Saul's Attempt to Kill His Own Son in 2 Samuel 20

King Saul's attempt to kill his own son, Jonathan, is recorded in 1 Samuel 20:33, where Saul "cast his spear at him to strike him" ^[1]. This event occurs within a larger narrative detailing Saul's escalating paranoia and jealousy towards David, whom he perceives as a threat to his throne ^{[10, 13]}.

The immediate context of this incident is a tense dinner scene. Jonathan, David's loyal friend, attempts to intercede on David's behalf, questioning his father's relentless pursuit of David. Saul's anger flares, and he verbally abuses Jonathan, calling him a "son of perverse rebellion" and accusing him of siding with David to his own shame ^{[6, 7, 9]}. It is at this point that Saul throws his spear at Jonathan ^{[1, 2]}. This act confirms to Jonathan that his father is indeed determined to kill David ^{[1, 2, 12]}.

This was not the first time Saul had attempted to kill someone with a spear. He had previously tried to pin David to the wall with a javelin on at least two occasions ^{[5, 11]}. The repeated use of the spear as a weapon against those he perceived as threats highlights Saul's volatile and violent nature, which intensified as his reign progressed ^[11].

The Jewish historian Josephus also recounts Saul's violent tendencies, noting that Saul had made God his enemy and was in a "miserable condition" ^[3]. Josephus describes another instance where Saul, after making a rash vow, was prepared to slay his own son Jonathan if he were found to be the transgressor, stating he would "appease the anger of God against us" by punishing Jonathan as if he were a stranger ^[4]. This earlier account further illustrates Saul's capacity for extreme actions, even against his own family, when driven by perceived religious duty or personal insecurity.

The Targum Jonathan, an Aramaic paraphrase of the Hebrew Bible, also notes Saul's intent to kill David, referring to him as "your enemy, who sought to kill you" ^[8]. The narrative of Saul's decline and his attempts on David's life, and even Jonathan's, serves as a significant part of the biblical account of the transition of kingship from Saul to David ^{[3, 13]}.

Sources

1 Samuel “Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. -- 1 Samuel 20:33”
I Samuel “I Samuel 20:33 (BBE) — And Saul, pointing his spear at him, made an attempt to give him a wound: from which it was clear to Jonathan that his father's purpose was to put David to death.”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 8, section 1: . How, Upon Saul's Transgression Of The Prophet's Commands, Samuel Ordained Another Person To Be King Privately, Whose Name Was David, As God Commanded Him. 1. Now Saul being sensible of the miserable condition he had brought himself into, and that he had made God to be his enemy, he went up to his royal palace at Gibeah, which name denotes a hill, and after that day he came no more into the presence of the prophet. And when Samuel mourned for him, God bid him leave off his concern for him, and to take the holy oil, and go to Bet”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 6, section 6: by him himself, that though he that hath committed this sin should prove to be my own son Jonathan, I will slay him, and by that means will appease the anger of God against us, and that in the very same manner as if I were to punish a stranger, and one not at all related to me, for the same offense." So when the multitude cried out to him so to do, he presently set all the rest on one side, and he and his son stood on the other side, and he sought to discover the offender by lot. Now the lot appeared to fall upon Jonathan himself”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 11, section 4: do not suppose that thou wast so zealous to kill thy enemy, as thou wast that I should be saved." Accordingly Saul forgave the damsel; but David, when he had escaped this danger, came to the prophet Samuel to Ramah, and told him what snares the king had laid for him, and how he was very near to death by Saul's throwing a spear at him, although he had been no way guilty with relation to him, nor had he been cowardly in his battles with his enemies, but had succeeded well in them all, by God's assistance; which thing was indeed th”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 68b.32:11: Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: And all three of them expounded the same one verse, from which they derived their respective opinions. After Jonathan rebuked his father, Saul, for the way he treated David, the verse states: “Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him: You son of perverse rebellion, do not I know that you have chosen the son of Yishai to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness” (I Samuel 20:30). And it is written: “And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him, whereby Jonathan knew that it had been ”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 68a.32:11: Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: And all three of them expounded the same one verse, from which they derived their respective opinions. After Jonathan rebuked his father, Saul, for the way he treated David, the verse states: “Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him: You son of perverse rebellion, do not I know that you have chosen the son of Yishai to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness” (I Samuel 20:30). And it is written: “And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him, whereby Jonathan knew that it had been ”
Targum Jonathan (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Targum Jonathan, Targum Jonathan on II Samuel 4:8: They brought the head of Ish bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Behold the head of Ish bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought to kill you. The LORD took revenge on Saul and on his seed this day for my lord the king.””
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 16b.11: Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: And all three of them expounded the same one verse, from which they derived their respective opinions. After Jonathan rebuked his father, Saul, for the way he treated David, the verse states: “Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him: You son of perverse rebellion, do not I know that you have chosen the son of Yishai to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness” (I Samuel 20:30). And it is written: “And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him, whereby Jonathan knew that it had been det”
1 Samuel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Samuel 20 (introduction): David complains to Jonathan of Saul's enmity against him; Jonathan comforts him, Sa1 20:1-10. They walk out into the field, and renew their covenant, Sa1 20:11-17. David asks Jonathan's leave to absent himself from Saul's court; and Jonathan informs him how he shall ascertain the disposition of his father towards him, Sa1 20:18-23. David hides himself; is missed by Saul; Jonathan is questioned concerning his absence; makes an excuse for David; Saul is enraged, and endeavors to kill Jonathan, Sa1 20:24-33. Jonathan goes out to the field; gives David th”
1 Samuel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Samuel 19:10: And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with his javelin,.... To strike it through him, and fasten him to the wall with it, as he had attempted before, Sa1 18:11, but he slipped away out of Saul's presence: he perceived his design, and being of great agility of body, moved out of his place before him very nimbly: and he smote the javelin into the wall; he threw it with suck force that it entered into the wall, and stuck there; so great was his resolution to destroy David, and such the rage and passion that he was in, and such his strength of body, and w”
Targum Jonathan (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Targum Jonathan, Targum Jonathan on I Samuel 20:33: But Saul raised his spear against him to hit him, so Jonathan knew that it was decided by his father to kill David.”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Menachot 109b.19: It is human nature that after one ascends to a prestigious position he does not wish to lose it. As evidence of this principle, Saul initially fled from the kingship, as he did not wish to be king, as stated in the verse: “When they sought him he could not be found…Behold he has hidden himself among the baggage” (I Samuel 10:21–22). But when he ascended to the kingship he tried to kill David, who he thought was trying to usurp his authority (see I Samuel, chapters 18–27).”

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