1 Samuel 20 · Verse 5

1 Samuel 20:5

And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
1 Samuel 20:5, King James Version

1 Samuel 20:5 in other translations

BSBSo David told him, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon, and I am supposed to dine with the king. Instead, let me go and hide in the field until the third evening from now.
WEBDavid said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.
ASVAnd David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
YLTAnd David saith unto Jonathan, ‘Lo, the new moon is to-morrow; and I do certainly sit with the king to eat; and thou hast sent me away, and I have been hidden in a field till the third evening;
DARBYAnd David said to Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.
BBEAnd David said to Jonathan, Tomorrow is the new moon, and I will not be seated with the king at his table: but let me go to a safe place in the country till the evening.
WebsterAnd David said to Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new-moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.

What does 1 Samuel 20:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat--The beginning of a new month or moon was always celebrated by special sacrifices, followed by feasting, at which the head of a family expected all its members to be present. David, both as the king's son-in-law and a distinguished courtier, dined on such occasions at the royal table, and from its being generally known that David had returned to Gibeah, his presence in the palace would be naturally expected. This occasion was chosen by the two friends for testing the king's state of feeling. As a suitable pretext for David's absence, it was arranged that he should visit his family at Beth-lehem, and thus create an opportunity of ascertaining how his non-appearance would be viewed. The time and place were fixed for Jonathan reporting to David; but as circumstances might render another interview unsafe, it was deemed expedient to communicate by a concerted signal. 1Sa 20:11-23. Their Covenant Renewed by Oath.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 To-morrow is the new moon - The months of the Hebrews were lunar months, and they reckoned from new moon to new moon. And as their other feasts, particularly the passover, were reckoned according to this, they were very scrupulous in observing the first appearance of each new moon. On these new moons they offered sacrifices, and had a feast; as we learn from Num 10:10; Num 28:11. And we may suppose that the families, on such occasions, sacrificed and feasted together. To this David seems to refer; but the gathering together all the families of a whole tribe seems to have taken place only once in the year. There is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family, 1Sam 20:6.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 20:1-10

The trials David met with, prepared him for future advancement. Thus the Lord deals with those whom he prepares unto glory. He does not put them into immediate possession of the kingdom, but leads them to it through much tribulation, which he makes the means of fitting them for it. Let them not murmur at his gracious appointment, nor distrust his care; but let them look forward with joyful expectation to the crown…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 20:1-10 →

1 Samuel 20:5 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.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
דָּוִ֜דda.VidDavidH1732
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יְהוֹנָתָ֗ןye.ho.na.TanJonathanH3083
הִֽנֵּה\־hi.neh-here!H2009
חֹ֙דֶשׁ֙cho.desha new moonH2320
מָחָ֔רma.Char[will be] tomorrowH4279
וְאָנֹכִ֛יve.'a.no.Khiand IH595
יָשֹׁב\־ya.shov-certainly <to sit>H3427
אֵשֵׁ֥ב'e.ShevI will sitH3427
עִם\־'im-withH5973
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
לֶאֱכ֑וֹלle.'e.Kholto eatH398
וְשִׁלַּחְתַּ֙נִי֙ve.shi.lach.Ta.niand you will let go meH7971
וְנִסְתַּרְתִּ֣יve.nis.tar.Tiand I will hide myselfH5641
בַשָּׂדֶ֔הva.sa.Dehin the fieldH7704
עַ֖ד'aduntilH5704
הָעֶ֥רֶבha.'E.revthe eveningH6153
הַשְּׁלִשִֽׁית\׃ha.she.li.Shit<the> thirdH7992

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 20:5

  • Numbers 10:10

    Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God.

  • 1 Samuel 19:2

    But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:

  • Numbers 28:11

    And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the Lord; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot;

  • Psalms 81:3

    Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

  • Proverbs 22:3

    A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

  • John 8:59

    Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

  • Colossians 2:16

    Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

  • Acts 17:14

    And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

  • 1 Samuel 20:6

    If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth–lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

  • 1 Samuel 20:19

    And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.

  • Psalms 55:12

    For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

  • 2 Kings 4:23

    And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the new moon.The months of the Hebrews were lunar months, and they reckoned from one new moon to another: and, as their feasts, particularly the passover, were reckoned according to this, they were very scrupulous in observing the first appearance of each new moon. On these new moons, they offered sacrifices, and feasted together: but the gathering together of all the families of a tribe on such occasions seems to have taken place only once in the year.
6; Nu 10:10; 28:11; 2Ki 4:23; Ps 81:3; Col 2:16
that I may.
19; 19:2; Ps 55:12; Pr 22:3; Joh 8:59; Ac 17:14

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

Context

  • 1 Samuel 20:4

    Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.

  • 1 Samuel 20:5

    And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.

  • 1 Samuel 20:6

    If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth–lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

Read all of 1 Samuel 20

1 Samuel 20:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y David respondió á Jonathán: He aquí que mañana será nueva luna, y yo acostumbro sentarme con el rey á comer: mas tú dejarás que me esconda en el campo hasta la tarde del tercer día.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et David dit à Jonathan: Voici, c’est demain la nouvelle lune, et je devrai m’asseoir auprès du roi pour manger; laisse-moi donc aller, et je me cacherai dans les champs jusqu’au troisième soir.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und David sprach zu Jonathan: Siehe, morgen ist Neumond, da ich eigentlich mit dem König beim Essen sitzen sollte; so laß mich gehen, und ich will mich auf dem Felde verbergen bis zum dritten Abend.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixit autem David ad Jonathan: Ecce calendæ sunt crastino, et ego ex more sedere soleo juxta regem ad vescendum: dimitte ergo me ut abscondar in agro usque ad vesperam diei tertiæ.