1 Samuel 20:14

(14) And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not.—The Hebrew of this and the next verse is again very confused, abrupt, and ungrammatical, but this is evidently to be attributed to the violent emotion of the speaker. We have, doubtless (as above suggested). David’s own report of what took place, and the words of his dead friend had, no doubt, impressed themselves with a sad accuracy on his heart.

The Syriac and Arabic renderings have been followed by Maurer, Ewald, Keil, Lange, and others, who change v’lo (“and not”) in the first two clauses of 1Sa_20:14, into the interjection v’lu (and “O that,” or “would that”). They render them, “And mayest thou, if I still live, show to me the favour of the Lord, and if I die, not withdraw thy favour from my house for ever, not even when Jehovah shall cut off the enemies of David, every one from the face of the earth.”

The last words, “when Jehovah shall cut off,” tells us with striking clearness how thoroughly convinced was Jonathan that in the end David’s cause, as the cause of their God, would surely triumph. Mournfully he looked on to his father’s downfall and his own (Jonathan’s) premature death; and in full view of this he bespoke the interest of his friend—though his friend would probably in a few hours become an exile and outlaw—on behalf of his own (Jonathan’s) children, who would, he foresaw, before many years had expired, be landless, homeless orphans.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa 20:14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:

Ver. 14. Show me the kindness of the Lord.] Such as he showeth to his people; and such as they that have their thoughts steeped in the kindness of the Lord to themselves, do show one to another, loving mutually, "out of a pure heart fervently." {1Pe 1:22}

That I die not.] As justly perhaps I might do, for my father’s hatred to thee, and persecution of thee. That was a cruel custom of Ulades, prince of Walachia, together with the offender, to execute the whole family; yea, sometimes the whole kindred. {a}

{a} Turk. Hist.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa 20:14. And thou shalt show me the kindness of the Lord — That kindness to which thou hast engaged thyself, in the covenant sworn between thee and me in God’s presence. The words in the Hebrew run plainly thus: And wilt thou not, if I be then alive, (namely, when God had advanced David to the throne as he had done Saul,) wilt thou not show me the loving-kindness of the Lord? He made no doubt, but rather strongly affirmed his belief of it. That I die not — That thou do not kill me or mine, as princes of another line used to kill the nearest relations of the former line, from whom the kingdom was translated to them.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20:14-16 faithful love: Hebrew khesed (see study note on 20:8). Jonathan was reminding David to keep his commitment to him when he became king. It was reasonable for Jonathan to be concerned that David might kill any descendant of Saul who could make a rival claim to his throne. Saul later made a similar request of David (24:21).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

I know that if thou werest now preferred to the Kingdom, thou wouldest not destroy me, but show thyself friendly to my posterity.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 14. Show me the kindness of the Lord] When thou comest to the kingdom, if I am alive, thou shalt show kindness to me, and thou shalt continue that kindness to my family after me.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14, 15. Convinced that David will succeed to the kingdom, Jonathan exacts from him a promise to shew kindness to his posterity after his death as well as to himself during his life time. His words, like Saul’s in ch. 1Sa_14:21, are prompted by a fear lest even David should conform to the barbarous Oriental custom by which the first king of a new dynasty often tried to secure himself on the throne by murdering his predecessor’s family. Cp. 1Ki_15:29; 1Ki_16:11; 2Ki_10:6; 2Ki_11:1. David fulfilled his promise by shewing kindness to Mephibosheth (2Sa_9:1 ff; 2Sa_21:7). This is clearly the general sense of the passage, though the exact rendering is doubtful. (1) Retaining the Heb. text we may translate: “And wilt thou not, if I am still alive (when thou comest to the throne), yea wilt thou not shew me the kindness of Jehovah, that I die not? And thou shalt not cut off, &c.” But this involves a very harsh construction, and it is perhaps best (2) to alter the text slightly, and translate: “And mayest thou, if I am still alive, yea mayest thou shew me the kindness of Jehovah: and if I die, thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever, &c.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And thou shalt not only, while yet I live, show me the kindness of the Lord,.... Such kindness as is well pleasing in the sight of God, and imitate what he shows to men, and which was covenanted, promised, and agreed to in the presence of the Lord, when David and Jonathan entered into covenant with each other; this Jonathan did not doubt of, and therefore did not make this a request:

