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with a terrible curse against himself and his descendants,
should he be unfaithful to his promise. But Jonathan
made David swear to it
again,
this time by
his
!ove for
him, for
he
loved him as much as he loved himsetr'
(1
Sam. 20: 12-17,
The Living Bible).
Secure in the knowl–
edge that his own life and the lives of hís family
were
safe in the future, Jonathan left to perform his part o f
th e contracl.
The Terrible Truth
ack at the court of Saul, Jonathan
joined his father in a new moon
celebration with many other dig–
nitaries. Jonathan sat opposite his
father; Abner sat beside Saul;
David's seat was empty!
"Why isn't David here?" demanded Saul of Jonathan.
Obviously Saul knew that Jonathan knew
where
David was!
" He asked me íf he could go to Bethlehem to take part
in a family celebration ... so
1
to ld him to go ahead,"
Jonatha n lied .
"Saul boiled with rage.... ' Do you think I don't know
that you want this son of a nobody to be king in your
place, shamíng yourself and your mother? As long as
that fellow is alive, you'll never be king. Now go and get
him so
1
can kill him!'"
" But
why?"
Jonathan simply countcred his father.
At this response, Saul picked up his spear, hurled it at
his own son with intent to kili him- and the terrible truth
was realized by Jonathan: Saul did want David dead! In
a fierce anger of his own, Jonathan immediately left the
table, and next morning, as they had agreed, Jonathan
sought out David to tell him the painful truth David
already knew.
They both sadly shook hands, weeping openly at the
circumslances both realized would follow. "At last Jona–
than said to David, 'Cheer up, for we have entrusted
each other and each other's children into God's hands
forever.' So they parted, David going away and Jona–
than re turning to the city" (I Sam. 20: 18-42).
A political enemy of the king, with a death sentence
from him even the king's own son now believed, David
fted again.
He had no weapons with which to defend himself. His
family would soon be in jeopardy of their lives, and he
must make sorne arrangements for their safety. H e had
no political allies of any power except Jonathan.
David felt he had to get sorne kind of organization
together lo counter lhreats of lhe enemies of Israel on all
sides. Saul was unable to protect Israel because he was
too busy, and tied up too much of his a rmy, in a ttempts
to kili David. David had no pla n to seize the throne. He
was trust ing God to lead him, but he had to be ready
when God opened
the
doors for him.
Ahimelech, who was residing in the city of Nob, was
the priest in charge after Samuel. David went to Nob
firs1, but kept his counsel to himself. By the time
he
reached the city, he was famished. Asked by the priest
why he was there, David Lied. telling Ahimelech that he
was on a prívate mission for the king and could not
reveal to anyone why he was there.
The
PLAIN TRUTH December 1978
The priest replied to David 's request for food by
offering him the "bread of the
presence"
that was placed
in the Tabernacle. T hough this was not lawful for him to
do, in David 's extreme necessity he consumed it and
gave it 10 his men; and J esus exonerated him from guilt
(see Matthew 12:3-4, Mark 2:25-26, Luke 6:3-4). The
fact tha t no o ther food was avai lable shows the extent to
which the true worship of God had degenerated under
Saul.
The problem of lack of weapons was solved when the
priest offered David Goliath's own sword (which be–
longed to David a nyway). It should have seemed strange
that a seasoned warrior like David would be out on the
king's business a nd have left his own sword behind! But
then, what do priests know of these things?
Unfortunately, Doeg the Edomile, Saul's chief herds–
man, was lhere to observe all lhat happened. David left
in a hurry, fea ri ng Saul's men would nol be far behind.
Oddly, he went to Achish, king of Gath, the city of
Goliath, to seek asylum, but th e king's officers didn 't
much appreciate having the hero of Israel in thejr midsl.
They asked: " lsn't be the top leader of Israel? Isn't he
1he one people honor at their dances, singing, 'Saul has
slain his thousands and David his ten thousands'?"
David was in trouble. To escape
he
feigned insanity:
He scratched at doors like a dog; he
Jet
the spittle run
down his beard; he mumbled incoherently. It worked.
David escaped Gath and went to live in a cave in
Adullam.
Atroclty
t the cave, his brothers and other
relatives joined him. Then sti ll
others, disillusioned by Saul's ac–
tions, joined David. Eventually,
he had a force of about 400 men.
Th ey became a highly mobi le, well-trained and
equipped company of lroops who could defend them–
selves and fe nd off the enemies of Israel.
David solved the problem of his fami ly's safety
(mainly just his father a nd mother, since his brothers
were wíth him) by requesting a nd obtaining permission
of the king of Moab for polit ical asylum fo r them until
the conflict between him and Sau l was sett led.
A prophet of God named Gad carne to the cave of
Adullam where David was encamped. H is message from
God to David was for him to leave the cave and return
to the land of Judah.
David obeyed. But Saul soon learned of the move
through his informers. As usual he was livid. He accused
his own officers of laxity in their pursuit of David. He
turned the tables and in a classic case of irony accused
his son Jonathan of encouragi ng and abetting David to
come and
~ill
him! Everyone was hiding the truth from
him, he raged!
Then Doeg the Edomite saw that this was the moment
to tell Saul what he saw when David was at Nob. He
accused the high priest o f aiding and abett ing fugitive
David. Jn a superstate of agitation, Saul summoned
Ahimelech. his family a nd all the other priests at Nob.
In fear and trepidation they presented
them~elves
before
the king. "Why have you and David conspired against
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