[1] As soon as 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. [2] And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. [3] Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. [4] And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. [1 Samuel 18:1-4 ESV]
Illustration by Gustav Dore (Public Domain)
This passage describes the start of a wonderful friendship between two young men with apparently little in common. It is surprising that Jonathan chose to befriend this young lad who is beginning to look more and more like Israel's next king. Jonathan's father was King Saul who should acted as Israel's champion but he failed miserably. Instead, it was a young man whom nobody had heard of who suddenly appeared out of nowhere and stole the limelight. If Jonathan had been using his head and not his heart, he would have seen the danger signs. They were not hard to see and we just need to read the rest of this chapter to see the threat to Saul which David presented - women are making up songs which portrayed David as a greater hero than King Saul. And Jonathan was the heir who might have been expected to take over as king when his father died. If David is seen as the hero and ultimately the next king, then Jonathan will never inherit the throne of Israel. Saul was horrified at how people were hero-worshiping this young lad from Bethlehem. They were even comparing him to Saul and suggesting that he had had greater military success than the king.
[8] And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” [9] And Saul eyed David from that day on. 1 Samuel 18:8-9 ESV
But Jonathan, the natural heir to the throne of Israel, saw David as a hero and he became a very loyal friend to David. He helped David out of many a tight spot despite the fact that he was risking the anger of a father with a very short fuse. But Jonathan loved David and would not let his personal advancement or mad father get in the way of helping his friend. At the beginning of chapter 18, we have the beginning of a wonderful friendship that is entirely unexpected.
As soon as 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. [1 Samuel 18:1 ESV] I like the reference to knitting - not that I am an expert in that subject. I had a mother who loved to knit and three sisters who were all able to knit. I used to recite as a wee lad - "Knit one, purl one, knit two tog." That is my sum total of expertise in knitting but it is amazing to see that a ball of wool is transformed into a beautiful garment. There was a transformation happened that day in the palace - Jonathan was watching David speaking to Saul and he developed a deep, lasting affection and admiration for him. Please do not allow our modern cynical world to debase this relationship into something sexual and inappropriate.
As I read this story as a young man, I never for a moment suspected that this was a sexual relationship. Times have changed and those who are seeking to legitimise homosexuality capitalise on this Bible story. Are we to suggest that two men cannot be good friends without it being sexual? If you read the story of David in the books of First and Second Samuel, it is clear that David was heterosexual. It was the fact that God had used David for this great victory which first attracted Jonathan to David. There was a deep affection between the two men but that was based on mutual admiration, respect and trust. Jonathan was being illogical and selfless. Jonathan was the heir to the throne and yet he loved David even though David was going to be Israel's next king instead of him. "Love is not selfish," we read in 1 Corinthians 13:5. Jonathan is a good example of taking the lowly place in favour of another. Jonathan had relied on the Lord previously and had won a victory over the Philistines at Michmash (Chapter 14) but he recognised God's hand in David's victory. Jonathan did not feel that his previous victory against the Philistines had been overshadowed by the defeat of Goliath. It is good when we can see God working through another Christian and not feel any resentment or jealousy.
[3] Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. [4] And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. [1 Samuel 18:3-4 ESV]
Jonathan instituted this covenant which was testified in the giving of these gifts to David. This shows that Jonathan's love for David was genuine. This covenant is a promise made before God and these two men appreciated the significance of this. This covenant was for life. This promise was binding and permanent. This is Jonathan handing over his right to be next king to a young man whom God had used to rescue Israel from the shame and disgrace of a public humiliation. Jonathan's conversation with his bitterly jealous and angry father is recorded in the next chapter. He points out that David's victory was beneficial to Saul as well as the nation of Israel. He talks about the selfless courageous action of David - 'he took his life in his hand. He refers to the fact that God used David to bring about the 'salvation' or deliverance of Israel (1 Samuel 19:4-5). This passage shows the real basis for Jonathan's admiration for David which blossomed into genuine friendship.
Are we often more like Saul and less like Jonathan? Do we elevate our own interests to the detriment of genuine friendship? Are we jealous when we see others achieving success - or when we see God using them instead of us? Jonathan is a great example to follow. It is sad that an important lesson in selfless affection is debased and sexualised in today's world.
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