After David killed the giant Goliath, he was brought before King Saul. The king wanted to meet the brave young man who had saved Israel.

Jonathan, son of King Saul, was there. When Jonathan saw David, something extraordinary happened. The Bible says that Jonathan's soul was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

It was immediate love - not romantic love, but brotherly love, deep and true friendship. Jonathan saw in David a spirit similar to his own: courageous, faithful to God, honest.

Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. He took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his armor, even his sword, his bow, and his belt.

David was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul set him over the men of war, and this pleased all the people and also Saul's servants.

But when they were returning from the battle against the Philistines, the women of Israel came out singing and dancing:

These words enraged Saul. His pride was wounded. "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me only thousands! What more can he have but the kingdom?"

From that day on, Saul looked at David with suspicion and envy. Jealousy began to grow in his heart like a weed.

The next day, an evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he raved within his house. David was playing the lyre, as he usually did to calm the king. Saul had his spear in his hand.

Saul hurled the spear, saying, "I will pin David to the wall!" But David evaded him twice.

Saul became afraid of David, because the Lord was with David and had departed from Saul. The king tried to kill David several times, in different ways, but God always protected His chosen one.

The situation worsened. Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

But Jonathan delighted much in David. He was in a difficult position: on one side, his father, the king; on the other, his best friend. Jonathan chose to do what was right.

Jonathan warned David: "Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself."

Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father:

Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore, "As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death."

Jonathan called David and told him all these things. He brought David to Saul, and David was in his presence as before.

But the peace did not last. Soon Saul again tried to kill David. The spear flew again, and David had to truly flee.

David came to Jonathan and said, "What have I done? What is my guilt? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"

Jonathan answered him, "Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. Why should my father hide this from me?"

But David knew the truth: "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.' But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death."

Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you say, I will do for you."

They devised a plan. On the day of the new moon, when David should be at the king's table, he would hide in the field. Jonathan would test Saul's reaction. If Saul became angry, it would mean he really wanted to kill David.

It happened exactly as David feared. When Saul asked about David, Jonathan gave the excuse they had agreed upon. Saul became furious.

Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan. He called him "son of a perverse, rebellious woman" and shouted, "As long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established! Send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die!"

Jonathan answered Saul his father, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"

Then Saul hurled his spear at his own son to strike him! Jonathan saw that his father was determined to kill David.

In the morning, Jonathan went out into the field to the place agreed with David. He took a young boy with him and used the signal they had arranged with arrows to warn that David must flee.

After the boy had gone, David rose from his hiding place. He fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. They kissed one another and wept with one another, but David wept the more.

It was a painful farewell. Two friends who loved each other like brothers, separated by Saul's envy and madness.

Jonathan said to David:

Then David arose and departed. Jonathan went into the city. They did not know it, but this would be practically the last time they would see each other.

David spent years fleeing from Saul, living in caves, in the wilderness, always in danger. But Jonathan never forgot his covenant with David.

Once, when David was hiding, Jonathan went to find him and strengthened his hand in God. He said to him, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this."

And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord.

Jonathan continued to acknowledge that David would be king, and he himself would be only second. What humility! What brotherly love!

Tragically, Jonathan died in battle along with his father Saul, fighting against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa. When David heard, he wept deeply.

David lamented for Saul and for Jonathan, and he taught this lamentation to the people of Judah:

Even after Jonathan's death, David never forgot the covenant they had made. When he became king, David sought out Jonathan's descendants to do good to them, for the love of his friend.

The friendship between David and Jonathan is one of the most beautiful examples of brotherly love in the Bible. Jonathan chose friendship and what was right, even though it meant losing the throne. He protected David at risk to his own life.

And David always honored that friendship, never betrayed Jonathan, never forgot his love.