I Samuel 20:6
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If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David urgently requested my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because there is an annual sacrifice for his whole clan.’
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
David, having several times narrowly escaped Saul's fury, begins to consider at last whether it may not be necessary for him to retire into the country and to take up arms in his own defence. But he will not do so daring a thing without consulting his faithful friend Jonathan; how he did this, and what passed between them, we have an account in this chapter, where we have as surprising instances of supernatural love as we had in the chapter before of unnatural hatred. I. David complains to Jonathan of his present distress, and engages him to be his friend (Sa1 20:1-8). II. Jonathan faithfully promises to get and give him intelligence how his father stood affected to him, and renews the covenant of friendship with him (Sa1 20:9-23). III. Jonathan, upon trial, finds, to his grief, that his father was implacably enraged against David (Sa1 20:24-34). IV. He gives David notice of this, according to the appointment between them (Sa1 20:35-42).
Open source ↗20:6-7 Israelite families might designate one of the new moon festivals as an opportunity for an annual family sacrifice (see, e.g., 1:3).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
“Whose son are you, young man?” asked Saul. “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David replied.
“Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place.
Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”