| Church School Lesson: A Forever Bond |
"A Forever Bond"
June 21, 202 6
Background: 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 19:1-7; 20:1-42; 2 Samuel 1:17-27; 21:7
Print: 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 20:16-17, 32-34, 42; 2 Samuel 1:26-27; 21:7
1 Samuel 18:1-4 (ESV)
1 As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2 And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house.
3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.
1 Samuel 20:16-17 (ESV)
16 And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD take vengeance on David’s enemies.”
17 And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
1 Samuel 20:32-34 (ESV)
32 Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.
34 And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him.
1 Samuel 20:42 (ESV)
42 Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.
1 Samuel Chapters 18 & 20; 2 Samuel Chapter 1 (Commentary)
18:1-5 The person who loved David the most was Saul’s oldest son and heir, Jonathan. We don’t know when Jonathan realized that David, not he, would be Israel’s next king (see 20:14-15). But, even in these early days, he fully supported David by making a covenant of close friendship with him (18:3). If Jonathan did not yet know that God had rejected his father, the events in the chapters that follow would make it abundantly clear.
The fact that Saul kept David with him from the day he defeated Goliath means that David became a permanent leader in the army (18:2). Saul could see that David was a capable and courageous warrior and that the whole army was in awe of him. So, he put David in command of the fighting men. This pleased everyone because God was making David successful in everything (18:5).
20:10-23 Jonathan came up with a plan to alert David about his father’s reaction. The plan, laid out in 20:11-23, was very simple. The key verses are 14–16, in which Jonathan expressed to David his awareness that David would not only live, but also inherit the kingdom from Saul someday and see all of his enemies obliterated. There is an element of sadness in Jonathan’s words: if I die, don’t ever withdraw your kindness from my household (20:14-15). By this point, Jonathan clearly understood that his father was under God’s judgment. Though he was the king’s son, Jonathan knew he would not be king himself. But, instead of expressing jealousy and rage like his father, he loved David as he loved himself (20:17). He submitted himself to God’s will and pledged loyalty to the future king.
20:24-34 Jonathan went to the first night of the celebration (20:25). Saul gave David a pass, assuming there was a ceremonial reason for his absence
(20:25-26). But, the next night, Jonathan’s answer threw Saul into such an uncontrollable rage that he cursed his son (20:27-30). Saul was furious and thought that Jonathan couldn’t see what was so obvious: David posed a huge threat to Jonathan’s succession to the throne (20:31). What Saul didn’t know was that Jonathan and David had already settled that issue. So, although Saul was king, his son far surpassed him as a kingdom man.
20:35-42 There could no longer be any question in Jonathan’s mind about Saul’s evil intentions toward David. There was nothing left to do but put the plan into effect with the bad news that David would have to become a fugitive. David bid a tearful goodbye to his beloved friend (20:41). Jonathan blessed David and reminded him of the covenant the two had made before God: The Lord will be a witness between you and me and between my offspring and your offspring forever (20:42; see 18:3).
1:22-27 David’s tribute to the military prowess of Saul and Jonathan was appropriate. Saul had proved to be unfit spiritually to be Israel’s king, but he was a brave warrior who led his army in many battles. And Jonathan had proven his own courage, leading daring raids that helped turn the tide (1:22-23). Together, father and son fell in the thick of battle (1:25). Nevertheless, they were mighty (1:27)
David’s expression of grief and brotherly love for Jonathan is especially poignant (1:26). These two men had made a covenant of friendship and lifelong loyalty to each other (see 1 Sam 20:14-17, 42; 23:15-18). And their bond was not broken by death, as David would soon go to great lengths to care for and protect Jonathan’s crippled son Mephib-osheth (see 2 Sam 9).
An era in Israel’s history was over, ending in tragedy for the royal family and the nation itself.
21:7-14 David agreed to their terms and selected seven men from Saul’s family to be executed. Two were sons of Saul’s concubine Rizpah, and five were sons of his daughter Merab (21:8). David spared Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth because of the oath he had made (21:7).