20240410

anger separates

1 Samuel 20:1-23 (JDV)

1 Samuel 20:1 David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What did I do wrong? How have I sinned against your father so that he wants to take my throat?”
1 Samuel 20:2 Jonathan said to him, “No, you won’t die. Notice, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This can’t be true.”
1 Samuel 20:3 But David said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor with you. He has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or else he will be grieved.'” David also swore, “As surely as Yahveh lives and as your throat lives, there is but a step between me and death.”
1 Samuel 20:4 Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”
1 Samuel 20:5 So David told him, “Notice, tomorrow is the New Moon, and I’m supposed to sit down and eat with the king. Instead, let me go, and I’ll hide in the countryside for the next two nights.
1 Samuel 20:6 If your father misses me at all, say, ‘David urgently requested my permission to go quickly to his hometown Bethlehem for an annual sacrifice there involving the whole clan.’
1 Samuel 20:7 If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he becomes angry, you will know he has evil intentions.
1 Samuel 20:8 Deal kindly with your servant, because you have brought me into a covenant with you before Yahveh. If I have done anything wrong, then kill me yourself; why take me to your father?”
1 Samuel 20:9 “No!” Jonathan responded. “If I ever find out my father has evil intentions against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?”
1 Samuel 20:10 So David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”
1 Samuel 20:11 He answered David, “Come on, let’s go out to the countryside.” So, both of them went out to the countryside.
1 Samuel 20:12 “By Yahveh, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. Notice, if I find out that he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you?
1 Samuel 20:13 If my father intends to bring evil on you, may God punish Jonathan and do so severely if I do not tell you and send you away so you may leave safely. May Yahveh be with you, just as he was with my father.
1 Samuel 20:14 If I continue to live, show me kindness from Yahveh, but if I die,
1 Samuel 20:15 don’t ever withdraw your kindness from my household — not even when Yahveh cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the land.”
1 Samuel 20:16 Then Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May Yahveh hold David’s enemies accountable.”
1 Samuel 20:17 Jonathan once again swore to David in his care for him, because he cared for him as he cared for his own throat.
1 Samuel 20:18 Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the New Moon; you’ll be missed because your seat will be empty.
1 Samuel 20:19 The following day hurry down and go to the place where you hid on the day this incident began and stay beside the boulder Ezel.
1 Samuel 20:20 I will shoot three arrows beside it as if I’m aiming at a target.
1 Samuel 20:21 Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go and find the arrows! ‘ Now, if I expressly say to the boy, ‘Notice, the arrows are on this side of you– get them,’ then come, because as Yahveh lives, it is safe for you and there is no problem.
1 Samuel 20:22 But if I say this to the youth, ‘Notice, the arrows are beyond you!’ then go, for Yahveh is sending you away.
1 Samuel 20:23 As for the matter you and I have spoken about, Notice, Yahveh will be a witness between you and me forever.”

anger separates

Jonathan had not forgotten that his father wanted David killed, but he had persuaded him to take back his vow. But David knew that Saul’s anger was not going to go away. Jonathan needed a little more convincing. When he saw Saul’s fierce anger, venting not only at David but at Jonathan himself (giving him the end of the spear) – he knew David had to run. It was terrible having to choose between having your friend and remaining loyal to your father. Anger does that to families. Even if no violence takes place, a person’s anger can separate friends and harm relationships.

LORD, help us to control our feelings. Help us to realize the harm that they are doing.