Village Schools of the Bible

A Devotional Study of 1 Samuel 20 - 21
by Max Frazier, Jr.

1 Samuel chapter 20 describes the beautiful friendship that existed between Jonathan and David, while Chapter 21 begins the saga of David's flight from Saul.

I. Pact between Jonathan and David is planned (1 Samuel 20:1-23)
II. Saul's anger is expressed (vs. 24-33)
III. Jonathan warns David (vs. 34-42)

Jonathan was doubly grieved that day. He grieved at the shameful attitude and anger his father had displayed toward David. And he grieved at the impending loss of a close friendship. The text states that Jonathan was angry at his father. His father's attitude toward David made no sense. And, although it is not stated in the text, I believe that Jonathan may have been angry at himself for perhaps not intervening sooner in this conflict between his father and his friend. Friendships are vulnerable. When we are intimate with another we do open ourselves to be wounded and even grieved. Jesus calls us His friends. I know there have been times when I have greatly wounded Him by my attitudes and actions. Yet He remains faithful, even as Jonathan did to his friend (he warned him) and to his father (he remained with him until the day he died). Lord, I truly desire to be a Jonathan to someone, even to the point of being wounded by my vulnerability.

One might say that Jonathan was somewhat naive about his father's attitude toward David. He was convinced that his father did not have any intentions of harming David, let alone killing him. Even in verse 13 he stated that the Lord was with his father and wished the same for his friend David. Reality broke upon him when, in violent anger, his father cursed him and attempted to kill him (verses 30-33). There are people, like Jonathan, who desire to believe the best about every situation. Their cup is always half-full. Yet, at times, God must jerk them back into reality as he did Jonathan. However, if I am going to err in judgment, I would rather be like a Jonathan than like the ten spies who returned from Canaan (see Numbers 13-14) who were doom-and-gloom men. I want to look for the best until shown otherwise.

I. David visits Ahimelech, the priest, at Nob (1 Samuel 21:1-9)
II. David flees to Gath (vs. 10-15)

David, the man who with confidence in God faced the giant Goliath, now turns and runs with fear from Saul. He realizes now that nothing will change Saul's mind concerning him. Suddenly David feels he must take care of David. He lies to Ahimelech, takes the bread that was to be set apart for the priests, and flees to the territory of the Philistines. He knows that he is in the wrong place, so in order to protect himself, he acts insane. When we run away from our troubles and lose our confidence in God, then we become men most to be pitied. David has forgotten God with the result being a life of fear and misery. We need to remember what David forgot: God is our refuge and strength. He is our very present help in time of trouble.

No army, no food, no weapons...truly David was a man on the run. Yet, in his flight, he went to the right place, to Ahimelech the priest. I believe that David certainly had lost confidence in his own abilities (proven by his feigning insanity before Achish - these were the same Philistines he had conquered so easily before) and I believe he had lost some sense of confidence in God (why wasn't David honest before the priest?) Fears can twist our thinking. Fears can cause us to act in ways we would never have thought possible. A good part of David's fear is his loneliness. There are no six hundred men with him at this time. Yet David was to become aware that God was with him, and when that happened, David's attitude changed. When doubts and fears assail us, how we need to remember God's presence.

1Samuel 17-19 Return to the Table of Contents 1Samuel 22-23