John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father , etc.] Observed to him what a good man be was, and what good things he had done, what wisdom and prudence he had shown in the management of all his affairs, what valour and courage in all his expeditions, what faithfulness and integrity to his king and country in every instance: and said unto him, let not the king sin against his servant, against David ; by taking away his life; which would have been a great sin indeed, a sin against the law of God, which forbids murder, and which would have been attended with sad aggravations of cruelty and ingratitude: because he hath not sinned against thee ; had not disobeyed any of his orders, but faithfully served him in everything, and much less ever thought to take away his life, or seize his crown, as he might imagine: and because his works [have been] to thee-ward very good ; by slaying the Philistines, when he and his army were in the utmost terror; by driving away the evil spirit from him, through playing on his harp before him; as well as by commanding his troops, and leading them against the Philistines, and obtaining victory over them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - How forcible are right words! Saul was, for a time, convinced of the unreasonableness of his enmity to David; but he continued his malic against David. So incurable is the hatred of the seed of the serpen against that of the woman; so deceitful and desperately wicked is the heart of man without the grace of God, Jer 17:9.
Original Hebrew וידבר1696 יהונתן3083 בדוד1732 טוב2896 אל413 שׁאול7586 אביו1 ויאמר559 אליו413 אל408 יחטא2398 המלך4428 בעבדו5650 בדוד1732 כי3588 לוא3808 חטא2398 לך וכי3588 מעשׂיו4639 טוב2896 לך מאד׃3966
