Reference: Jonathan
Hastings
1. A Levite, the 'son' of Gershom (wh. see); according to Jg 18:30 he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan up to the Captivity. Jonathan was taken into the service of Micah as 'father and priest' (Jg 17:10); but, not long after he had taken up his abode there, six hundred Danites came that way and induced Jonathan to leave Micah and join them as their priest (Jg 18:11-31). 2. The eldest son of Saul; he appears, in the first instance, as a brave and successful leader in battle. 1Sa 13; 14 contain a graphic account of the way in which the Israelites threw off the Philistine yoke; in this campaign Jonathan took a leading part. He first of all, at the head of a thousand men, smote the Philistine garrison in Geba; this was the signal for the outbreak of war. The Philistine army gathered together and encamped in Michmash. Jonathan, accompanied only by his armour-bearer, at great risk surprised an advanced post of the Philistines, and slew about twenty men; the suddenness and success of this coup so terrified the Philistines that the whole host of them fled in panic. The popularity of Jonathan is well illustrated by the fact that the people prevented Saul from carrying out a vow which would have cost Jonathan his life (1Sa 14:24-46). The implicit trust which Saul placed in Jonathan is seen in the words of the latter in 1Sa 20:2 : 'Behold my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me.' The faithfulness and trustworthiness of Jonathan as here shown gives an insight into what must have been that friendship for David which has become proverbial. All the characteristics of truest friendship are seen in Jonathan in their full beauty
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Micah said: Stay here with me. Be my adviser and priest. I will give you ten pieces of silver a year along with some clothes, and your food.
Six hundred men from the tribe of Dan left Zorah and Eshtaol, ready for war. They went up and camped west of Kiriath Jearim in Judah. That is why the place is still called Camp of Dan. read more. They went from there to Micah's house in the mountains of Ephraim. The five men who had gone to spy on the country around Laish said to their companions: Did you know that here in one of these houses there is a wooden idol covered with silver? There are also other idols and an ephod. Consider what you should do. They went into Micah's house, where the young Levite lived. They greeted the Levite. The six hundred soldiers from the tribe of Dan, ready for battle, stood at the gate. The five spies went straight into the house. They took the wooden idol covered with silver, the other idols, and the ephod. The priest stayed at the gate with the six hundred armed men. The men went into Micah's house and took the sacred objects. The priest asked them: What are you doing? They told him: Be quiet. Do not say a word. Come with us and be our priest and adviser. Is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one man, or to be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel? This filled the priest with joy. He took the sacred objects and went along with them. They turned around and started off, with their children, their livestock, and their belongings going ahead. They traveled a good way from the house when Micah gathered his neighbors for battle. They caught up with the Danites. They shouted at them. The Danites turned around and asked Micah, What is the problem? Why have you gathered such a company? Micah answered: What do you mean? You take my priest and the gods that I made, and walk off! What do I have left? The Danites responded: Do not say anymore or these men will get angry and attack you. You and your whole family would die. The Danites went on their way. Micah saw that they were too strong for him, so he went back home. They took the things Micah made and the priest who belonged to him and attacked Laish. Laish was a town of peaceful, quiet people in the same valley as Bethrehob. They killed the inhabitants and burned the town. There was no one to save them, because Laish was a long way from Sidon, and they had no dealings with any other people. The Danites rebuilt the town and settled down there. They changed its name from Laish to Dan, after their ancestor Dan, the son of Jacob. The Danites set up the idol to be worshiped, and Jonathan, the son of Gershom and grandson of Moses, served as a priest for the Danites. His descendants served as their priests until the people were taken away into exile.
The Danites set up the idol to be worshiped, and Jonathan, the son of Gershom and grandson of Moses, served as a priest for the Danites. His descendants served as their priests until the people were taken away into exile. Micah's idol remained there as long as the Tent where God was worshiped was at Shiloh.
