| 1 | 1 Then, there was one man from Ha-Ramah-tayim Tsōphi̱m, from the hill country of E’phrayim. And his name was E’lqanah son of Yerōḥam, son of E’li̱hū’, son of Tōḥū, son of Tsūph, an E’phrati̱. 2 And he had two wives. The name of one was Ḥannah, and the name of the second was Peni̱nnah. Then, there were children for Peni̱nnah, and for Ḥannah no children. |
| 3 | 3 And that man had ascended from his city from days to days to cause himself to be worshiping, and to sacrifice to Yăhwēh of Armies in Shilōh.† And there were the two sons of Ē‘li̱, Ḥophni̱ and Phinḥas, priests to Yăhwēh. 4 Then it was the day. Then E’lqanah sacrificed, and he had given to Penni̱nah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions. 5 And to Ḥannah he gave one portion, ¹Nonetheless, Ḥannah he was ²loving. |
| 5b | [Edit vs 5-19]
5b And Yăhwēh had shut her womb. 6 And she made her to be irritated |
| 8 | 8 Then E’lqanah her husband said to her, “Ḥannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why must your heart break? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” 9 Then Ḥannah rose up. Afterward she ate in Shilōh, and afterward she drank. |
| 9b | 9b Now Ē‘li̱ the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of Yăhwēh. 10 And she was bitter of soul, and she prayed to Yăhwēh and weeping she wept. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “Yăhwēh of hosts, if looking you will look on the affliction of your maidservant and you remember me, and not you will forget your maidservant, and will give to your maidservant the seed of men, then I will give him to Yăhwēh all the days of his life, and no razor shall go up upon his head.” |
| 12 | 12 And it was when she made a great deal praying before Yăhwēh, that Ëli was watching her mouth. 13 And Ĥannah—she was speaking in her heart. Only her lips were trembling, and her voice was not heard. So Ëli regarded her as drunk. 14 Then Ëli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Turn away your wine from upon you.” |
| 15 | 15 But she answered and she said, “No, my lord, I am a woman fierce of spirit; and wine and liquor have I not drunk, but I pour out my soul before Yăhwēh. 16 Do not take your maidservant as the face of a daughter of worthlessness! For from the greatness of my complaint and my vexation I have spoken until now.” |
| 17 | 17 Then Ëli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the Almĩghty of Israel grant your petition which you have asked near him.” 18 And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your eyes.” So the woman went on her way and she ate, and her sad faces were no longer on her. |
| 19 | 19 Then they arose early at the daybreak and they worshiped before Yăhwēh, and they returned, and they entered into their house in the Height. And Elkanah was intimate with Ĥannah his wife, and Yăhwēh remembered her. |
| 20 |
20 Then it was at the circuit of the days.‡ Then, Ḥannah conceived. Then she bore a son. Then she called his name Shemū’ēl, |
| 22 | 22 And Ḥannah had not ascended, because she had said to her husband, “Until the lad will be weaned, then I will have made him come, and we will have seen† the face of Yăhwēh. And he will have dwelled there until time immemorial. |
| 29 | 29 And also the Eminence of Yisra’ēl will not make to be falsehood, and will not be sorry, because he is not a man to be repentant. |
| 1 |
1 Then Daυid fled from Nayōt in Ramah. Then he came. Then he said to the face of Yehōnatan, “What have I done? What |
| 2 |
2 Then he said to him, “Make it profane!† You shall not be made to die. Behold, my father will do no great matter or small matter, and he will not uncover my ear. And what reason would my father hide this matter from me? This |
| 3 |
3 Then Daʋid swore himself still more. Then he said, “Knowing he has known, your father, that I have found favor in your eyes. Therefore, he says, ‘Do not let Yehōnatan know this, lest he be grieved.’ And truly |
| 4 |
4 Then Yehōnatan said unto Daʋid, “Whatever your soul may say, even I wish to do |
| 5 |
5 Then Daʋid said unto Yehōnatan, “Behold, the day to come† is the new moon |
| 9 |
9 Then Yehōnatan said, “Make it profane to you, because if knowing I would know that evil had been determined by¹ my father to come upon you, then would I not make |
| 10 |
10 Then Daʋid said unto Yehōnatan, “Who shall declare¹ |
| 11 |
11 Then Yehōnatan said unto Daʋid, “Walk, and let us go out |
| 12 |
12 Then Yehōnatan said unto Daʋid, “Yăhwēh Almĭghty of Yisra’ēl, |
| 16 |
16 Therefore, Yehōnatan cut |
| 18 |
18 Then Yehōnatan said to him, “tomorrow |
| 24 |
24 Then Daʋid hid himself in the field. Then it was the new moon |
| 27 |
27 Then it was in the day after of the new moon |
| 28 |
28 Then Yehōnatan answered Sha’ūl, “Was asking, he has asked himself, Daʋid from¹ me |
| 30 |
30 Then burned the anger of Sha’ūl against Yehōnatan. Then he said to him, “Son of a perverted woman¹ of rebellion! Have I not known that you |
| 32 | 32 Then Yehōnatan answered Sha’ūl his father. Then he said unto him, “For what should he be made to die? What has he done?” |
| 33 | 33 Then Sha’ūl hurled¹ the spear upon him to strike² him. Then Yehōnatan knew that it³ had been determined from° his father to make Daʋid die. 34 Then Yehōnatan arose from¹ the table in burning anger, and he had eaten, on the second day of the month, no bread, because he had been grieved for² Daʋid, because his father had disgraced him. 35a Then it was in the daybreak.† |
| 35b |
35b Then Yehōnatan went out |
| 1 |
1 Then came Daʋid to Nōv̱ unto A̓ḥi̱meleḳ the priest. Then A̓ḥi̱meleḳ trembled |
| 2 |
2 Then Daʋid said to A̓ḥi̱meleḳ, the priest, “The king has made be commanded me a matter. Then he said unto me, ‘Let no man know anything of the matter which I—I send¹ you, and which I have made be commanded you, and the lads—I have made be appointed² unto a definite undesignated³ place.’† 3 And now what is |
| 4 |
4 Then the priest answered Daʋid. Then he said, “ |
| 5 |
5 Then Daʋid answered the priest. Then he said to him, “Yea, no woman is being retained for¹ us, as of yesterday, |
| 6 |
6 Then the priest gave to him the holy |
1:3† ^And that man had ascended from his city from days to days to cause himself to be worshiping, and to sacrifice to Yăhwēh of Armies in Shilōh.† Most translations say, “from year to year,” and incorrectly so. It means “year to year,” to be sure, but by not putting “days to days,” the definition of a year is shortchanged. This is most important because the traditions of men have undermined the definition of the year. The year is so many days according to scripture, and the boundary of the year is from one set of days unto the next set of days, i.e. “from days to days.” So when you are in the last set of days, you are in last year. When you are in the new set of days, you are in this year. The year is defined by so many days. It is not defined by so many months. A regular year is 365 days and a leap year is 366 days. For when the year begins, see vs. 20.
