Saul was appeased by these words of Jonathan, and swore that David should not be slain. And Jonathan brought David again into his father’s presence, and Saul was gracious to him as he had been before. At this time, however, war was renewed against the Philistines, and David went out against them and defeated them with great slaughter.
Then the evil spirit came back upon Saul, who tried to pierce David with his spear as he played upon the harp; but David warded off the blow and fled. Jonathan, however, took occasion once again to speak to his father in behalf of David. But Saul was angry and blamed his son for his affection for the son of Isai, who was supplanting him with the people.
He told Jonathan that so long as David lived, he could have no hope of ascending the throne. “Therefore now presently send and fetch him to me, for he is the son of death.” Jonathan asked: “Why shall he die? What hath he done?” And Saul, being enraged at Jonathan, took his spear to strike him. But Jonathan escaped and fled to David’s hiding-place, in order to warn him against returning to the court. The two friends then embraced each other, wept together, and before parting, renewed their vow of friendship in the name of God.
COMMENTARY.
Envy. Saul was avowedly the tallest man in Israel, but he had not the courage to face Goliath, because he had no confidence in God. He ought to have been all the more grateful to David for freeing him and all Israel from this proud and overbearing enemy. But because the people praised David more than they praised himself, he allowed a hateful envy to take possession of his heart. From this time he disliked him, and was suspicious and distrustful of the noble-minded David. See how ungrateful and unjust envy makes a man!
True friendship. David and Jonathan were knit together by a real, true, noble friendship. Jonathan loved David for his good qualities, his piety, courage, modesty &c. He loved him “as his own soul”, though he knew that David, and not he, was destined to succeed Saul as king. He remained true to his friend in his adversity, and did everything that he could to help him. David responded with all his heart to the love of the king’s son. When Jonathan died, David tore his clothes for grief, wept bitterly and expressed his sorrow in the most moving words. A true and noble friend is a great treasure; therefore Holy Scripture says: “Nothing can be compared to a faithful friend,
