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 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.

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  &amp;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,