1:5¹ ^Read text with LXX: אפס, cf. 2Sam. 12:14, BHS. The LXX also might support the reading: כְּפִּיָם, according to their mouth, = κατα προσωπον.
1:5² ^Read text as a participle with different points: אֹהֵב.
1:20‡ ^Then it was at the circuit of the days.‡ Refer to vs. 3, “from days to days.” A year 365 or 366 days (like a month is 29 or 30 days). Like a month, the year has a beginning point. And this is called the “circuit of the days.” The sun begins its annual cycle at the spring equinox, and then at the next spring equinox it repeats all the same movements. The cycle takes 365 days in a normal year and 366 days in a leap year. In ancient times, the first day of the year occurred when the sun first set due west in the spring.
The first day of the year is determined by observational methods, much like the new crescent is sighted for the new moon. The non-arbitrary direction of due west is used to determine the start of the sun’s cycle. The observer uses a large platform or level space with a clear view of the horizon all around. The center of it is the observers location. The observer marks the location of sunrise and sunset on the days of the solstice. The angles formed by these points and the observation point are bisected to find a north-south line. Then a perpendicular line is drawn to the north-south line through the observations point. The perpendicular is the east-west line.
Once the western direction is determined, a marker (usually a large rock) was set up on the edge of the observational observatory. It was then when the sun set at precisely this point on the horizon that the new year began.
The Jewish Rabbis and Christian Scholars have allowed these truths to fall into confusion and this has produced many competing factions ignorant of the truth in one degree or another, and promoting false definitions of when a year begins, and how the calendar is to be regulated. The devil is the author of confusion, and there is but one reason that he promotes it. The false traditions derived from the confusion serve to confuse the times and seasons of Yĕshūa̒’s death and resurrection. Also they confuse the history of Yisra’ēl, and prophetic times and seasons. Satan does not want anyone to understand them correctly! Because understanding confirms ones faithfulness to Mĕssiah.
There are many who belittle the business of solving chronological and calendar difficulties. They observe that matters for them are controversial, and if they would open their ears and see with their eyes, then they would understand that the end of the matter is essential to faithfulness to Yĕshūa̒, and correct observance of his commandments. Nothing (in the objective sense) smashes Satan’s lies faster than a correct understanding of history, chronology, and the calendar, and the appointed times in Scripture. For this reason Satan’s rage against the appointed times and the calendar the governs them is second only to the fact that Mĕssiah died for our sins and rose again. For latter truth depends of the former truth.
If therefore, you come away from a calendar or chronological controversy feeling bitter, remember that that bitterness is caused by the lies Satan has sowed by means of false tradition, false prophets, and false teachers. And you have to be careful about accusing either side of mere men in a dispute of evil motives. One side may be as innocently deceived as the other side is correct. And among the deceived the real enemy lies in wait ready to cause his damage and collateral emotional stress. That is because without war there is no peace, just as Mĕssiah said. And without fighting the prisoners of the lie cannot be delivered.
1:22† ^Read: נִרְאֶה. The Niphal reading in the text is incorrect. See Exodus 23:15†. Ḥannah expresses the hope that she will see Yăhwēh in accord with other passages. That hope was fulfilled in the case of the boy, who saw the Mĕssenger of Yăhwēh at the side of the incense-smoke altar. Her hope is not in vain, because the promise remains for the age to come.
The reading of the traditional text does not accord with the Hebrew. Even with the pointing of the MT, the Hebrew sounds like this, “And we will be seen the face of Yăhwēh.” (וְנִרְאָה אֶת־פְּנֵי יהוה). The text corrected reads: וְנִראֶה אֶת־פְּנֵי יהוה.
20:1¹ ^ Read: חָטָֽאתִי ḥata’ti̱.
20:2† ^ חָלִילָה ḥali̱lah.
