David and Jonathan
After David had finished talking with Saul one night, he went to talk with Jonathan, Saul’s son. They had known each other since David came to the area, as David had entered into Saul’s house and played the harp to keep Saul calm. David and Jonathan’s relationship had grown from just friends to something more. They spent as much time as they could together when David was not training or running errands for Saul. It was difficult for Jonathan to see his father pay as much attention to David as he did and to see how much Saul depended on David to keep him calm. Jonathan knew that this would lead to problems if Saul ever figured out what the two of them had together. The love that they shared was greater than any either of them had experienced before or even knew could exist.
With the exhilaration of the defeat of Goliath behind him, David sought to show his love for Jonathan. And thus, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. This covenant was witnessed by the Lord and the Lord gave his approval for their relationship. As a sign of his love, Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. They knew that they must keep their relationship hidden from Saul, for Saul did not want anything distracting David.
After David slew Goliath, Saul held him in much higher regard. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house, giving David and Jonathan more time to spend with each other. David’s military prowess continued to impress Saul and the rest of the Israelites. Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul's officers as well. When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. As they danced, they sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. He sought to control David’s actions such that he could keep him from gaining more favor with the Israelites. Saul paid close attention to David’s actions when David was not with Saul.
As time went on, Saul grew suspicious of David’s relationship with Jonathan. He suspected that it was something more than a friendship and did not want it to continue for it meant that David would not be solely loyal to himself. He saw David as his rival with regards to the Israelites. Jonathan and David soon realized that Saul had found out about their relationship and feared that Saul would take action against David. Saul would not harm his own son, but his jealousy of David could overtake him.
One night, Saul decided to take action against David. An evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp, Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape and fled to Jonathan.
David sought solace in his lover Jonathan, attempting to determine why Saul desired to kill him. He went to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to take my life?”
Jonathan replied, “He thinks you are his rival; he knows that the Israelites favor you and he knows that you favor me more than him. But he has not said anything to me, for he must know that I would tell you.”
David took an oath and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.’ Yet as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.”
Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I'll do for you. I love you”
David said, “Please, make a covenant such that my enemies will be revealed.” So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David's enemies to account.” And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.
Jonathan returned to the house while David stayed hidden so Saul could not find him. Saul questioned Jonathan about where he had been and where David was. Jonathan pleaded that he did not know, but Saul did not believe him and he became enraged.
Saul's anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don't I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he must die!”
“Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” Jonathan asked his father. But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David in his jealousy. Jonathan became very angry with his father over this and stayed away from Saul for the next three days.
David and Jonathan had decided to meet on the fourth day, in the morning.
Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together-but David wept the most. They knew that they would have to part ways for Saul was going to kill David in his rage and jealousy.
Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn love with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’” Then David fled Judah, and Jonathan went back to the town.
Many months passed and the two thought of each other daily. One day, a fellow villager in the town where David lived told him that the Philistines had killed the king and his family. David realized that Jonathan was most likely dead; he traveled back to Judah to mourn for his lost love.
David wept for the loss of his lover. Even though he had not seen Jonathan for many months, the loss affected him deeply. He fell to his knees, prayed to the Lord, and cried out, “I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.”