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Discussions Prophets and Writings

1st Samuel 20 — Yahunatan warns David to flee Sha’ul

Yahunatan (Jonathan) during a New Moon celebration learns that his father, Sha’ul (Saul) the ruler, plans to kill his best friend, David. Yahunatan creates a signaling method involving three days and three arrows to let David know to flee.

Yahunatan (Jonathan) during a Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) celebration learns that his father, Sha’ul (Saul) the ruler, plans to kill his best friend, David. Yahunatan creates a signaling method involving three days and three arrows to let David know to flee.

Food for thought from the recorded discussion

What are the covenants made in this chapter? What are the long-term consequences of those covenants? Why would Yahunatan want to extend the personal covenant between himself and David to their descendants?

What is the importance of David’s question in 1st Sam. 20:1?

What is the significance of the three days and three arrows? What are the Messianic implications of this chapter?

What is the significance of having New Moon celebrations for more than one day? Why did Sha’ul presume that David was “unclean” at the first day of the New Moon celebration? Why would that matter (Num. 28:11)? Why so many animals sacrificed during the New Moon? Why aren’t goats offered on Shabbat?

Why doesn’t David feel safe? Why didn’t David stay? How did Sha’ul’s advisors know when the “spirit” was on Sha’ul?

Why didn’t Yahunatan believe Sha’ul wanted to kill David? What plan did David and Yahunatan devise to test Sha’ul’s intent? Is “bearing false witness” the same as lying?

Why would Sha’ul have been upset at David being unclean for a second day? How long would a person be unclean?

How does Yahunatan know that it is Sha’ul himself who wants to kill David? Why does Sha’ul called David “the Son of Jesse” rather than his son-in-law? How does Sha’ul respond to Yahunatan’s excuse on David’s behalf? Why did Sha’ul insult Yahunatan and his own wife in response to Yahunatan? What upset Yahunatan the most about this conversation?  Why did Sha’ul throw his spear at Yahunatan? What is this “spirit” doing to Sha’ul?

Reader: Hector Marroquin. Speaker: Daniel Agee.