Jonathan the son of Saul

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Probably the most prominent Jonathan in the Bible. Despite losing right to the throne to David, he was knit to the soul of David and strengthened his hand in the LORD. He died at his father's side.

Jonathan trusts in the LORD and strengthens others' faith, to the detriment of his relationship with his father. His first recorded boldness is going into a Philistine camp with only his armor-bearer and ultimately winning that battle, for God can save by a few. He ate of forest honey without knowing of his father's rash vow for his soldiers to fast or be cursed, but when lots revealed his guilt, the people ransomed his life.

He met David when he claimed victory over Goliath and loved him immediately. He made a covenant and gave him his robe and equipment. Saul kept nothing from him, so he warned David to flee when he ordered his death. When David returns, Jonathan believes in the repentance of his father, but is eventually convinced otherwise. Saul even degrades him and his mother at a meal. Ultimately, Jonathan understood God was sending David away, though, despite his attempts to esteem David in Saul's presence, and kissed him and wept together and said their good-byes. The Bible only records one more time that they meet - when he comes out to David the refugee in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh to strengthen his hand in the LORD.

His father's disobedience leads to his kingdom being taken away and his death by the Philistines. His body was fastened to the wall in Beth-shan and recovered by Jabesh-gilead to be burned and his bones buried under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh.

Life

Jonathan takes initiative in battle

While Saul led 2 thousand troops at Michmash and Bethel, he led a thousand in Gibeah. He defeated the Philistine garrison at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. (1 Samuel 13:2-3)

When the people were scattering from Gilgal, Jonathan stayed with Saul and 600 other men in a camp at Geba. The day of the battle, no one but Saul and Jonathan had proper weapons. (1 Samuel 13:8-22)

Without telling Saul who was hiding in Migron, he went with his armor-bearer to the Philistine garrison, for God can save by a few. His armor-bearer obliged him to do all that was in his heart. He declared their sign would be if they call them up to them, which happened, so they went up and killed 20 within half a furrow's length in an acre of land. Then the earth quaked, and the camp panicked. Saul noticed and ordered a count and discovered their absence and soon initiated battle, chasing the Philistines beyond Beth-aven and rallying defectors and Hebrews in hiding. The LORD saved Israel. (1 Samuel 14:1-23)

Saul's rash vow threatens Jonathan's life

The Israelites came to a forest with honey on the ground, and Jonathan ate from the tip of his staff, brightening his eyes. He was informed Saul had cursed the man who eats, and he replied that Saul troubled the land, denying them the pick-me-up of the honey. The Israelites chased the Philistines to Aijalon, and Saul asked God whether he should pursue further, though God was silent. Saul cast Urim and Thummim to determine guilt, ultimately getting Jonathan to confess to eating honey and offer his life, which Saul accepted. But the people ransomed him. (1 Samuel 14:24-45)

The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David as he finished speaking to Saul after his victory over Goliath. He made a covenant with David and gave him the robe he was wearing and his armor, sword, bow, and his belt. (1 Samuel 18:1-5)

Jonathan defends David's life from Saul

Saul told Jonathan and all his servants that they should kill David. Jonathan warned David to be on his guard in the morning and hide in a secret place. As Saul was in the field where David was hiding, he pleaded that David is innocent and has brought good to Saul and the LORD's salvation to Israel by killing Goliath. Saul swore, "As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death." Jonathan reported this and brought David back to Saul's presence. (1 Samuel 19:1-10)

Jonathan's arrows

David returned to Jonathan from Naioth and asked what his guilt was that Saul should kill him. Jonathan had heard nothing, but Saul wouldn't grieve his son by telling him. David planned with Jonathan to not come to the table with the king and to hide in the field. If Saul misses him, Jonathan should tell him he went to sacrifice in Bethlehem and gauge his reaction. But David asked if there is sin in him, for Jonathan to kill him himself. Jonathan asked for harm to be brought on him if he doesn't help David, otherwise to love his house forever when the LORD cuts off all David's enemies. On the third day, he planned to shoot 3 arrows to the side of his stone heap hiding place, send a boy after them, and call either to take the arrows or that the arrows are beyond him. David hid himself at new moon, didn't come to the table unnoticed, was noticed by Saul the next day, Jonathan told him of the sacrifice, and Saul was angry. He called Jonathan a shameful son of a perverse woman for choosing David, for he cannot become king as long as David lives. Jonathan asked what David had done to deserve death. Saul hurled his spear at him. Jonathan rose from the table without eating and left. Jonathan left without eating. The next morning, he shot his arrows and told his boy, "Is not the arrow beyond you?" and "Hurry! Be quick! Do not stay!" then sent the boy to town with the weapons. David rose, fell on his face, bowed three times, and they kissed and wept together, having sworn the LORD be between them and their offspring forever. David left and Jonathan went into the city. (1 Samuel 20)

When Saul was pursing David for harm, and David was fleeing in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh, Jonathan rose and went to him and strengthened his hand in God. He said, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this." The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Jonathan returned home. (1 Samuel 23:15-18)

Saul also has David swear not to cut off his offspring nor destroy the name of Saul from his father's house when he becomes king. (1 Samuel 24:21)

Samuel, raised by the medium of En-dor, told Saul that he and his sons shall be with him tomorrow, because he did not carry out His fierce wrath against Amalek. (1 Samuel 28)

Israel fled before Philistines on Mount Gilboa. Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua were killed, and Saul and his armor-bearer fell upon their own swords. The next day, the Philistines came to strip the slain and found Saul and his sons dead. They cut off Saul's head, stripped his armor, sent messengers throughout Philistia to carry news to the house of their idols and the people, and put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth and fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. The people of Jabesh-gilead heard this, went all night to take the body of Saul and his sons and came to Jabesh to burn them there. Their bones were buried under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and they fasted 7 days.

(1 Samuel 31)

David learns of Jonathan's death

3 days after David returned to Ziklag, a man with clothes torn and dirt on his head came and fell on the ground and paid homage to David, saying he escaped from the Israel camp. David asked how the battle went, and he said the people fell and Saul and Jonathan died. He asked how this man knew, and by chance, he happened to be there when Saul was dying and delivered the mercy blow himself. He did not speak further of Jonathan, though.

David and his men mourned and fasted until evening for Saul, Jonathan, and the people of the LORD and the house of Israel. David learned the man was the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.

In the Song of the Bow or the Lament of the Bow Saul David sings, "Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! / In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions." and "Jonathan lies slain on your high places. / I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; / very pleasant have you been to me; / your love to me was extraordinary, / surpassing the love of women. (2 Samuel 1)

(2 Samuel 1)

David shows kindness for Jonathan's son

Through Jonathan, Mephibosheth remained of Saul's house. David elevated him, giving him back all that belonged to Saul, having Saul's servant Ziba's family serve him, and allowing him to always at his table like a king's son. He did this out of kindness, for Jonathan's sake. (2 Samuel 9)

Jonathan's oath saves the life of his son

During a 3-year famine, King David sought the LORD and learned of the bloodguilt of Saul's house against the Gibeonites. They asked for 7 of Saul's sons to hang in Gibeah of Saul, but David spared Mephibosheth because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

Rizpah's unrelenting care for her sons' hanged bodies motivated David to gather Saul, Jonathan, and his sons' bones and bury them in the land of Benjamin in Zela in the tomb of Kish.

(2 Samuel 21:1-14)