Tokonaki Tisema 18, 2021
the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David
pea pīkitai ‘a e loto ‘o Sonatane ki he loto ‘o Tēvita
1 Samiuela 18 (1 Samuel 18)
(v. 1-4) PEA ‘i he ‘osi leva ‘ene fakatau folofola kia Saula, pea pīkitai ‘a e loto ‘o Sonatane ki he loto ‘o Tēvita, pea ‘ofa ‘a Sonatane kiate ia ‘o hangē ko ‘ene mo‘ui ‘a‘ana. Pea puke ‘e Saula ‘a Tēvita ‘i he ‘aho ko ia, ‘o ‘ikai te ne tuku ke foki ki he ‘api ‘o ‘ene tamai. Pea hanga ‘a Sonatane ‘o fai fuakava mo Tēvita, koe‘uhi na‘a ne ‘ofa kiate ia ‘o hangē ko ‘ene mo‘ui ‘a‘ana. Pea hu‘ihu‘i ‘e Sonatane ‘a e kofu tōtōlofa kuo ne ‘ai, ‘o ne ‘ange kia Tēvita, pea mo hono ngaahi kofu tau, ‘io, mo ‘ene heletā, mo ‘ene kaufana, mo hono no‘o.
(v. 1-4) Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible
Here, in the account of Jonathan and David, begins one of the most perfect stories of love and friendship in the world. The story is all the more beautiful because of its dark background. Love is in itself essentially beautiful, but its richest colors appear only in shadow and difficulty.
In the account of the beginning of this friendship, it would seem that Jonathan's love for David came first. Indeed, it is questionable whether the story does not redound more to the credit of Jonathan than to David's. Jonathan seems to have been without selfishness. He was the son of Saul, and his friendship for and loyalty to, David, was a sacrifice of his right to the succession.
Coincident with the commencement of this friendship, the hatred of Saul for David seems to have deepened, and become more dangerous to David. He became afraid of David. The reason for this is very revealing: "Jehovah was with David, and was departed from Saul."
There is nothing more common or sadder than the jealousy of the sinful and unsuccessful of those who are blessed and succeed. Saul's hatred manifested itself in wicked schemes to rid himself of his rival.
David Guzik :: Study Guide for 1 Samuel 18
When David finished the “after-killing-Goliath” conversation with Saul, his fame in Israel was assured. He performed a remarkably heroic deed and was initially welcomed by the leadership of Israel.
The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul: Jonathan, the son of Saul, appeared before in 1 Samuel 14. He is the remarkably brave man of faith who initiated a one-man war against the Philistines.
Jonathan was a lot like David. They were approximately the same age, though Jonathan was probably at least five years older. They both were bold, both were men of great trust in God, and both were men of action. Most of all, both had a real relationship with God.
At the same time, Jonathan and David were different. Jonathan was the first-born son of a king (1 Chronicles 9:39) and David was the last-born son of a farmer. This made Jonathan more than a prince, he was the crown prince. By everyone’s expectation Jonathan would be the next king of Israel.
The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David: This happened after David had finished speaking to Saul. Jonathan heard David give an extended explanation of his heart, his faith in the living God, and Jonathan knew that he and David had the same heart. They could not be such close friends until Jonathan knew that about David.
The way most people think, Jonathan was the one who had the most to fear from David’s success. Yet he loved David, because what they had in common – a real relationship with the Lord God – was bigger than any difference.
Saul took him that day: David would never again be just a shepherd. David still had a shepherd’s heart, but would be more than a shepherd.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant: Two men, each on track for the same throne – yet they made a covenant of friendship that would prove stronger than jealousy, than envy, than ambition.
Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt: When Jonathan gave David the robe and his armor, he said by this action, “You will be the next king of Israel. You should be dressed and armed as the crown prince. God’s hand is on you and these rightfully belong to you.” Because Jonathan was surrendered to God he could see the hand of the Lord upon David. He knew David’s destiny and was perfectly willing to set aside his ambition to honor the Lord’s choice.
Gave it to David: For his part, David received the robe and Jonathan’s armor. But he did not then say or think, “Good Jonathan. We all see who is boss around here. Now get out of my way because I’m going to replace your father as soon as I can.” It would be some 20 years until David would receive the throne of Israel and replace Saul. If Jonathan was ready to recognize David as God’s choice for the next king, David was willing to let God put him on the throne, and to do it in God’s timing. Both of these men were thoroughly submitted to the Lord.
David couldn’t receive Saul’s armor but David received Jonathan’s armor, not only because they were more similar in size. More importantly, they shared the same soul. They both loved God and lived more for Him and for others more than for themselves. David and Jonathan both knew that if the circumstances were reversed, David would do the exact same thing for Jonathan – because they had the same soul.
If the issue of “who will be the next king?” were not settled in the hearts of Jonathan and David, they could never have had this kind of close love and friendship. They loved each other more than the throne of Israel because they loved the Lord more than the throne of Israel.
Some people read a homosexual relationship into the love between David and Jonathan. They suppose that two men cannot love each other without it being something the Bible clearly says is immoral. But the relationship between David and Jonathan shows the Bible doesn’t condemn real love between men, only a sexual relationship between men.
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