1 Samuel 20 · Verse 25

1 Samuel 20:25

And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty.
1 Samuel 20:25, King James Version

1 Samuel 20:25 in other translations

BSBHe sat in his usual place by the wall, opposite Jonathan and beside Abner, but David’s place was empty.
WEBThe king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.
ASVAnd the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side: but David’s place was empty.
YLTand the king sitteth on his seat, as time by time, on a seat by the wall, and Jonathan riseth, and Abner sitteth at the side of Saul, and David's place is looked after.
DARBYAnd the king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.
BBEAnd the king took his seat, as at other times, by the wall: and Jonathan was in front, and Abner was seated by Saul's side, but there was no one in David's seat.
WebsterAnd the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.

What does 1 Samuel 20:25 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
25. the king sat upon his seat, as at other times ... by the wall--The left-hand corner at the upper end of a room was and still is in the East, the most honorable place. The person seated there has his left arm confined by the wall, but his right hand is at full liberty. From Abner's position next the king, and David's seat being left empty, it would seem that a state etiquette was observed at the royal table, each of the courtiers and ministers having places assigned them according to their respective gradations of rank. Jonathan arose--either as a mark of respect on the entrance of the king, or in conformity with the usual Oriental custom for a son to stand in presence of his father.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 25 The king sat upon his seat - It seems that there was one table for Saul, Jonathan, David, and Abner; Saul having the chief seat, that next to the wall. As only four sat at this table, the absence of any one would soon be noticed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 20:24-34

None were more constant than David in attending holy duties; nor had he been absent, but self-preservation obliged him to withdraw. In great peril present opportunities for Divine ordinances may be waved. But it is bad for us, except in case of necessity, to omit any opportunity of statedly attending on them. Jonathan did wisely and well for himself and family, to secure an interest in David, yet for this he is…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 20:24-34 →

1 Samuel 20:25 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֵּ֣שֶׁבvai.Ye.shevand he sat downH3427
הַ֠מֶּלֶךְHa.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
עַל\־'al-onH5921
מ֨וֹשָׁב֜וֹmo.sha.Voseat hisH4186
כְּפַ֣עַם\׀ke.Fa.'amas timeH6471
בְּפַ֗עַםbe.Fa.'amon timeH6471
אֶל\־'el-toH413
מוֹשַׁב֙mo.Shav[the] seat ofH4186
הַקִּ֔ירha.Kirthe wallH7023
וַיָּ֙קָם֙vai.Ya.komand he aroseH6965
יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ןye.Ho.na.TanJonathanH3083
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁבvai.Ye.shevand he sat downH3427
אַבְנֵ֖ר'av.NerAbnerH74
מִצַּ֣דmi.Tzadfrom [the] side ofH6654
שָׁא֑וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
וַיִּפָּקֵ֖דvai.yi.pa.Kedand it was emptyH6485
מְק֥וֹםme.Kom[the] place ofH4725
דָּוִֽד\׃da.VidDavidH1732

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 20:25

  • 1 Samuel 20:18

    Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

  • Judges 16:20

    And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
as at other times.
Jud 16:20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 20:24

    So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.

  • 1 Samuel 20:25

    And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty.

  • 1 Samuel 20:26

    Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.

Read all of 1 Samuel 20

1 Samuel 20:25 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y el rey se sentó en su silla, como solía, en el asiento junto á la pared, y Jonathán se levantó, y sentóse Abner al lado de Saúl, y el lugar de David estaba vacío.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le roi s’assit sur son siège comme les autres fois, sur le siège contre la paroi; et Jonathan se leva, et Abner s’assit à côté de Saül, et la place de David était vide.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der König setzte sich auf seinen Sitz, wie die anderen Male, auf den Sitz an der Wand; und Jonathan stand auf, und Abner setzte sich zur Seite Sauls; und der Platz Davids blieb leer.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cumque sedisset rex super cathedram suam (secundum consuetudinem) quæ erat juxta parietem, surrexit Jonathas, et sedit Abner ex latere Saul: vacuusque apparuit locus David.