1 Samuel 1:17-27

David’s Love Towards Saul & Jonathan

Even with the death of Saul David remains honourable to his king. He doesn’t say, “Ha! Deserves you right for what you did to me”, instead he remains honourable even to his deceased father-in-law.

2 Samuel 1:23 KJV 1900

Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided: They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.

2 Samuel 1:23–24 KJV 1900

Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided: They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, Who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

Even God himself does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked:

Ezekiel 33:11 KJV 1900

Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

How much more so should we?

Wonderful love of Jonathan

2 Samuel 1:26–27 KJV 1900

I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: Very pleasant hast thou been unto me: Thy love to me was wonderful, Passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, And the weapons of war perished!

2 Samuel 1:

How had we seen Jonathan’s love towards David?

After David’s success against Goliath, we read:

1 Samuel 18:1 KJV 1900

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.

1 Samuel 18:1 KJV 1900

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.

1 Samuel 18:1–4 KJV 1900

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. And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

1 Samuel 18:1,

1 Samuel 18:3 KJV 1900

Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

He helped and protected David, when Saul sought his life:

1 Samuel 19:1–2 KJV 1900

And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:

1 Samuel 19:1 KJV 1900

And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

He spoke good of David to others, especially his father:

1 Samuel 19:4 KJV 1900

And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:

He cared for David:

1 Samuel 20:41–42 KJV 1900

And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 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. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

1 Samuel 20:42 KJV 1900

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. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

He strengthened David in the Lord, when his father pursued:

1 Samuel 23:16 KJV 1900

And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

He was honourable to David, sacrificing his own position:

1 Samuel 23:17–18 KJV 1900

And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

1 Samuel

1 Samuel 23:17 KJV 1900

And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

How had Jonathan’s love toward David surpassed the love of women?

The bond between the two was very strong as Scripture reiterates several times regarding their soul being knit together, and it certainly was not sexual as some would like us to think.

There are a couple of points to note about how Jonathan had loved David exceeded the “love of women”:

In those days marriages were pre-arranged. Saul even offered his daughter Michal upon David achieving a great feat (100 foreskins of the Philistines); and

David did not obey the Lord in having only one wife for life - in contrast to Saul who appears to have only had one wife. David perhaps didn’t appreciate the true love of a wife as by this time had three wives (even though Michal had been given away - ).