20:5† ^ מָחָר maḥar; or “tomorrow.” The word refers to the next literal day, dawn to dusk, or time to come, hereafter. In the calendar below, David is speaking to Yehōnatan on the 29th day of the month of Adar II, which was a Tusday evening. The moon was seen where the arrow ↑ is marked, and the conversation took place at the first bullet ●. The new moon day, or new moon feast, therefore, is anticipated by David to happen on the next day, marked “1” or “New Moon.” The reader should note that days are deliminted by bars │ from daybreak to daybreak. This is according to the ascending offering (daily offerings) for each day (cf. Lev. 6:9-10). The new moon ascending offering (i.e. burnt offering) starts at daybreak on APR 12, and continues to daybreak on APR 13, which is THU at daybreak.
The new moon is observed or seen in the setting dusk just before the new moon day, or feast, marking the first day of the month. This is APR 11 in this case, using the standard proleptic Julian calendar. Other details in the texts allow us to retro-calculate these dates, and will be discussed on their respective texts.
Month: I AVIV, 1069 BC 3071 A.M. Sab. Cyc: 5. Jub. Cyc: 33 Cycle No: 62
Q1: 0.022 B Q2: -9.000 Z LG: 51m W: 0.282' AL: 11.4 AV: 10.3
New Moon calculated for longitude: 35.17 and latitude 31.77
Location of calculations: Jerusalem Author: Daniel Gregg
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAB
I II III IV V VI VII
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
1069 BC 29 ↑● │ 1 ● │ 2 ● │ 3 │ 4 │
AVIV/NISAN APR 11 │New Moon │ ◄ │ ◄ │ ◄ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│ 5 │ 6 │ 7 │ 8 │ 9 │ 10 │ 11 │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~██╫██▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│ 12 │ 13 │ 14 │ 15 │16-0-1 │17-0-2 │18-1-3 │
│ │ │Passover │Passover │ Sheaf │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~██╫██▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│19-1-4 │20-1-5 │21-1-6 │22-1-7 │23-1-8 │24-1-9 │25-2-10 │
│ │ │7thULB │ │ │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
│26-2-11 │27-2-12 │28-2-13 │29-2-14 │30-2-15 │
│ │ │ │ │MAY 11 │
20:5¹ ^ made be sent. Piel.
20:5‡ ^ When David speaks of the day to come, he means the morning. See 1Sam. 19:10-12. His conversation with Yehōnatan took place at night, after they had seen the new moon, or after they had received news of it. The word חֹדֶשׂ ḥōdesh is not just used for the actual new moon. It is also used for the new moon day, or the new moon feast, which followed the night of the sighting. The new moon is first seen at the head of the new moon day or feast, i.e. in the night before it. The ascending offering of the new moon was put on the altar soon after daybreak on the new moon day (cf. Num. 28:11). These offerings burned all day and all the next night (cf. Lev. 6:9-10). Therefore, the sign of the new moon, the new crescent was seen the night before, and the offerings were made in the morning, and lasted until daybreak at the end of the next night.
The calendar days of the month, therefore, after the ordinary reckoning, are from dawn to dawn, excepting only Sabbaths, which are set apart staring the night before, and hence setting to setting. Whatever offerings accompanied the feast of the new moon would be eaten for a day and a night, or burned for a day and a night. Any festive offerings brought by the people would also follow the same schedule, and they who ate them would have to be ritually clean. A free will offering could be eaten for a day and night, and a day and night. It could not be eaten at or after dawn on the third day. Therefore, any freewill offering at the kings table could be eaten for two days. It was a freewill offering for the new moon day, and it was eaten on a second day. Ritual purity was required to eat it. At dawn on the third day, ritual purity was no longer required. But David encouraged Yehōnatan to be done feasting at sunset on the second day of feasting, which would be the third day from the evening they were talking making these plans. Yehōnatan could get away from the king near dusk for a little shooting practice, and no risk of David being pursued at night.
When David speaks of the “third setting” הָעֶרֶב הַשְּׁלִשִׁית hae̒rev̱ hasheli̱shi̱t, he is counting inclusively from the time they were talking and made all the plans. It was dusk on the 29th day of the month, and the new moon had just been seen by them, or reported to them. The first day of the month would be on the morrow.
20:6¹ ^ attending he will attend.
20:6‡ ^ זֶבַח הַיָּמִים zev̱aḥ hayyami̱m. “The days” here refer to the renewal of the year, since the year is reckoned at 365 or 366 days. The new year had fallen on the 17th of Adar II that year, and hence two days late for that Adar II to be the first month. I have provided a calendar below for Adar II that year. Israel at this time was holding a local sacrifices for the Passover and the festive offerings with it, even though the place where the priests were keeping the ark was not far way. It was because the Tabernacle had been destroyed, and no new sanctuary had been built. David’s plotted request, therefore, is to keep Passover with his family. He has asked for a two week vacation. And this is what Yehōnatan is supposed to tell the king. 1Sam. 1:20 לִתְקֻפוֹת הַיָּמִים liteqūfōt hayyami̱m, “at the circuit of the days,” is when the year beings, at the spring equinox. 1Sam. 1:21 mentiones the “sacrifice of the days” immediately after this, which is clearly the Passover. For these reasons, we know that David’s request was made in the first month of the year. The year is also known, 1069 BC from exact astronomical calculations, and from exact biblical chronology. The kingdom divided 390 years before the vision of Ezkiel (593 BC), i.e. in 983 BC. Solomon ruled 40 years and David 40. So David reigned in 1063 BC. He was fugitive for 7 years (1069-1063). The only other possible year astronomically is 1066 BC, and makes a too short time for David’s exile from the court. Willis Judson Beecher thought the date was 1068 BC, but this date was calculated without astronomical help.