And all the people were with Saul. There were about twenty thousand men. The fight was general through all the mountains of Ephraim. Saul made a great error that day. He put the people under an oath, saying: Let that man be cursed who eats any food before evening. I have taken vengeance on my enemies. So the people did not eat. All the people came to the forest. There was honey on the ground. The bees had gone from it. read more. When the people entered the woods, the honey was flowing. But no one put his hand to his mouth. The people were afraid of violating their oath. Jonathan had not heard that his father forced the people to take an oath. So he stretched out the tip of the staff he had in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. When he put it to his mouth his eyes lit up. Then one of the people told him: Your father forced the people to take a solemn oath, saying: 'Cursed is anyone who eats food today.' That is why the people were exhausted. Jonathan answered: My father brought trouble to the country. See how my eyes lit up when I tasted a little of this honey? If only the people had eaten some of the enemies' food they found today. We would have killed more Philistines. That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, but the people were thoroughly exhausted. They grabbed the food they had captured from the Philistines and started eating. They even killed sheep and cows and calves right on the ground and ate the meat without draining the blood. Someone told Saul: The army is disobeying Jehovah by eating meat before the blood drains out. You are right, Saul answered. They are being unfaithful to Jehovah! Hurry! Roll a big rock over here. Then tell everyone in camp to bring their cattle and lambs to me. They can kill the animals on this rock and then eat the meat. That way no one will disobey Jehovah by eating meat with blood still in it. That night the people brought their cattle over to the big rock and killed them there. It was the first altar Saul had built for offering sacrifices to Jehovah. Saul said: Let us attack the Philistines again while it is still dark. We can fight them all night. Let us kill them and take everything they own! The people answered: We will do whatever you want. Ahijah the priest said: Wait! Let us ask God what we should do. Saul asked God: Should I attack the Philistines? Will you help us win? This time God did not answer. Saul called his army officers together and said: We have to find out what sin has kept God from answering. I promise by the living Jehovah, who gives Israel victory, that the guilty one will be put to death, even if he is my son Jonathan. But no one said anything. Then Saul said to them: All of you stand over there. Jonathan and I will stand over here. Do whatever you think best, they answered. Saul said to Jehovah the God of Israel, give a perfect lot. Jonathan and Samuel were taken, but the people escaped. Then Saul said: Cast lots to decide between my son Jonathan and me. And Jonathan was indicated. Then Saul asked Jonathan: What have you done? Jonathan answered: I ate a little honey with the stick I was holding. Here I am. I am ready to die. Saul said: May God strike me dead if you are not put to death! But the people said to Saul: Will Jonathan, who won this great victory for Israel, be put to death? No! We promise by the living Jehovah that he will not lose even a hair from his head. What he did today was done with God's help. So the people saved Jonathan from being put to death. After that, Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines. The Philistines went back to their own territory.
David finished talking to Saul. Jonathan became David's closest friend. He loved David as much as he loved himself.
He said to him: It will not happen. You will not die! My father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!
He said to him: It will not happen. You will not die! My father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!
As Jehovah God of Israel is my witness, Jonathan continued, I will find out in the next two or three days how my father feels about you. If he does feel kindly toward you I will send someone to tell you.
David hid there in the field. It was the New Moon Festival. Saul sat down to eat. He ate by the wall, just as he always did. Jonathan sat across from him. Abner sat next to him. But David's place was empty. read more. Saul was in deep thought. So he did not say anything that day. Something must have happened to make David unfit to be at the Festival. Yes, something must have happened. David's place was still empty the day after the New Moon Festival. Saul asked Jonathan: Why has that son of Jesse not come to eat with us? He was not here yesterday, and he still is not here today! Jonathan answered Saul: David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem. David said to me: 'Please let me go, since our family must make a sacrifice in the city. My brother has commanded me to attend. If I have found favor in your sight, please let me get away that I may see my brothers.' For this reason he has not come to the king's table.' Saul got angry with Jonathan and he said, You are Son of a crooked and rebellious woman Jonathan! I know you have sided with Jesse's son, Saul accused. You have no shame. You act as if you are your mother's son not mine. As long as Jesse's son lives on earth, neither you nor your right to be king is secure. Send some men to bring him to me. He is a dead man! Jonathan asked his father: Why should he be killed? What has he done? Saul threw his spear at Jonathan and tried to kill him. Then Jonathan was sure that his father really did want to kill David. Jonathan was angry that his father had insulted David. He got up and left the table. He did not eat anything all that day.
I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan. You were dear to me! How wonderful was your love for me. It was better than the love of women.
He also said to Zadok: You are a seer, are you? Take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan and go back to the city in peace.
Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En Rogel. They could not risk being seen coming into the city. A servant girl was to go and tell them. They were to go and tell King David. A young man saw Jonathan and Ahimaaz and told Absalom. So both of them left quickly. They went to the home of a man in Bahurim who had a cistern in his courtyard. They climbed down into it. read more. The man's wife took a covering and spread it over the opening of the cistern. She scattered grain over it so that no one would notice anything. Absalom's officials came to the house and asked the woman: Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? She answered: They crossed the river. The men looked for them but could not find them. So they returned to Jerusalem.
The sons of Jada, Shammai's brother: Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children.
These were all the commanders in charge of King David's property: for the royal treasuries, Azmaveth, son of Adiel for the goods in the fields, cities, villages, and watchtowers- Jonathan, son of Uzziah
David's uncle Jonathan, an educated man who possessed insight, was David's adviser. Jonathan and Jehiel, son of Hachmoni, were in charge of the king's sons.
And of the sons of Adin, Ebed, the son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males.
Only Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, the son of Tikvah, were against this, Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.
The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were listed as heads of families; and the priests, when Darius the Persian was king.
Some of the priests' sons with wind instruments; Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph,
The officials were so angry with Jeremiah that they beat him and put him in prison in the scribe Jonathan's house, which had been turned into a prison. Jeremiah went into a prison cell, and he stayed there a long time. read more. Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah, and the king asked him privately in the palace: Is there any message from Jehovah? Jeremiah answered: Yes! There is a message from Jehovah. You will be handed over to the king of Babylon. Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah: What crime have I committed against you, your administrators, or these people? Why have you put me in prison? Where are the prophets who told you that the king of Babylon would not attack you and this land? Your Majesty, please listen, and accept my plea for mercy. Do not return me to the scribe Jonathan's house, or I will die there.
Just tell them you were begging me not to send you back to prison to die there.
These are the commanders who went with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophah, and Jezaniah, who was the son of a man from Maacah.