"But Jonathan, Saul's son delighted much in David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hid thyself: And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field, and I will commune with my father of thee, and what I see I will tell thee. And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father. . . and Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan . . . and Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

Later, another even more aggressive attack was made against David's position, as an outsider who had risen quickly to a position of influence and authority. Again, David and Jonathan met the problem by standing squarely on a platform of affection and trust in each other, for, "Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee... And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul." The plot against David's life deepened until it became dangerous even for them to meet, yet, by ruses of various kinds, they did, until it became so unsafe that they knew they would have to part forever. David must flee for his life. "And they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed forever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city."

We do not have a record that they ever saw each other again. Later, when the news was brought to him that Jonathan had been killed on the battlefield, David lamented: "O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women."

L'envoi

"Or ever the silver cord be loosed,

Or the golden bowl be broken,

Or the pitcher be broken at the fountain,

Or the wheel broken at the cistern.

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was...

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