Month: XIII ADAR_II, 1069 BC 3070 A.M. Sab. Cyc: 5. Jub. Cyc: 33 Cycle No: 62
Q1: 0.975 A Q2: -0.474 F LG: 84m W: 0.752' AL: 18.6 AV: 17.2
New Moon calculated for longitude: 35.17 and latitude 31.77
Location of calculations: Jerusalem Author: Daniel Gregg
I II III IV V VI VII
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
↑ │ 1 │ 2 │ 3 │ 4 │ 5 │
ADAR_II MAR 13 │New Moon │ │ │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│ 6 │ 7 │ 8 │ 9 │ 10 │ 11 │ 12 │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│ 13 │ 14 │ 15 │ 16 │ 17 │ 18 │ 19 │
│ │ │ 365 │ 366 │ 1 │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│ 20 │ 21 │ 22 │ 23 │ 24 │ 25 │ 26 │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
│ 27 │ 28 │ 29 ↑ │
│ │ │ APR 11 │
13
Parallel Julian Calendar with the days of the year numbered with their Julian
month and day equivalents. The first day of the year is on March 30.
This can be verified in Stellarium 0.12.4 by watching the sun set at 270 degrees (West), which
indicates that the day is the new year (i.e. spring equinox). Please set the date
in Stellarium to -1068 (Stellarium uses a 0 year) 3/30. Time at 15:44:18. Location:
Israel. And use the default Espenak & Meeus (2006) delta T.
│ SUN │ MON │ TUE │ WED │ THR │ FRI │ SAT │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
│ MAR 14 │ MAR 15 │ MAR 16 │ MAR 17 │ MAR 18 │ 13
│ 351 │ 352 │ 353 │ 354 │ 355 │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
│ MAR 19 │ MAR 20 │ MAR 21 │ MAR 22 │ MAR 23 │ MAR 24 │ MAR 25 │
│ 356 │ 357 │ 358 │ 359 │ 360 │ 361 │ 362 │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
│ MAR 26 │ MAR 27 │ MAR 28 │ MAR 29 │ MAR 30 │ MAR 31 │ APR 1 │
│ 363 │ 364 │ 365 │ 366 │ 1 │ 2 │ 3 │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
│ APR 2 │ APR 3 │ APR 4 │ APR 5 │ APR 6 │ APR 7 │ APR 8 │
│ 4 │ 5 │ 6 │ 7 │ 8 │ 9 │ 10 │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒
│ APR 9 │ APR 10 │ APR 11 │
│ 11 │ 12 │ 13 │
1066 BC is the only other year that agrees with the details of 1Sam. 20-21.
But it is too short of a time for David’s life as a fugitive.
Here is the calendar for 1066 BC.
Month: I AVIV, 1066 BC 3074 A.M. Sab. Cyc: 1. Jub. Cyc: 36 Cycle No: 62
Q1: 0.154 B Q2: -9.000 Z LG: 57m W: 0.305' AL: 11.5 AV: 11.5
New Moon calculated for longitude: 35.17 and latitude 31.77
Location of calculations: Jerusalem Author: Daniel Gregg
I II III IV V VI VII
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
↑ │ 1 │ 2 │ 3 │ 4 │
AVIV/NISAN APR 8 │New Moon │ │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│ 5 │ 6 │ 7 │ 8 │ 9 │ 10 │ 11 │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~██╫██▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│ 12 │ 13 │ 14 │ 15 │16-0-1 │17-0-2 │18-1-3 │
│ │ │Passover │Passover │ Sheaf │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~██╫██▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│19-1-4 │20-1-5 │21-1-6 │22-1-7 │23-1-8 │24-1-9 │25-2-10 │
│ │ │7thULB │ │ │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
│26-2-11 │27-2-12 │28-2-13 │29-2-14 │30-2-15 │
│ │ │ │ │ MAY 8 │
20:7¹ ^ טוֹב tōv̱; or “Good,” or “Well.”
20:7² ^ מֵעִמּוֹ mēi̒mmō = from with him.
20:9¹ ^ מֵעִם mēi̒m = from with.
20:10¹ ^ = make plain.
20:11¹ ^ a preposition is typically omitted before “the field.”
20:12‡ ^ Both Yehōnatan and Daʋid have agreed on the reckoning of the third day, which is the day after tomorrow. The calendar illustrates:
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAB
I II III IV V VI VII
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
1069 BC 29 ↑● │ 1 ● │ 2 ● │ 3 │ 4 │
AVIV/NISAN APR 11 │New Moon │ ◄ │ ◄ │ ◄ │
They are speaking at the first bullet ↑●, just after the new moon has appeared. Tomorrow is the second bullet 1 ●, and the third day, at the setting is the third bullet 2 ●, at sunset on the second day of the month, which is Thursday at sunset. This chronology is also secured from Daʋid counting backwards from the Sabbath ◄.
20:12¹ ^ = and.
20:13¹ ^ = make good. Hiphil.
20:13² ^ = to.
