1
1 Samuel 20:1
英文原文
While Saul was under the constraining influence of the spirit of prophecy, David escaped from Naioth, and, probably by Samuel's advice, returned to Saul's court to commune with Jonathan. Nothing could be a better evidence of his innocence than thus putting himself in Jonathan's power. Perhaps something passed between Samuel and Saul on the subject, since it appears from 1 Samuel 20:5, 1 Samuel 20:25, 1 Samuel 20:27, that Saul expected David at the feast of the new moon.
2
1 Samuel 20:2
「斷然不是」——約拿單不願輕信父親會行惡，這是他品格中許多可敬特質之一。
英文原文
It is not so - Jonathan's unwillingness to believe evil of his father is one of the many admirable traits in his character.
3
1 Samuel 20:3
「大衛又起誓」——更當譯作「再次」。他重述自己的話，並以起誓加以印證，來回應約拿單的否認。
英文原文
And David sware moreover - Rather, "yet again." He met Jonathan's denial by repeating his statement and confirming it with an oath.
5
1 Samuel 20:5
新月——即每個月的起頭——以特別的祭祀和吹號來慶祝（見邊註串珠）。這節期作為「歡樂的日子」守得十分莊重；我們可以推想，當時所獻的「平安祭」供物，正供獻祭者的餐桌之用。
英文原文
The new moon, or beginning of each month, was celebrated with especial sacrifices and blowing of trumpets (marginal references.) The feast was kept with great solemnity as "a day of gladness," and we may presume that the "peace offerings" offered on the occasion furnished the tables of those that offered.
14
1 Samuel 20:14
大意是：約拿單預感到大衛必被堅立在王位上，這預感無疑是出於神。他更蒙神的憐憫，得着安慰——知道自己的後裔必蒙大衛厚待——這安慰是他完全配得的（見頁邊參考經文）。
英文原文
The general meaning is: Jonathan had a presentiment, doubtless from God, that David would be established upon the throne. By God's mercy he had the comfort, which he well deserved, of knowing that his own posterity would receive kindness at David's hand (see the marginal references).
19
1 Samuel 20:19
「以色磐石」——這石別處再未提及，惟 1 Samuel 20:41 或有可能，詳見該節註釋。
英文原文
The stone Ezel - It is not mentioned elsewhere, except possibly in 1 Samuel 20:41, where see the note.
26
1 Samuel 20:26
「他不潔淨」——月初既是宗教節期，所吃的肉又是平安祭牲，凡身上有禮儀上不潔的，都不能參與那宴席（見邊註串珠）。
英文原文
He is not clean - The new moon being a religious feast, and the meat to be eaten being peace-offerings, no one could assist at the feast who had any ceremonial uncleanness upon him (marginal references).
30
1 Samuel 20:30
對東方人所能施加的最大侮辱、最刺人的責難，莫過於羞辱他的父母或祖先（見 Job 30:8）。掃羅的意思是暗示約拿單從母腹裏就是頑梗的。
英文原文
The greatest insult and most stinging reproach that can be cast upon an Oriental is to reproach his parents or ancestors (see Job 30:8). Saul means to intimate that Jonathan was stubborn from his mother's womb.
41
1 Samuel 20:41
「從磐石的南邊出來」——這是一段難以理解的描述；照理說，這裡應當重複 1 Samuel 20:19 對大衛藏身之處的描述。七十士譯本在兩處都作「阿爾嘎布」（argab），意即「石堆」。若這是正確的讀法，大衛的藏身之處要麼是一處名為「阿爾嘎布」（Argab）的天然洞穴狀岩石，要麼是某座古代建築的廢墟——兩者同樣適合藏身。
「拜了三拜」——這無疑是表明他對約拿單——既是他的朋友，也是他君王之子——始終不渝的忠誠；同時也是承認約拿單若看為合宜，有權將他處死。（可比較 Genesis 33:3。）
「大衛哭得更慟」——他對約拿單的深情，加上他對掃羅不義的感受，以及自己無辜受害的意識，足以完全解釋他何以情緒如此激動。
英文原文
A place toward the south - An unintelligible description; one expects a repetition of the description of David's hiding-place in 1 Samuel 20:19. The Septuagint in both places has "argab," a word meaning a "heap of stones." If this be the true reading, David's hiding-place was either a natural cavernous rock which was called "Argab," or some ruin of an ancient building, equally suited for a hiding-place.
Bowed himself three times - In token, doubtless, of his unshaken loyalty to Jonathan as the son of his king, as well as his friend; and in acknowledgment of Jonathan's power to kill him if he saw fit. (Compare Genesis 33:3).
David exceeded - His affection for Jonathan, coupled with his sense of Saul's injustice and his own injured innocence, fully accounts for his strong emotion.
42
1 Samuel 20:42
「約拿單回城裡去了」——由此可以推斷——後續的歷史也同樣表明——約拿單為人子的本分和他的愛國心，使他不至於與父親徹底決裂。約拿單在這件事上的行事，正如在一切事上一樣，極為可敬。
英文原文
Jonathan went into the city - From which one may infer, what the after history also indicates, that Jonathan's filial duty and patriotism prevented a complete rupture with his father. Jonathan's conduct in this, as in everything, was most admirable.
當掃羅還在預言之靈的約束影響之下時，大衛從拿約逃脫，大概聽從撒母耳的勸告，回到掃羅的宮廷，要與約拿單商談。他這樣把自己交在約拿單手中，再沒有比這更能表明他無辜的了。也許撒母耳與掃羅之間曾就此事有過一番話，因為從 1 Samuel 20:5、1 Samuel 20:25、1 Samuel 20:27 看來，掃羅期待大衛會出席初一的筵席。