1 Samuel 20:19

1Sa 20:19 And [when] thou hast stayed three days, [then] thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was [in hand], and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.

Ver. 19. When the business was in hand.] When I advertised thee of my father’s intent to kill thee, {1Sa 19:2} and when I made intercession for thee to my father, being hard wrought about it.

By the stone Ezel.] That is, By the stone of walking, saith Lyra; because Jonathan and David used there to walk and talk of private businesses: as a certain hill near Cambridge was commonly called Heretics’ Hill, because thither Bilney and Latimer used to resort for holy conference. Lapidem Mercurialem intelligit, saith Vatablus here, i.e., He meaneth a stone that set travellers their right way.

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 20:19. When thou hast stayed three days, &c. — This is commonly interpreted of his staying so long with his kindred at Bethlehem. In the Hebrew the words are, Thou shalt three times go down to a very low place; and the meaning seems to be, that if Jonathan did not come to the place appointed the first day, David should take it for granted that he had no information of importance to communicate, and should come again the second day; and if Jonathan brought him no intelligence then, he should come on the third. Houbigant interprets the words, “But on the third day thou shalt come quickly to that place, in which thou shalt hide thyself on the feast-day.” When the business was in hand — When this same business which they were now treating about was in agitation formerly; namely, to discover Saul’s mind and purpose toward David, 1Sa 19:2-3. By the stone Ezel — A stone probably erected to direct travellers in the way: he was to hide himself in some cave or other convenient place near it.

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

Hebrew, of the way, because it served as a sign to show the way to them that passed by.

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

when thou hast stayed three days--either with your family at Beth-lehem, or wherever you find it convenient.

come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand--Hebrew, "in the day," or "time of the business," when the same matter was under inquiry formerly (Sa1 19:22).

remain by the stone Ezel--Hebrew, "the stone of the way"; a sort of milestone which directed travellers. He was to conceal himself in some cave or hiding-place near that spot.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(19) Go down quickly.—“Quickly” represents, but not faithfully, the Hebrew m’od. “Quickly” comes from the Vulg., descende ergo festinus. The literal rendering of m’od is “greatly,” and probably Dean Payne Smith’s rendering, “and on the third day go a long way (greatly) down into the valley,” represents the meaning of the original, which has been a general stumbling-block with the versions. The Chaldee, Arabic, and Syriac here interpret rather than translate, “on the third day thou will be missed the more.” “It did not matter,” writes the Dean, “whether David went fast or slow, as he was to hide there some time, but it was important that David should be far away, so that no prying eye might chance to catch sight of him.”

When the business was in hand.—The expression, b’yom hammaãseh, rendered in our version by “when the business was in hand,” is one hard to understand. Perhaps the best translation is that adopted by Gesenius, De Wette, and Maurer, who render it quite literally “on the day of the deed,” and understand by “deed” King Saul’s design of killing David (see 1Sa_19:2).

By the stone Ezel.—This stone, or cairn, or possibly ruin, is mentioned nowhere else. Some have supposed it to have been a road-stone, or stone guide-post. The following ingenious conjecture is hazarded in the Speaker’s Commentary:—“The LXX. here, and again in 1Sa_20:41 (where the spot, but not the stone, is spoken of), read argab, or ergab, a word meaning a heap of stones. If this is the true reading, David’s hiding place was either a natural cavernous rock, which was called argab, or some ruin of an ancient building equally suited for a hiding place.” Ewald, slightly changing the text, understands the word as signifying “the lonely waste.”

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

19. when the business was in hand] Lit. “on the day of the business,” either the incident recorded in 1Sa_19:1-7, or some unknown matter.

the stone Ezel] The name “stone of departure” may have been given in remembrance of the parting of David and Jonathan beside it. The Sept. however, (cp. 1Sa_20:41), reads “beside yonder heap of stones;” either some natural rocks or a heap of ruins, which might serve for a hiding-place. The rendering of E. V. marg. “the stone that sheweth the way” comes from the Targum, which gives “sign-stone.”

