1 Samuel 20:16

16. So Jonathan, &c.] (1) The E. V. treats this as a remark of the historian: and apparently understands Jonathan’s words “Let the Lord, &c.” to mean “Let the Lord exact vengeance from David by the hand of his enemies if he fails to fulfil the covenant.” But this involves an unusual construction. We should expect, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David,” if he fails to fulfil the covenant (cp. Deu_23:21): and possibly “David’s enemies” is an euphemism for “David,” substituted by a scribe in later times. Cp. note on 1Sa_25:22. (2) The Sept. points to a text making the whole of 1Sa_20:16 part of Jonathan’s speech: “And when the Lord hath cut off, &c. let not the name of Jonathan be cut off from the house of David, and may the Lord take vengeance on the enemies of David.”

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.

1Sa 20:16 So Jonathan made [a covenant] with the house of David, [saying], Let the LORD even require [it] at the hand of David’s enemies.

Ver. 16. Let the Lord even require it at the hands of David’s enemies.] And more especially at my hands, if I keep not touch with thee, and do all the offices of a faithful friend towards thee.

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 20:16-17. So Jonathan made a covenant — The covenant which before was personal, he now extends to the whole house of David, expecting a reciprocal enlargement of it on David’s side, which doubtless he obtained. At the hand of David’s enemies — If either I, or any of my house, shall prove enemies to David or to his house, let the Lord, the witness of this covenant, severely punish the violators of it. Jonathan caused David to swear again — Hebrew, and Jonathan added or proceeded to swear; that is, having himself sworn to David, or adjured David, in the foregoing verse, he here requires David’s oath to him, by way of restipulation or confirmation. For he loved him, &c. — The greatness of his love to him induced him to use every means in his power to secure David’s friendship to himself and his posterity, and to ensure the inviolable observance of this covenant through all their generations.

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

(16) So Jonathan made a covenant.—It is not necessary to supply (as in the English Version) “saying,” but it is better to understand this verse as a remark interposed in the dialogue by the narrator, and to translate the Hebrew literally, “So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, and Jehovah required it at the hand of David’s enemies.”

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

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,.... Not with David himself only, which was now renewed, but with his family also:

saying, let the Lord even require it at the hand of David's enemies; take vengeance on Jonathan, or on any of his posterity, should they break this covenant, by showing themselves enemies to David, and his crown; and, on the other hand, also on David, and his posterity, should they not show kindness to Jonathan and his seed, according to the tenor of this covenant.

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

Enemies. This seems to be a second translation of the former sentence, with a small variation. --- Required may be expressed in the future, as an imprecation made by the two friends against those who should attempt to break the covenant, or to oppose David’s reign. Septuagint omit this verse entirely, and translate the following, (17) "and Jonathan continued to swear to David, inasmuch as he loved him, because he loved the soul of the man who loved him." He had such an affection for David, that he extended his love to all his friends. Protestants, "so Jonathan made a covenant with....David, saying: Let the Lord even require it at," &c. (Haydock) --- He did so in due time, and the covenant between these two had its effect. (Calmet)

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).

The covenant which before was personal, he now extends to the whole house of David, expecting a reciprocal enlargement of it on David’s side, which doubtless he obtained.

Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David’s enemies; if either I or any of my house shall break this covenant, and shall prove enemies to David, or to his house, let the Lord, the witness of this covenant, severely punish the violators of it, whoever they are. Others thus, Let the Lord require and punish the breach of this covenant in David, if he break it. But because it was ominous and reproachful to suppose such a thing of David, by a figure called euphemismus, he names David’s enemies for David; as they also expound 1Sa 25:22. But the former sense seems more probable, because this verse contains only Jonathan’s stipulation or covenant with David and his house, which being expressed in the former part of it, is in this latter part confirmed by the usual form of imprecation; and the restipulation or covenant of David to Jonathan and his house is mentioned in the next verse. Yet may that other sense stand well enough; taking these words for Jonathan’s adjuration of David to be kind to him, confirmed with an imprecation in case he do otherwise; as if he should say, I adjure thee, as thou hopest to escape such a mischief, (which I had rather might befall thine enemies than thee,) that thou deal not so ungratefully with me or my house: which adjuration of Jonathan David seconds by an oath in the next verse, at the request of Jonathan.

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

This verse also is very difficult, hut it is probably to be taken as an insertion of the narrator: "So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David that is, so as to bind his descendants Let Jehovah require it at the hand of David"s enemies." These last words probably are an euphemism, and mean David himself. So Rashi explains the words. The courtesy of an Oriental forbade his saying, May Jehovah punish David for it, but he prays that God would requite it on some one. But if the Divine anger visits even David"s enemies for it, how much more the guilty perjurer himself.

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

A covenant - The covenant which before was personal, he now extends to the whole house of David, expecting a reciprocal enlargement of it on David's side, which doubtless he obtained. Enemies - If either I or any of my house shall break this covenant, and shall prove enemies to David or to his house, let the Lord, the witness of this covenant, severely punish the violators of it.

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

May Adonoy exact punishment. Of this covenant.

From Dovid's enemies. Scripture euphemized. Its real meaning is that the The Holy One, Blessed is He, demanded the punishment of the transgression from Dovid. When he transgressed the covenant, and said to Mefiboshes, "You and Tziva shall divide the field," a bas kol came forth, and said, 'Rechavam and Yorovom shall divide the kingdom.' And so did Targum Yonoson render, 'and Adonoy took retribution from Dovid's enemies.'

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.