- Jonathan
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/jon"euh theuhn/, n.1. a son of Saul and friend of David. I Sam. 18-20.3. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning "God gave."/jon"euh theuhn/, n.a variety of red apple that matures in early autumn.[1875-80; named after Jonathan Hasbrouck (d. 1846), American jurist]
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IA 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.II(as used in expressions)Boucher JonathanCarver JonathanEdwards JonathanEybeschütz JonathanHornblower Jonathan CarterMiller Jonathan WolfeSwift Jonathan* * *
▪ biblical figurein the Old Testament (I and II Samuel), eldest son of King Saul; his intrepidity and fidelity to his friend, the future king David, make him one of the most admired figures in the Bible. Jonathan is first mentioned in I Sam. 13:2, when he defeated a garrison of Philistines at Geba. Later (I Sam. 14), Jonathan and his armour bearer left Saul's (Saul) army at Geba and captured the outpost at Michmash. The Israelites then attacked and defeated the Philistines.Possibly because of his piety, Saul then ordered a fast for one day, but the absent Jonathan was unaware of the order and ate wild honey. When Saul requested information about the war from God and there was no answer, Saul blamed the silence on Jonathan's breaking of the fast and would have killed him had not his own soldiers ransomed Jonathan.When David became a member of Saul's household and won many victories against the Philistines, he and Jonathan became close friends. After Saul jealously turned against David, Jonathan attempted to reconcile them, but he was only briefly successful. Saul tried to enlist Jonathan's aid to kill David, but Jonathan remained David's friend and warned him of Saul's anger so that David hid. When the two met for the last time in the Wilderness of Ziph, they planned that David would be the next king of Israel and Jonathan his minister (I Sam. 23:16–18).Saul, Jonathan, and Jonathan's brothers were killed in a battle against the Philistines at Mt. Gilboa. Despoiled and exposed by the Philistines, the bodies were rescued by men from Jabesh-gilead and buried in Jabesh. Years later, David reinterred the remains in the tomb of Kish in the land of Benjamin. David lamented the deaths of Saul and Jonathan in a moving elegy (II Sam. 1:17–27).* * *
Universalium. 2010.