1 Samuel 23:16

16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and ¹encouraged * him in God.

1 Samuel 23:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:16

And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose
And came from Gibeah, which, according to Bunting ^F15, was twenty two miles from the place where David was:

and went to David into the wood:
having had intelligence where he was, this being a proper place to have an interview with him privately:

and strengthened his hand in God;
and his heart too, his hand of faith to lay hold on God, as his covenant God and lean and rely upon him; he strengthened him in his power and in his providence, and in his promises to him; the Targum is,

``he strengthened him in the Word of the Lord;''

not only in his word and promise, but in Christ the essential Word of God, who should spring from him according to the flesh.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 Travels p. 334. (text not clear could be 834 or some other number)

1 Samuel 23:16 In-Context

14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand

15 Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.

17 Thus he said to him, "Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also."

18 So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD ; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 30:6; Nehemiah 2:18

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "strengthened his hand"