20240408

defending a friend

1 Samuel 19:1-7 (JDV)

1 Samuel 19:1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much,
1 Samuel 19:2 so he told him: “My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning and hide in a secret place and stay there.
1 Samuel 19:3 I’ll go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are and talk to him about you. When I see what he says, I’ll tell you.”
1 Samuel 19:4 Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. He said to him: “The king should not sin against his servant David. He hasn’t sinned against you; in fact, his actions have been a great benefit to you.
1 Samuel 19:5 He took his throat in his hand when he struck down the Philistine, and Yahveh brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?”
1 Samuel 19:6 Saul listened to Jonathan’s voice and swore an oath: “As surely as Yahveh lives, David will not be killed.”
1 Samuel 19:7 So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these words. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he did before.

defending a friend

We can learn a lot about friendship from Jonathan. He defended his friend David against the injustice of false accusation — even when that injustice was coming from his father, king Saul. When our friends are being accused falsely, we should stand up for them.