שמואל א, פרק כ׳, פסוק מ״א

The final parting between David and Jonathan is a moment charged with intense emotion, marking the peak of a true friendship forced to face a cruel reality. After completing their secret sign involving the arrows, the two friends meet face-to-face for one brief, fateful moment before they must separate. Once Jonathan's servant had returned to the city [מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ], David understood that the surrounding area was finally clear of strangers, allowing him to safely emerge from his hiding place [מצודת דוד, רד"ק]. He rose from the southern side of the stone where he had been concealed. To ensure David remained undiscovered, Jonathan had intentionally shot his arrows toward the north. This clever tactic kept the servant far away from David's hiding spot while he was gathering the arrows [רש"י, מצודת דוד, רד"ק].

Upon emerging, David immediately fell on his face [מצודת דוד] and bowed, expressing his deep gratitude to Jonathan [שטיינזלץ]. He performed this act of respect in a manner fitting for royalty, bowing three distinct times: once from his starting point, a second time halfway there, and a third time right as he reached Jonathan [אברבנאל]. Some see this three-fold bowing as a hidden promise for the future, hinting that three generations of Saul's descendants would be protected from harm [אהבת יהונתן].

Reunited for a fleeting moment, the two friends kissed and wept together [מצודת דוד]. They were overwhelmed by the immense pain of parting [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל], fully aware that they would likely never see each other again [שטיינזלץ]. The primary approach among commentators is that David wept even more than Jonathan. His greater sorrow stemmed from the painful realization that he was now condemned to a life of wandering, hardship, suffering, and relentless persecution [שטיינזלץ].

Alternatively, others explain that David cried out with a loud and powerful voice because he was gripped by a deep fear of Saul. His cries were so loud that Jonathan worried someone nearby might hear them. Because of this danger, Jonathan quickly sent David away in peace. As they parted, Jonathan reminded him that despite the physical distance that would now separate them, God would remain close to them both, serving as an eternal witness to their love and their sworn oath [רלב"ג, מלבי"ם, אברבנאל].