20:18† ^ He uses tomorrow in the ordinary English sense, meaning the next morning. For in this exact sense David’s wife had used the term, while it was night. See 1Sam. 19:10-12. By the word חֹדֶשׁ ḥōdesh, he does not mean the sighting of the crescent. He means the new moon feast. This extension of the term new moon is like the extension of the term “fire” אֵשׁ ē̓sh to mean “a fire offering,” and חַטָּאת ḥatta̓t “sin” to mean “a sin offering,” or the term עֹלָה ō̒lah “a going up” to mean “a going up offering.” The word “offering” is seldom specified in Hebrew. BDB defines the term as “1. new moon = day, time, of new moon, as religious festival 1 S 20:5, 20:18, 20:24, 20:27, 20:34; Ho 5:7, Am 8:5, 2K 4:23, etc, 2. month.”
20:20¹ ^ making be sent.
20:19† ^ He is counting inclusively from that very evening, a day being reckoned from daybreak to daybreak. See diagram at note 20:5†. By mentioning only the word “third” שִׁלַּשְׁתָּ shilashta, “you will have made to be the third,” Yehōnatan is confirming Daʋid’s time of appointment, at setting on the third day (cf. vs. 5).
20:25† ^ We don’t know exactly why he stood up, but it is evident that he sat down again, whether in the the same seat or not, we do not know. After A̓v̱nēr sat by the king, then the situation must have been unusual enough that the king noticed the missing man.
20:27† ^ Either the second day of the feast, or the second day of the month. It may just be the second day of the month, and Daʋid was expected to be there whether he was clean or not. It may be that they had a voluntary sacrificial offering the second day left over from the first day.
20:27¹ ^ בָּא ba, v̱a. I read this as a participle, “is coming not,” or “comes not” rather than perfect, “has not come.”
20:28¹ ^ from with.
20:29¹ ^ make me be sent. Piel.
20:30¹ ^ נַעֲוַת הַמַּרְדּוּת na‘awat hammardūt. The feminine gender of the two words requires the inclusion of the English word woman. The article on the second word is generic, meaning “the rebellious kind.”
20:30² ^ to the son of.
20:33¹ ^ made cast. Hiphil.
20:33² ^ make smitten. Hiphil.
20:33³ ^ הִיא hi̱̓ = she, it, i.e. “evil.”
20:33° ^ מֵעִם mēi̒m = from with.
20:34¹ ^ מֵעִם mēi̒m = from with.
20:34² ^ אֶל e̓l = unto.
20:35† ^ or “daybreak;” בַבֹּקֶר v̱abōqer. With little artificial light, ancient peoples began their days much earlier The definition of v̱abōqer in Hebrew may not be pushed past 9 a.m. without straining its meaning. The term may refer to the earliest dawn, sunrise, or a few hours after it. On a feast day, there might be several meals, and Sha’ūl knows that his presumed excuse for Daʋid has run out at sunset at the end of the first day of the new moon. He therefore inquires at the earliest meal on the second day, and presumes that Daʋid should be there, because he is best buddies with Yehōnatan, or because it was customary for Daʋid to take every meal with the king. Sha’ūl’s question to Yehōnatan, the answer, and Sha’ūl’s murderous rage must have happened very early, because Yehōnatan ended up fasting all that day. And neither could Yehōnatan afford to act glum until he had sounded out his father. So the fact he did fast all day, also confirms that the incident took place early.
20:35‡ ^ לְמוֹעֵד lemō‘ad = “at the appointed time.” This was at the setting of the third day, counting inclusively from the sighting of the new moon. The appointment time is given in vs. 5, “until the third setting,” and futher confirmed by Yehōnatan in vs. 19. The time is necessary as dusk will help Yehōnatan in his ruse, as apparently he suspects he is being watched, and now is under orders to arrest Daʋid, and also should Daʋid need to escape again, he will have the night to get away. It is therefore the case that vs. 35a is a note on the time of Sha’ūl’s rage, and not a time for Yehōnatan’s reporting to Daʋid. Yehōnatan tells the lad to hurry, presumably because it is dusk, and the lad will not find the arrows if it is too dark. Further, he has the perfect excuse to be short with the lad, and make it look like he needs some time alone.
Even if I am incorrect that the time note goes with the previous paragraph, the implication would only be that Yehōnatan moved the appointment sooner, that it is not mentioned in the narrative, and that Daʋid somehow knew about this change. This is fairly an impossibility, but just suppose it. In said case the match of the forward three day count ● with the reverse three day count ◄ (cf. 21:5‡) on APR 13 that year is still the same.
21:1¹ ^ לִקְרַאת liqra̓t = to call on.
21:2¹ ^ = make be sent. Piel.
21:2² ^ יוֹדַעְתִּי yōda̒ti̱ = made be known I have. Poel, a Piel variant. The word “appointed” is used because English “know” cannot be bent this far without to much awkwardness.
21:2³ ^ פְּלֹנִי pelōni̱ “one defined, a particular one” (BDB); אַלְמוֹנִי a̓lmōni̱ = not counted, not enumerated, from אַל (not) and מָנַה (to count).
21:2† ^ It appears that the last clause is also supposed to be what the king said, and that David is keeping the location secret, and not that David himself has appointed a secret place to them.
21:3¹ ^ A pronoun is often omitted after a verb when it is obvious what the object of the verb is. David thought the priest was carrying bread or food, and asks the question, and by this point in the conversation, he has notices that he is carrying five loaves, and he practically demands them.