that I die not; he had no fear nor dread on his mind, should David come to the throne while he was alive, that he would take away his life; which was usually done by tyrants and usurpers, when there were any that had a fairer title, and better claim to the throne than they.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The general meaning is: Jonathan had a presentiment, doubtless from God, that David would be established upon the throne. By God’s mercy he had the comfort, which he well deserved, of knowing that his own posterity would receive kindness at David’s hand (see the marginal references).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Die. Hebrew literally, "If I live, thou shalt not shew me, &c....and if I die, (15) thou shalt not," &c. It seems there is a negation too much. Jonathan requests that David would shew mercy to him and to his family; or he is willing that neither should partake of his kindness, if he prove a traitor to his friend. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "And thou shalt not only, while yet I live, shew me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not: (15) But also thou shalt not cut off they kindness from my house for ever, no not when the Lord hath cut off," &c. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Or,

And wilt thou not, if I shall then be alive, ( to wit, when the Lord shall be with thee, as he hath been with my father, as he now said, i.e. when God shall have advanced thee to the kingdom, as he did him,) yea, wilt thou not (the same particle twice repeated for asseveration, i.e. I am well assured that thou wilt)

show me the kindness of the Lord; i.e. either such kindness as the Lord hath showed to thee in preserving thy life in the midst of so many and such great dangers; or that kindness to which thou hast engaged thyself; in the covenant sworn between thee and me in God’s presence.

That I die not; that thou do not kill me or mine, as princes of another line use to kill the nearest relations of the former line, from whom the kingdom was translated to them; which they do either by way of revenge, or in policy, and reason of state, to secure the kingdom to themselves.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 14, 15. The construction of this passage is very difficult if we retain the three negatives of the Masoretic text; but most commentators, following the reading of the Syriac as regards at least one of them, consider that the Masorites have been mistaken in the vowels which they have attached to the consonants. (see on 1Sa_1:7) Read with other vowels, two of these negatives become interjections of desireO that; and the whole may be translated, "And O that, while I still live, yea, O that thou wouldst show me the kindness of Jehovah,i.e. great unfailing kindness, such as was that of Jehovah to Israel, that I die not, nor shalt thou cut off thy kindness from my house forever." It was the sanguinary custom in the East on a change of dynasty to put all the seed royal to death. (1Ki_15:29 1Ki_16:11, etc., and comp. 2Sa_19:28) As then Jonathan foresaw that it was Jehovah"s will to transfer the kingdom to David, he binds him by the memory of his own true love to him to show mercy to his race.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Kindness as the Lord - That kindness to which thou hast engaged thyself, in the covenant sworn between thee and me in God's presence. I die not - That thou do not kill me or mine, as princes of another line use to kill the nearest relations of the former line, from whom the kingdom was translated to them.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Jonathan asks David not to completely kill all his offspring so that a remnant will remain.

will you not show me the covenant faithfulness of Yahweh, that I may not die?

Jonathan asks this question to confirm that David will do this. This rhetorical question can be translated as a statement. AT: "please show me the covenant faithfulness of Yahweh, that I may not die" (See: Rhetorical Question)

show me the covenant faithfulness of Yahweh

The abstract noun "faithfulness" can be stated as "faithful." Possible meanings for "of Yahweh" are 1) "be faithful to me as Yahweh is faithful" or 2) "be faithful to me as Yahweh requires" (See: Abstract Nouns)

house of David

The word "house" is a metonym for the people who live in the house. AT: "David's family" (See: Metonymy)

May Yahweh require an accounting from the hand of the enemies of David

The hand is a synecdoche for the person. Possible meanings are 1) "May Yahweh use David's enemies to punish David if David breaks this promise" or 2) "May Yahweh destroy the enemies of David." (See: Synecdoche)

translationWords

life

covenant faithfulness

Yahweh

die

cut off

house

adversary

face

earth

covenant

hand

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

I will not [ask of you] if I still be alive. An expression of request, as in and if only [וָלאׁ] it will be given to your bondsman.' It is not removed from its usual meaning, 'and will you not do with me good while I am still alive, and do with me the kindness of Adonoy before I die?' And what is the kindness? That you will not discontinue your kindness with my household. Regarding this, you will make a covenant with me in my lifetime.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.