Jonathan

Jonathan (jŏn`əthən) [short for Jehonathan, Heb.,=Yahweh has given].

1 In the Bible, Saul's son and David's friend, both killed at the battle of Mt. Gilboa. David showed kindness to his son Mephibosheth.

2 David's nephew. He is perhaps the same man who is called David's uncle and counsellor in the translations of First Chronicles.

3 One of the Maccabees. He was appointed High Priest by Alexander Balas, pretender to the Syrian throne, 152–143 B.C.

---

Jonathan

In the Hebrew scriptures, the eldest son of King Saul and friend of David. A warrior in the Israelite army, he is first mentioned as victor over the Philistines at Geba. After David joined Saul's household, he and Jonathan became close friends. Saul became jealous of David's popularity and sought to kill him, but Jonathan prevented him. When the two met for the last time, they planned that David would be the next king of Israel and Jonathan his prime minister, but Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle at Mount Gilboa.

---

Jonathan

stalwartly defended David; aided him in escape. [O.T.: I Samuel 20:32–34, 42; 23:16]

See : Loyalty