glories in those things for which another hides his face. Since the shame is, not to know how to love; not, when thou lovest, to incur danger and endure all for the beloved.
For that commendable friendship which maintains virtue is to be preferred most certainly to wealth or honors or power. It is not apt to be preferred to virtue indeed, but to follow after it. So it was with Jonathan, who for his affection's sake avoided neither his father's displeasure nor the danger to his own safety.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
How necessary it is to put a hook in its nose and a bridle in its jaws! Jonathan was fully satisfied that evil was determined against David, which put him out of frame exceedingly: he rose from table, thinking it high time when his life was struck at, and would eat no meat, for they were not to eat of the holy things in their mourning.
For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom,....
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| כָל־ | khol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַיָּמִ֗ים | haiyamim | the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשַׁי֙ | yishai | Jesse | H3448 → | 42 times |
| חַ֣י | chai | he lives | H2425 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָאֲדָמָ֔ה | haadamah | the earth | H127 → | 225 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִכּ֖וֹן | tikon | you will be established | H3559 → | 217 times |
| אַתָּ֣ה | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| וּמַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָ | umalkhutekha | and kingdom your | H4438 → | |
| וְעַתָּ֗ה | veatah | and therefore | H6258 → | 433 times |
| שְׁלַ֨ח | shelach | send | H7971 → | 845 times |
| וְקַ֤ח | vekach | and fetch | H3947 → | 966 times |
| אֹתוֹ֙ | ʾoto | <obj.> him | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֵלַ֔י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בֶן־ | ven- | [is] a son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| מָ֖וֶת | mavet | death | H4194 → | 156 times |
| הֽוּא׃ ס | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
כָל־all
khol-H3605 →5413 times
הַיָּמִ֗יםthe days
haiyamimH3117 →2304 times
אֲשֶׁ֤רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
יִשַׁי֙Jesse
yishaiH3448 →42 times
חַ֣יhe lives
chaiH2425 →
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָאֲדָמָ֔הthe earth
haadamahH127 →225 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תִכּ֖וֹןyou will be established
tikonH3559 →217 times
אַתָּ֣הyou
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
וּמַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָand kingdom your
umalkhutekhaH4438 →
וְעַתָּ֗הand therefore
veatahH6258 →433 times
שְׁלַ֨חsend
shelachH7971 →845 times
וְקַ֤חand fetch
vekachH3947 →966 times
אֹתוֹ֙<obj.> him
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
אֵלַ֔יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בֶן־[is] a son of
ven-H1121 →4930 times
מָ֖וֶתdeath
mavetH4194 →156 times
הֽוּא׃ סhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 79:11May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.
it leads to
- Psalms 102:20
to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 42:7
to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house.
- Isaiah 33:2
O LORD, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in time of trouble.
- Psalms 146:6–7
the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He remains faithful forever.
- Psalms 69:33
For the LORD listens to the needy and does not despise His captive people.
- Psalms 102:20
Through
2 Samuel 19:28For all the house of my grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 9:13
So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was lame in both feet.
- 2 Samuel 9:13
Through
1 Samuel 20:8Therefore deal faithfully with your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself; why should you bring me…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 14:32
“Look,” said Absalom, “I sent for you and said, ‘Come here. I want to send you to the king to ask: Why have I come back from Geshur? It would be better for me…
- 2 Samuel 14:32
Through
1 Samuel 19:6Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”
it leads to
- Proverbs 26:24–25
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
- Proverbs 26:24–25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 2.7.36; Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 3.21.124; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON 1 CORINTHIANS 33.2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.