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 when thou hast stayed three days,.... From court, either at Bethlehem, which seems most probable, or in some other place incognito; however, not in the field he proposed to hide himself in, where he could not continue so long for want of food:

then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself; which makes it clear that he did not continue there during that time, but went elsewhere; from whence he was to come in haste at the expiration of three days, to the place he first hid himself in, and which was fixed upon to meet at:

when the business was in hand; when the affair was discoursed of, about getting knowledge how Saul was affected to David, and of informing him of it; or "on the day of work" (x); or business, on a working day, as the Septuagint; and so the Targum, on a common day; when, as the Vulgate Latin, it was lawful to work on it; and such was the day when Jonathan and David conversed together about the above affair; it being the day before the new moon, or first day of the month, on which day they used not to work: Some render it, "thou shalt three times go down" (y) to that place; and the sense is, that he should come on the morrow, and if he found not Jonathan there, he might conclude that as yet he knew nothing of his father's mind, and therefore should come the day following that; and if he found him not then, to come on the third day, that so he might be on the spot, let him come on which day he would:

and shalt remain by the stone Ezel; which, because it signifies "going", the Jewish commentators generally understand it as a sign to direct travellers which way to go; but one would think this should be an improper place for David to be near, since it must be where two or more ways met, and so a public frequented place; others think therefore it had its name from David and Jonathan often going thither, to discourse with each other; the Septuagint calls it Ergab; and so the place where Jonathan, the son of Saul, exercised himself by shooting darts, is called by Jerom (z); it is said by Josephus (a) to be an hundred fifty furlongs (about nineteen miles), from Jerusalem, and from Jordan sixty, (about eight miles).

(x) "in die operis", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "die profesto", Tigurine version. (y) "tertiabis, descendes valde", Montanus; "descendes ter, vel tertiabis descendere", Castalio; so Patrick. (z) De loc. Heb. fol. 91. C. (a) Apud Adrichem. Theatrum T. S. p. 17.

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

The stone Ezel - It is not mentioned elsewhere, except possibly in 1Sa 20:41, where see the note.

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

Morrow. Hebrew, "and after three days (Haydock; or, on the third day) thou shalt," &c. Syriac and Arabic, "Thou wilt be called for at table, at the third hour." (Calmet) --- Septuagint use the same word, Greek: trioseuseis, as in the following verse: "I will shoot thrice at wild beasts, with arrows, sending as far as Laarmattarai," so here they may insinuate that David must "wait three days," (Haydock) or come on each of these days, that he may not slip an opportunity. (Cajetan) --- Work. Le Clerc translates, "in the day of the business." Protestants, "where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel." Alexandrian Septuagint, "by this affair." Vatican [Septuagint], "Ergab," a word which Grabe admits instead of Greek: ergon, in his edition. (Haydock) --- Other copies, with the Syriac and Arabic, have simply, "near this stone," which Junius styles speculam, as if it were a butt or landmark, (Calmet) or a stone to shew the road, (Lyranus) or mile-stone, (Tirinus) which latter supposition is not probable, as David desired to be concealed. (Menochius) --- He would therefore choose some cavern, so as to be able to hear what Jonathan said, without being seen. (Haydock) --- this precaution was necessary for the safety of both. (Menochius)

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).

When thou hast stayed three days; either at Bethlehem with thy friends, 1Sa 20:6, or elsewhere, as thou shalt see fit.

When the business was in hand, Heb. in the day of business; or, of the business. And these words are to be joined, either,

1. With the words next foregoing; and so they note the time when David hid himself there; which was, when this same business which now they were treating about was in agitation formerly, to wit, to discover Saul’s mind and purpose towards him, 1Sa 19:2,3. Or,

2. With the more remote words; and so they note the time when David should come to the place appointed, and formerly used to hide himself in, upon a like occasion, to wit, in the day when the business here spoken of was to be done, i.e. when the discovery of Saul’s mind was to be made.

By the stone Ezel, or, by the stone of going, or travelling, i.e. by that stone which directs travellers in the way, to wit, in some cave, or convenient place, which was near that stone.

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

19. When the business was in hand — Margin, in the day of the business. Referring to the circumstance of Jonathan’s previous intercession for David, (1Sa_19:3,) that business or affair so similar to the one now in hand. Ewald thinks the affair here referred to was Saul’s personal attempt to take David’s life, and that “a sort of filial reverence here induces Jonathan to call that day simply the day of the affair, to avoid having to give that affair its right name.”

Ezel — The name of a stone near Gibeah well known to Jonathan and David, but now unknown.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Was in hand - When this same business which now they were treating about, was in agitation formerly; namely, to discover Saul's mind and purpose towards him, chap. xix, 2, 3. Ezel - By that stone which directs travelers in the way; namely, in some cave, or convenient place, which was near it.

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

For three days. You shall triple the days, and then you should go down very much, i.e., when the third day arrives, you should go down into a secret place, and hide very well, because they will seek you then. And you shall come to this secret place, where you are hiding today, which is a work day. And similarly Targum Yonoson renders, on a week day, for he hid on that day, as it is stated, 'and Dovid hid in the field,' and immediately, 'it was the New Moon' on the next day.

The marker stone. A stone which was a landmark for travelers.

The marker for those who travel. And similarly Targum Yonoson renders אֶבֶן אָתָא, 'the stone [that served as] a sign.'

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.