I want to tell you a little about Jonathan, a brave warrior and friend of David.
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King Saul's eldest son was called Jonathan, and he was a very brave warrior. David said that Jonathan was faster than an eagle and stronger than a lion. One day, Jonathan saw some Philistine soldiers on a hill. So he said to his squire, the assistant who was carrying his weapons: We will attack them only if God gives us a signal. If the Philistines tell us to go up, we will know that we must attack.
The Philistines shouted: Go up to fight! Then Jonathan and his squire climbed the hill and defeated 20 soldiers.
Since Jonathan was Saul's eldest son, he had to be the king after his father died. But Jonathan knew that God had chosen David to be the next king of Israel, and he did not envy him. Rather, Jonathan and David became very good friends forever. They promised that they would protect and defend each other. To show that they were true friends, Jonathan gave David his tunic, his sword, his bow and his belt.
When David was fleeing from Saul, Jonathan went to see him and said: You have to be strong and courageous. God has chosen you to be the king. Even my father knew it well. Would you like to have a friend as good as Jonathan?
Jonathan risked his life several times to help his friend. He knew that his father, King Saul, wanted to kill David, so he said to him: If you kill David, you will commit a sin. He has not done anything wrong. Saul got very upset with Jonathan. A few years later, Saul and Jonathan died together in a battle. After Jonathan died, David sought out Mephibosheth, who was the son of Jonathan. When he found him, he said: I'll take care of you all your life because your father was a good friend of mine. You will live in my palace and eat with me at my table.
2 Samuel 9
Goodness of David to Mephibosheth
9 David said, "Is there anyone left of the house of Saul, whom I will show mercy for Jonathan's sake?"
2 And there was a servant of the house of Saul, whose name was Siba, whom they called to come to David. And the king said to him: Are you Siba? And he replied: Your servant.
3 The king said to him, "Is there no one left of the house of Saul, to whom I will show mercy to God?" And Ziba answered the king: There is still a son of Jonathan, crippled by the feet.
4 Then the king asked him: Where is he? And Ziba answered the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel from Lodebar.
6 And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face and bowed. And David said: Mephibosheth. And he answered: Behold your servant.
7 David said to him, "Do not be afraid, for I will surely show you mercy for Jonathan your father's sake, and I will restore to you all the lands of Saul your father; and you will always eat at my table.
8 And he bowed down and said, Who is your servant, that you should look upon a dead dog like me?
9 Then the king called Ziba the servant of Saul, and said to him, All that was of Saul and all his house, I have given him to the son of your master.
10 You, then, shall till the fields, you and your sons and your servants, and store the fruits, so that your master's son may have bread to eat; but Mephibosheth your master's son will always eat at my table. And Siba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 And Ziba said unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. Mephibosheth, said the king, will eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.
12 And Mephibosheth had a little son, whose name was Micah. And all the family of the house of Siba were servants of Mephibosheth.
13 And Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, because he ate always at the king's table; and he was crippled on both feet.
And this is my command: that you love one another, as I have loved you. No one has greater love than giving his life for his friends.Juan 15:12-13
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