Purpose: To encourage class members to be true to their friends, as Jonathan and David were, and avoid being consumed by jealousy and hatred, as Saul was.
Jeffrey R. Holland, “Real Friendship,” New Era, Jun 1998, 62
David and Jonathan
Aristotle said once that friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies. No definition of friendship could better describe the relationship of David and Jonathan in the Old Testament. Jonathan, the son of King Saul, was a valiant soldier in his own right and a worthy young prince in Israel. But when David came onto the scene fresh from his mighty victory over Goliath, having already been anointed by the prophet Samuel, it was he, not Jonathan, who would be successor to the increasingly disobedient Saul.
To a lesser man—or a lesser friend—than Jonathan, David would have been a terrible threat, a natural rival. But he wasn’t. We don’t know that Jonathan expected to succeed his father as king, but he certainly could have foreseen that possibility. What we do know is that “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul” (1 Sam. 18:1). So great was their devotion to one another that they “made a covenant” of loyalty. As a symbolic token of his devotion to the newly anointed king, Jonathan stripped himself of the princely robe he wore “and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle” (1 Sam. 18:4).
When Saul’s transgressions brought hostility between him and young David (“and Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul” the scripture says), Saul privately commanded his officers to kill David (1 Sam. 18:12). But the ever-faithful Jonathan warned his friend, helped him hide out of Saul’s view, and continually spoke to his father of David’s virtues. He was so successful in praising David that Saul repented and made a vow that David’s life would be preserved. “And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past” (1 Sam. 19:7).
But Saul was so overcome by evil at this stage of his life that he could not keep his word and once again tried to kill David. In a daring escape David fled to Jonathan, who again pledged his love and his protection, saying to David, “Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee” (1 Sam. 20:4).
Jonathan’s protection of David, of course, raised Saul’s anger against his own son. In a rage Saul threw a javelin at Jonathan—just as he had done to David earlier. Jonathan escaped, telling David he must flee for his life. Their sorrow over this circumstance was so deep and their love for one another so great that they “wept one with another, … And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever” (1 Sam. 20:41–42).
Although Saul continued to seek David’s life, Jonathan secretly assisted David and gave him encouragement, promising that “the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee” (1 Sam. 23:17). And always they renewed their covenant of friendship and loyalty (see 1 Sam. 23:18).
Unfortunately Jonathan was killed when the Philistines attacked Saul’s forces on Mount Gilboa, but David, who was now king, never forgot the friendship and protection of his beloved friend Jonathan. His lamentation over Jonathan’s death is one of the loveliest psalms in the Old Testament (see 2 Sam. 1:26–27).
1 Samuel 18–20; 23–24
Study the following scriptures:
a. 1 Samuel 18:1–16. Jonathan and David make a covenant of friendship (18:1–4). David is honored by the Israelites for his success in battle (18:5–7). Saul becomes jealous of David and tries to kill him (18:8–16; note that the Joseph Smith Translation of verse 10 indicates that the evil spirit that came upon Saul was not from God).
b. 1 Samuel 18:17–30; 19:1–18. David fights the Philistines in exchange for the right to marry Saul’s daughter, unaware that Saul is hoping David will die in battle (18:17–25). David triumphs over the Philistines and marries Saul’s daughter Michal (18:26–28). Jonathan tells David to hide and tries to convince Saul not to kill him (19:1–7). Saul fails in another attempt to kill David (19:9–10). Michal saves David from another of Saul’s attempts on his life (19:11–18).
c. 1 Samuel 20. Jonathan and David renew their covenant of friendship and peace. When Saul again tries to kill David, Jonathan warns David.
d. 1 Samuel 23–24. David continues to fight the Philistines and flee Saul. David finds Saul and spares his life.
• Why do you think Jonathan was not jealous of David or threatened by him? (1 Samuel 18:1, 3.)
• What prompted Saul to turn against David? (See 1 Samuel 18:6–9.) Why is it sometimes difficult to be happy about the success of others? How do jealousy and pride affect our spiritual well-being?
• How did faith in God influence the friendship of Jonathan and David? (See 1 Samuel 20:23.) How does our love of God affect our love of others?
• What does David’s example teach us about revenge? (See 1 Samuel 24:6–15.)
Additional reading: 1 Samuel 14:1–16; 2 Samuel 1.
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