David and Jonathan

“The souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.” — 1 Samuel 18:1

After David beat Goliath, King Saul took him to live at the palace. And Saul’s son, Prince Jonathan, became David’s best friend. They loved each other like brothers.

Jonathan made a promise to David that they would always be friends. Then he took off his own royal robe and gave it to David. He gave him his tunic too, and his sword, and his bow, and his belt.

Jonathan was the king’s son. Everyone expected him to be the next king. But Jonathan could see that God had chosen David, and he wasn’t jealous. He was glad.

King Saul was different. David did everything well, and the people loved him. When the army came home from battle, the women came out dancing and singing, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands!”

Saul was furious. “They give David tens of thousands,” he said, “and me only thousands! What more can he get but the kingdom?” From that day on, Saul was jealous of David and kept a close eye on him.

One day, while David was playing his harp for Saul, Saul threw his spear at David, trying to pin him to the wall! But David dodged it, twice.

Jonathan spoke up for his friend. “Father, don’t do wrong to David,” he said. “He hasn’t done anything wrong to you. He risked his life to kill Goliath, and you were glad.” For a while Saul listened. But then the jealousy came back, and he tried to kill David again.

David went to Jonathan. “What have I done?” he asked. “Why is your father trying to kill me?”

“It can’t be true!” said Jonathan. “I’ll find out, and I’ll tell you.”

So they made a plan. David would hide in a field. Jonathan would find out whether his father still wanted to hurt David. Then Jonathan would come to the field and shoot three arrows, and send a boy to fetch them. If he shouted, “The arrows are on this side of you,” David would know he was safe. But if he shouted, “The arrows are beyond you,” David would know he had to run away.

At the king’s special dinner, Saul noticed David’s empty seat. When Jonathan explained where David was, Saul became so angry that he threw his spear at his own son! Now Jonathan knew. His father really did want to kill David.

The next morning Jonathan went out to the field with a boy. He shot an arrow far beyond the boy, and called out, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you? Hurry! Go quickly!”

When the boy had gone home, David came out of his hiding place. He bowed down to Jonathan three times. Then the two friends hugged each other and cried, David most of all.

“Go in peace,” said Jonathan. “We have both promised in the name of the Lord that we will be friends for ever, and our children after us.”

Then David ran away, and Jonathan went back to the city.

Jonathan could have been jealous, like his father. Instead he was loyal to his friend, even when it cost him the throne. That is what a true friend is like.

Read it in your Bible: 1 Samuel 18:1–16; 19:1–7; 20

Dear God, thank you for my friends. Help me to be a loyal friend, not jealous, and glad when good things happen to other people. Amen.