21:3‡ ^ The priest, apparently is carrying the loaves on a tray or platter of sorts, and he is keeping them from sliding off by placing his hand on top of them, just having brought them out of the holy place when he meets David. The loaves may be covered with a cloth, the priest’s hand atop holding down the cloth, and keeping the loaves from sliding, or perhaps keeping the cloth from blowing off. David comes close and finally can see that five loaves are beneath the priest’s hand. David sees just what he needs. The number is mentioned, because that is how many loaves the priest is transporting at the moment, and they can be plainly counted. David then suspects it may be the holy bread, and he adds the suggestion, “or that being found,” אוֹ הַנִּמְצָא ō̓ hannimtsa̓, to give the priest a little leeway in the face of his demand. David was acting just like an officer who makes demands in the name of national security.
21:4¹ ^ אֶל־תַּחַת e̓l-taḥat = unto under. On this combination, see Lev. 14:42; Judges 6:19; 1Ki. 8:6; Jer. 38:11; Ezek. 10:2; Zech. 3:10. I see no reason for the vauge English translation “on hand” here and in vs. 3. Modern translators appear to be translating with a philosophy that vaugeness is good, which is an unfortunate result of the higher critics, whose favorite word is “maybe,” and which has no desire to figure out the precise meaning of the text.
21:5¹ ^ or “being restrained by us.” The assurance is given that sufficent time has passed for ritual purification.
21:5‡ ^ David counts backward three days and says that is when he set out. Friday is yesterday to him, and Thursday is the third day to him, when he set out. He also counted forward from his first conversation with Yehōnatan, when the new moon was sighted on a Tuesday evening. The second evening was Wednesday, when Saul thought David had a valid excuse of being unclean, and the third evening was Thursday, after Saul had his rage at Yehōnatan, and then Yehōnatan went out to shoot at dusk. This is when David fled, after his final conversation with Yehōnatan.
Refer to the calendar below. The first calendar is the Hebrew month, and the second is a Julian Calendar parallel to it. The new moon day is marked on the day IV of the week. The small arrow ↑ in the night of day III marks the new crescent. This corresponds to APR 11. This is the first evening of the conversation with Yehōnatan. David will hide until the third evening on APR 13 (day V, Thursday). The dark shading ▒▒▒▒▒ marks nights, and the ~~~~~ mark days. The new moon day is marked “1” and the second day of the month “2”. David fled just after his final conversation with Yehōnatan at dusk at the end of the second day of the month, which was the third evening after the moon was sighted. These three evenings are denoted by the three ●’s. In Nōv̱, David says the day before yesterday was his going out, counting inclusively from the day of speaking backward to the third day. This is denoted by the ◄’s. Rest days are marked █████ for their night parts and ▀▀▀▀▀ for their day parts. Annual rest days are also marked ╫.
Month: I AVIV, 1069 BC 3071 A.M. Sab. Cyc: 5. Jub. Cyc: 33 Cycle No: 62
Q1: 0.022 B Q2: -9.000 Z LG: 51m W: 0.282' AL: 11.4 AV: 10.3
New Moon calculated for longitude: 35.17 and latitude 31.77
Location of calculations: Jerusalem Author: Daniel Gregg
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAB
I II III IV V VI VII
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1069 BC 29 ↑● │ 1 ● │ 2 ● │ 3 │ 4 │
AVIV/NISAN APR 11 │New Moon │ ◄ │ ◄ │ ◄ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│ 5 │ 6 │ 7 │ 8 │ 9 │ 10 │ 11 │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~██╫██▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│ 12 │ 13 │ 14 │ 15 │16-0-1 │17-0-2 │18-1-3 │
│ │ │Passover │Passover │ Sheaf │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~██╫██▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~█████▀▀▀▀▀▒▒▒▒▒
│19-1-4 │20-1-5 │21-1-6 │22-1-7 │23-1-8 │24-1-9 │25-2-10 │
│ │ │7thULB │ │ │ │ │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
│26-2-11 │27-2-12 │28-2-13 │29-2-14 │30-2-15 │
│ │ │ │ │MAY 11 │
│ SUN │ MON │ TUE │ WED │ THR │ FRI │ SAT │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
APR 11 │ APR 12 │ APR 13 │ APR 14 │ APR 15 │ 1
│ 14 │ 15 │ 16 │ 17 │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
│ APR 16 │ APR 17 │ APR 18 │ APR 19 │ APR 20 │ APR 21 │ APR 22 │
│ 18 │ 19 │ 20 │ 21 │ 22 │ 23 │ 24 │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
│ APR 23 │ APR 24 │ APR 25 │ APR 26 │ APR 27 │ APR 28 │ APR 29 │
│ 25 │ 26 │ 27 │ 28 │ 29 │ 30 │ 31 │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒
│ APR 30 │ MAY 1 │ MAY 2 │ MAY 3 │ MAY 4 │ MAY 5 │ MAY 6 │
│ 32 │ 33 │ 34 │ 35 │ 36 │ 37 │ 38 │
~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒▒▒~~~~~▒▒▒
│ MAY 7 │ MAY 8 │ MAY 9 │ MAY 10 │ MAY 11 │
│ 39 │ 40 │ 41 │ 42 │ 43 │
21:5† ^ This would be the weapons of war and their camp equipment. As they are likely to become defiled in battle or raids, they reqularly, as a normal procedure, purify such equipment so that it will not defile the camp or anyone else. See Num. 31:19-24.
21:5° ^ i.e. the Sabbath. Everything will have been cleansed and purified on Friday, as a normal military procedure.
21:6¹ ^ הַפָּנִים hapani̱m = the faces.
