Jonathan. A son of Saul, noted as a warrior, who befriended David when Saul turned agains him. 1 Sam. chs. 13; 14; 18 to 20.

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Jonathan, the most important son of the first king of Israel, Saul, and David’s bosom friend. Jonathan lived in the second half of the eleventh century b.c. This prince figures in 1 Sam. 13-31, and first appears in chaps. 13-14 as a grownup and commander-in-chief directly under Saul. In his military capacity, Jonathan provoked war with the Philistines, the enemy on the coast, though Israel was weak and badly armed at that time (the Philistines had a monopoly on forged iron). With the outbreak of hostilities, the enemy swept over central Palestine and, to make matters worse, Saul came into conflict with Samuel, the prophet who had anointed him king. However, inspired by the courage of his exceptional trust in God, Jonathan managed to climb what was considered an impregnable rocky mount and eliminated a Philistine watchpost. The psychological shock of this success brought with it a reversal in the battle. Saul, however, became jealous, forfeited the victory on account of excessive religious zeal, and made a scapegoat of his son Jonathan who had severely criticized him. Saul hoped to have his son executed; but at the last moment the soldiers intervened to save Jonathan.

As soon as Jonathan, one round of war later, saw the military prowess of David (who slew Goliath), he acknowledged him as his peer, grew affectionate toward him, and symbolically assigned to him his own rights to the throne. Furthermore, he demonstrated deep friendship and loyalty to David: twice he tried to mediate on his behalf with Saul, the king, and to protect his friend against his father’s jealousy. In so doing, Jonathan risked a breach with his own father. In addition, when David was forced to flee the court, Jonathan concluded a special covenant-pact with him, whom he recognized as God’s chosen one.

In the final battle on Mt. Gilboa where the Philistines settled accounts with Saul’s army, Jonathan did his duty as a warrior and died together with his father. David honored him as a hero and celebrated his noble character and selfless behavior by dedicating the climax of his dirge in 2 Samuel 1 to his friend: ‘Your love to me was wonderful, / passing the love of women.’

Jonathan. Son of King Saul, and devoted friend of Davide, who was to succeed Saul and whom Jonathan protected from his father's jealous wrath (1 Sam. 19:1-7-20:20); Indeed Saul was even jealous of Jonathan's military success agains the Philistines (1 Sam. 14:44). Jonathan and Saul were both killed and David is credited with a poignant lamentation for Jonathan (2 Sam. 25-7).