Who was Jonathan, son of Saul?
Jonathan was King Saul’s son and David’s closest friend, whose loyalty to David — even at the cost of his own throne — is one of Scripture’s most striking pictures of covenant love.
Jonathan was a brave warrior — "his armor-bearer and he" once routed a Philistine outpost together. But he is mainly remembered for his friendship with David.
"The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul" (1 Samuel 18:1). He warned David, protected him from Saul, and willingly stepped aside from his own claim to the throne.
Jonathan died with Saul on Mount Gilboa. David’s lament — "I am distressed for you, my brother" — is one of the tenderest passages in the Bible. Few friendships in literature match this one.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.