21:6† ^ Or “that was being taken away.” The verb is a Hophal participle: הַמּוּסָרִים hammūsari̱m. The participle denotes ongoing action, or present tense action. It is passive, and so here rendered in the passive progressive, “being made to turn aside.” The Hophal is also causitive, hence the word “made.”
21:6² ^ לָשׂוּם lasūm. The verb here is an infinitive construct, and may be translated with the preposition “for setting,” or “to set.” Either way, it is stating the purpose of removing the old bread: to set new bread out. Evidently, the old bread was being removed, but the new bread had not been put in place yet. We can deduce from this that David approached the priest very near to noon on the Sabbath.
21:6‡ ^ “On the day of its being taken”: בְּיוֹם הִלָּקְחוֹ beyōm hillaqḥō. According to the Law, the bread was changed on the Sabbath. See Lev. 24:8, “On the day of the Sabbath. On the day of the Sabbath he will arrange it before the face of Yăhwēh continually, from the sons of Yisra’ēl, an everlasting covenant.” Further, the old bread from the previous week up to noon on the Sabbath was to be eaten by the priests in a holy place. See Lev. 24:9. We may simply substitute “the Sabbath,” then, for the words, “on the day of its being taken.” For that is the day when the old bread was taken to arrange new bread before the face of Yăhwēh.
Lunar Sabbath refuted: Daυi̱d’s arrival at the Sanctuary works out to the Sabbath on the 4th day of the month. For that is when the bread was changed for new bread according to Law. And he counts back to the day of his departure from Yehōnatan, and this counts back to the new moon day. The text says the bread was removed, “On the day of its being taken.” There was only one day that it could legally be taken, and that was the 7th day of the week. That it is the 4th day of the month is proved by statements in 21:5 and throughout chapter 20.
21:7† ^ The words “on that day” point back to “on the day” in vs. 6, indicating the Sabbath. If we investigate the other years, the results are as follows:
Year New Moon Date MONTH YEAR DAY NEXT SABBATH ON Daivd’s age 1075 BC FRI EVE FEB 18 ADAR 326 1st day of month 17 1075 BC SUN EVE MAR 19 AVIV 355 7th day of month 18 1075 BC MON EVE APR 18 ZIV 20 5th day of month 18 --------------------------------------------------------------- 1074 BC THU EVE MAR 9 ADAR II 345 2nd day of month 18 1074 BC FRI EVE APR 7 AVIV 9 1st day of month 19 1074 BC SAT EVE MAY 6 ZIV 38 7th day of month 19 --------------------------------------------------------------- 1073 BC MON EVE FEB 26 ADAR 334 5th day of month 19 1073 BC WED EVE MAR 27 AVIV 364 3rd day of month 20 1073 BC THU EVE APR 25 ZIV 27 2nd day of month 20 --------------------------------------------------------------- 1072 BC SAT EVE FEB 16 ADAR 323 7th day of month 20 1072 BC SUN EVE MAR 16 AVIV 352 6th day of month 211072 BC TUE EVE APR 15 ZIV 17 4th day of month 21 --------------------------------------------------------------- 1071 BC FRI EVE MAR 6 ADAR II 342 1st day of month 21 1071 BC THU EVE FEB 4 ADAR 312 3rd day of month 21 1071 BC SAT EVE APR 4 AVIV 6 7th day of month 22 1071 BC MON EVE MAY 4 ZIV 36 5th day of month 22 ---------------------------------------------------------------1070 BC TUE EVE FEB 23 ADAR 331 4th day of month 22 1070 BC THU EVE MAR 25 AVIV 361 2nd day of month 23 1070 BC FRI EVE APR 23 ZIV 25 1st day of month 23 --------------------------------------------------------------- 1069 BC SAT EVE FEB 12 ADAR 320 7th day of month 23 1069 BC MON EVE MAR 13 ADAR II 349 5th day of month 231069 BC TUE EVE APR 11 AVIV 13 4th day of month 24 1069 BC THU EVE MAY 11 ZIV 43 2nd day of month 24 --------------------------------------------------------------- 1068 BC FRI EVE MAR 2 ADAR 338 1st day of month 24 1068 BC SAT EVE MAR 31 AVIV 2 7th day of month 25 1068 BC MON EVE APR 30 ZIV 32 5th day of month 25 ---------------------------------------------------------------1067 BC TUE EVE FEB 19 ADAR 327 4th day of month 25 1067 BC THU EVE MAR 21 AVIV 359 2nd day of month 26 1067 BC FRI EVE APR 19 ZIV 21 1st day of month 26 --------------------------------------------------------------- 1066 BC SUN EVE FEB 9 ADAR 317 6th day of month 26 1066 BC MON EVE MAR 10 ADAR II 346 5th day of month 261066 BC TUE EVE APR 8 AVIV 10 4th day of month 27 1066 BC THU EVE MAY 8 ZIV 40 2nd day of month 27 --------------------------------------------------------------- 1065 BC SAT EVE FEB 28 ADAR 336 7th day of month 27 1065 BC SUN EVE MAR 28 AVIV 365 6th day of month 28 1065 BC MON EVE APR 26 ZIV 28 5th day of month 28 --------------------------------------------------------------- 1064 BC WED EVE FEB 16 ADAR 324 3rd day of month 28 1064 BC FRI EVE MAR 18 AVIV 354 1st day of month 29 1064 BC SAT EVE APR 16 ZIV 18 7th day of month 29 --------------------------------------------------------------- 1063 BC MON EVE FEB 6 ADAR 314 5th day of month 291063 BC TUE EVE MAR 7 ADAR II 343 4th day of month 29 1063 BC THU EVE APR 6 AVIV 8 2nd day of month 30 1063 BC FRI EVE MAY 5 ZIV 37 1st day of month 30
The months tagged AVIV are the first month of the year. However, I have included both months before and after each AVIV in this analysis. David’s first counted year as king was Tishri 1, 1063 BC. However, as the accession year method was used, David actually began to rule sometime in the 40th year of Sha’ūl, possibly a few months before this. A month that meets the requirements, is a month where the 4th day of the month lands on the Sabbath. In no case do any of the Aviv’s have a 5th day of the month on the Sabbath, which would become a 4th day if the moon was not seen on time. The possibilities are highlighted in red, and possible Aviv’s in bold red. We may immediately dismiss the ADAR II in 1063 BC, as David was a fugitive longer than a few months. Therefore the AVIV in 1066 BC comes into consideration. We may also dismiss the 1067 ADAR, because FEB 19th is surely too early for the 1st month of the year. Further, the 15th day of that ADAR is on day 342 of the year, a full 24 days before the new year. The 1069 BC AVIV fits just right. So we have to consider it. The 1070 ADAR is nearly as too early as the 1067 ADAR.
