And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD take vengeance on David’s enemies.”
Here, I. Jonathan protests his fidelity to David in his distress. Notwithstanding the strong confidence David had in Jonathan, yet, because he might have some reason to fear that his father's influence, and his own interest, should make him warp, or grow cool towards him, Jonathan thought it requisite solemnly to renew the professions of his friendship to him (Sa1 20:9): "Far be it from...
Commenting on 1 Samuel 20:9-23
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,.... Not with David himself only, which was now renewed, but with his family also: saying, let the Lord even require it at the hand of David's enemies; take vengeance on Jonathan, or on any of his posterity, should they break this covenant, by showing themselves enemies to David, and his crown; and, on the other...
1Sa 20:16 Thus Jonathan concluded a covenant with the house of David, namely, by bringing David to promise kindness to his family for ever. The word בּרית must be supplied in thought to יכרת, as in 1Sa 22:8 and 2Ch 7:18.