February 15 - David and Jonathan

February 15 - David and Jonathan

Just after David slew Goliath (slew is such a great word), Saul decided that David was going to stay with him (1 Samuel 18:1-2). Now remember, Saul has been rejected by the Lord at this point, though he remains King, and Samuel has anointed David. Things are a bit out of whack in the kingdom.

Saul insists that David not return home to his father and at this point, something in David stirred something else in Jonathan's heart. He recognized what an incredible young man this was. 1 Samuel 18:1-4 tells us that Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

The tide had turned by 1 Samuel 19. Saul is out to kill David because he recognized that the Lord who was once with him was no longer, but was now with David. He told Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David, but Jonathan warned him to go into hiding. He then spoke to his father and waited until Saul took an oath, "As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death." (1 Samuel 19:6) David returned to Saul's favor.

It didn't last long. David runs from Saul to hide. He finally found Jonathan and asked "What have I done?" (1 Samuel 20:1) At first Jonathan can't believe that his father would do something so heinous, especially without telling him first. But David convinces him that his father knows the two are close friends and would probably lie to Jonathan. So, they devise a plan to prove whether or not Saul wants to destroy David.

The plan worked too well. Jonathan not only discerned that Saul was prepared to kill David for no good reason, but that Saul was prepared to kill him as well. Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan during a meal. Scripture tells us that he didn't eat because he was so grieved at his father's shameful treatment of David (1 Samuel 20:34).

He met with David and they wept together. Jonathan told him that he should leave and reiterated their sworn friendship. David left and Jonathan returned to his father.

There are two expeditions that Saul leads against David and in both of these David spares his life, while Saul pleads for mercy and forgiveness. We don't see Jonathan in either of these. The next time we see him is at the end of 1 Samuel. The Philistines continued to war against the Israelites. On Mount Gilboa, they killed Jonathan and Saul's other 2 sons, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. When Saul was wounded, he begged his armor bearer to kill him, but when the man was too terrified to do so, Saul fell on his own sword. (1 Samuel 31:1-13)

2 Samuel opens with the news of Saul and Jonathan's death reaching David. The man who wrote the beautiful Psalms sings a lament. He ordered that the men of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (2 Samuel 1:18).

He gave honor to the man who had pursued him and spoke of Jonathan with the love of a man for his brother. "I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women."

It was a love that could not be matched.