John Gill Commentary


John Gill Commentary
"Then Saul`s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and unto the shame of thy mother`s nakedness?" — 1 Samuel 20:30 (ASV)
Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan
For giving David leave to go, and for excusing him in this manner.
and he said unto him, you son of the perverse and rebellious [woman] ;
most of the Jewish commentators supply it as we do, but the supplement of woman may as well be left out, and be read, "you son of perverse rebellion" F6 ; you perverse and rebellious wretch, perverse in your temper, and rebellious in your conduct; for the design of the expression is not to reproach his mother, for which there seems no provocation, but Jonathan only; and the next clause confirms it, which expresses a concern for your mother's honour and credit; the Targum is,``an obstinate son, whose rebellion is hard,'' or intolerable; according to which, Abarbinel says, it may refer to David.
do not I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own
confusion, and unto the confusion of your mother's nakedness ?
The above writer observes, that he does not say to his own confusion, because David would not reign in his lifetime, only after his death, but to the shame of Jonathan and his mother;
to Jonathan's shame, who would be reckoned by men an arrant fool, to be so friendly to a rival, and who in all probability would jostle him out of the throne; and what would men say of him? that either he was not fit to reign, or had no right to the throne, that a son-in-law took place before him;
and that your mother had played the whore, and he was no son of Saul, having nothing of his genius, temper, and disposition in him, as appeared by loving such his father hated; and besides, his mother would not have the honour she expected, to be the mother of a king.