David and Jonathan

When I read the passages of 1 Samuel, I felt uneasy to note that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David (1 Sam 18:1). However, when I read the following chapters, I realized that I was being skeptical of their friendship (May God forgives!).

As I read on, I was very touched by the fact that David and Jonathan are both having genuine concern, trust and friendship with each other and of each other's family. The preamble begins with David gaining favour with Saul, after he has defeated Goliath.

1 Sam 18:1-4, NKJV
Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.  

Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.  

And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.

After Samuel the prophet proclaimed judgment of the Lord to Saul, Saul began seeking to kill David. Jonathan secretly informed David and spoke well of David in the presence of Saul and Saul halt his plan to kill David at that moment.

Not long after that, Saul attempted to get rid of David and David ran for his life. When David returned from the first escape with Saul, both David and Jonathan had an argument. Jonathan was defending his integrity and his father – Saul and David was questioning Saul and Jonathan’s actions. Below is the gist of the conversation between David and Jonathan. Here, their covenant with each other was renewed.

1 Sam 20:12-17, NKJVThen Jonathan said to David: “The LORD God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you, may the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan. 

But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the LORD be with you as He has been with my father. And you shall not only show me the kindness of the LORD while I still live, that I may not die; but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the LORD has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the LORD require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 

During a feast, Jonathan noticed that his dad – Saul was determined to kill David and thus Jonathan and David both bid farewell.

1 Sam 20:41b-42, NKJVDavid arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so.  

Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’” 

So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

After David had escaped from Saul’s presence for the second time, Jonathan quietly went to David’s stronghold (1 Sam 23:16-18). Bear in mind that it poses so much risk for Jonathan to trace David’s whereabouts and visited him as his father might kill him along with David. What is more amazing is that Jonathan was even selfless to acknowledge David’s kingship over his father’s and willing to be his “side-kick” (second man)!

Following those events, David being a righteous man and his covenant with Jonathan, he spares Saul twice and became king of Israel. However, the ending of Jonathan was tragic - he was killed along with Saul and siblings during the war with the Philistines. David, being the “brother” of Jonathan mourned and wept and fasted for Saul and for Jonathan. (2 Sam 1:11-12)

Such was the mutual love, care and friendship between Jonathan and David which were seldom heard of in our circles of friends. I urge you therefore, if you have someone who hears you, cares for you genuinely, instead of swaying you away from the truth or influencing you for bad habits, may you strive to work out your friendships with one another.

If indeed anyone has disappointed you/betrayed your trust, would you be willing to be the first to reconcile with the person?

In Him,
Yit Mun (aka IP Man)

Images taken from:

http://fellowshipbatesville.org/wordpress/2011/one-kingdom-one-king/
http://www.thechangeblog.com/become-a-person-people-want-to-be-around/