Jonathan the Friend

John 15:13 (KJV) states, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend." Christ spoke these words to his disciples before he was arrested. Centuries before Jesus made this statement, a friendship of this type had taken place. It is the story of Jonathan and David.

Jonathan became friends with David shortly after he slew Goliath. I Samuel 18:3 records that "Jonathan loved him as his own soul. King Saul, Jonathan’s father, befriended David at first. He even allowed him to eat at the king’s table. But Saul’s feeling changed when he heard a woman sing, "Saul has killed his thousands. David his tens of thousands." I Samuel 18:8.

Saul’s hatred grew to the point that he ordered his men to kill David. But Jonathan pleaded with his father, and things seemed fine once again. Then one day as David was playing his harp in the throne room, Saul attempted to kill him with a javelin. This time David fled to a place called Naioth in Ramah where he meet with Jonathan. The two promised each other that they would always be friends. They also devised a plan to help David escape the wrath of Saul. A time was set where David was to hide in a certain field. Jonathon would shoot three arrows. He would instruct the boy with him how he was to collect the arrows. These instructions would be a coded message for David .

Later that day when David did not show up at the king’s table to eat, Saul did not think much about it. But when he was absent the second day, the king grew suspicious. Jonathan told his father that David had to go to Bethlehem for a family sacrifice. Saul reminded his son that if David lived he would become King of Israel. However he was unable to turn Jonathan against David. The anger of Saul grew that he even attempted to kill his own son with a javelin.

Three days later, Jonathan went to the designated field and shot the three arrows. I Samuel 20:38, "And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make sped, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master." Unknown the boy, David was hiding nearby. Jonathan gave the boy his bow and arrows, and told him to go back to the city. When the boy had left, David came out of hiding. Verse 41 states that David bowed to Jonathan three times. Afterwards they kissed and wept.

David stayed on the run for many years, and God protected him. The Bible records the last meeting the two friends had. I Samuel 23:17 show us that Jonathan was a very unselfish man. ".... and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee." Jonathan realized that he would never become king. He understood that God has chosen David. In verse 18 the two renew their friendship for the last time.

It’s amazing that Saul’s son had a different outlook in life. Before Saul was king he was a godly man. Most likely he taught his son the ways of God. Jonathan was probably a young man when his father was made king. So when Saul turned from God, Jonathan was mature enough to realize his father was doing wrong.

The men in Saul’s family, expect for one, were murdered as the years went by. Mesphiboseth, Jonathan’s son, was spared from God’s wrath. An article about him is coming soon.