Postponing a month. Only 5th day cases need be considered for this, and in every case here, the year would have to be intercalated incorrectly to make it the first month:
Year Month Arc Vision Yallop Day before Possible added day? 1075 ZIV 21.3 degrees A C not possible 1073 ADAR 12.1 degrees A F Not a borderline case 1071 ZIV 20.5 degrees A F Previous month already 30 days 1069 ADARII 17.2 degrees A F Previous month already 30 days 1068 ZIV 14.2 degrees A G Previous month already 30 days 1066 ADARII 17.1 degrees A F Not a borderline case 1065 ZIV 13.6 degrees A Z Not a borderline case 1063 ADAR 17.8 degrees A G Previous month already 30 days
Back up a day. Only 3rd day cases need be considered for this. All cases of backing up from the 3rd day are impossible. In 1073 AVIV, an infrared telescope would be needed.
Year Month Arc Vision Yallop Day before Possible day before? 1073 AVIV 21.7 A F No, Not visible** q less than -0.293 1071 ADAR 10.7 B Z No, moon set before sun 1064 ADAR 12.6 A Z No, moon set before sun
Why then should we rule out 1066 BC?
David’s life as a fugitive:
1069 Flight to Achish 1Sam. 21:10
The cave of Adullam 1Sam. 22:1
With 400 men 1Sam. 22:2
In Moab 1Sam. 22:3
(A prophet tells David to go to Judah)
1068 The forest of Hereth 1Sam. 22:5
murders of the Priests 1Sam. 22:17
David saves Keilah 1Sam. 23:2
With 600 men 1Sam. 23:13
The wilderness of Ziph 1Sam. 23:14
1067 At Horesh 1Sam. 23:15
In Maon 1Sam. 23:24
1066 In Engedi 1Sam. 23:29
At Wildgoats’ Rocks 1Sam. 24:2
Saul ceases pursuit 1Sam. 24:22
1065 In Paran 1Sam. 25:1
Watching over Shepherds 1Sam. 25:16
At the hill of Hachilah 1Sam. 26:1
Saul ceases 2nd pursuit 1Sam. 26:25
1064 Second flight to Achish 1Sam. 27:2
David at Ziklag 1Sam. 27:6
1063 Eve of battle of Gilboa 1Sam. 29:11
Amalek burns Ziklag 1Sam. 30:1
Saul falls at Gilboa 1Sam. 31:5
David becomes king of Judah
If we back up from Tishri 1063, then we have to go at least 4 months and a year (cf. 1Sam. 27:6) to come to the point of David’s second flight to Achish, king of Gath. This puts the flight in the spring of 1064. Then we ask if all the events since 1Sam. 21:1 can be crammed into the preceeding 24 months. Most conservative chronologers have allowed 6 to 11 years for David’s life as a fugitive. There are at least 12 locations mentioned in this time period. If they are to be put into 24 months, then David is changing locations every two months. They they are to be put into 5 years, then he arrives in each new location about every 5 or 6 months. To this we must factor in that Sha’ūl, with a pang of conscience, gave up the pursuit of David twice. Finally, by cutting down the chronology to 1066 BC, it appears that a hole is left in David’s life, because only two chapters are alloted from the slaying of Goliath, when David was a youth to his marriage and the serious beginning of trouble in chapter 19.
Let us therefore work backward from an assumed age of David in 1066 of 27 years old, and in 1069 of 24 years old. I count age years in at the turn of the year.
1Sam. 20:1 27 or 24? years old; David flees to Yehōnatan. 1Sam. 19:18 26 or 23? years old; David lives at Naioth away from Sha’ūl. 1Sam. 19:9 26 or 23? years old; Sha’ūl makes a personal attempt on David’s life. 1Sam. 19:8 25 or 22? years old; A season of war. 1Sam. 19:1 25 or 22? years old; Yehōnatan persuades his father not to kill David. 1Sam 18:30 24 or 21? years old; married to the king’s daugher, a season of war. 1Sam 18:12-14 22-23 or 19-20?; A few seasons of war at the most. 1Sam 17; 22 or 19?; David slays the giant.
Which makes more sense? Does David slay the giant at about 19, or is he eligible for call up and a grown man at 22? This then is the reason that careful scholars do not allow so short a time as three years for David to be a fugitive.