| International Bible Studies |
LESSON FOR AUGUST 21, 1983
Jonathan and David:
Loyal Friends
KEY VERSE: “Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.” —I Samuel 18:3
SELECTED SCRIPTURE: I Samuel 18:1-4; 19:4-6; 23:15-18; II Sam. 1:26
DAVID made a strong impression on King Saul and his son, Jonathan, as the result of killing the giant, Goliath, with a sling shot. This incident in the life of David is one of the most stirring in the Bible. The Philistines were probably wary of the power of the army of Israel and so they devised the idea that the outcome of the battle should be decided by individual combat between Goliath and the best of Israel’s army. Every day Goliath appeared before the Israelites, hurling his challenge and insults, but, because of his size and strength, no one would accept his challenge. But David with the permission of Saul agreed to fight the Philistine, and as he approached Goliath he said, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand, and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee … that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.”—I Sam. 17:45-47
We know that David did slay the giant but he made certain that the glory went to the Lord, for it was his battle and it was to his glory that the outcome was attributed. It was undoubtedly the courage, humility, and faith displayed by David in this incident that attracted Jonathan to him. In I Samuel 18:1 we read, “And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”
The fame of David spread far and wide, and it came to pass “when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music … and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him, and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?”—I Sam. 18:6-8
Thus was sown in the heart of Saul the seed of bitterness and jealousy. The hateful attitude of Saul toward David became more and more evident, until at last on two occasions he attempted to kill David with a javelin. Finally, David was forced to flee from the face of Saul, and with Jonathan’s help he was able to avoid a confrontation with the king. But Saul’s pursuit of David was relentless and continued over a long period of time. David was able to gather to himself a small band of faithful followers who gladly shared his lot. On one occasion David and his men had hidden in a cave and Saul came into the cave to rest. While the king was asleep, David cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe.
Because of his high regard for the Lord and his arrangements, David was remorseful because he had touched the king who was still the Lord’s anointed, saying, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.” (I Sam. 24:6) Then David called to Saul and said, “Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.”—vs. 10
And when David had finished speaking, Saul was filled with remorse and said to David, “Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil—and now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.”—vss. 17-20
Eventually Saul and Jonathan were killed in the same battle with the Philistines. This opened the way for David to become king of Israel, but the account states that “David lamented … over Saul and over Jonathan his son.”—II Sam. 1:17