And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.” And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.
Comment: Jonathan and David’s relationship was strong and endured until the end. But even here, relatively early in their lives, Jonathan is pressured by Saul to kill his friend. Why did he take his father out into the field where David was? I fancy that maybe as he talked to the king trying to persuade Saul not to kill David, Jonathan wanted to show his father what kind of man David was. And as they looked at him working with his troops Jonathan expounded all David’s good points.
Saul seems to have seen the truth of his son’s reasoning and withdraws his order for David’s murder. Was it a wise thing to do? Time will tell, but Jonathan brings David back into the palace and some sort of relationship is restored between his father and his friend. I guess that Saul’s promise not to kill David, stated with an oath in the Name of God, was what persuaded Jonathan that it was a safe thing to do.
Prayer: Help me to make wise decisions in line with what You want me to do, O Father.
As I read it! 
Thank you Barry for your comments on this passage. It is interesting that David had 6 older brothers, and yet his friendship with Jonathan, the King’s son, is stronger than the bonds with his 6 older brothers. Sometimes friendships outside of our family relationships can be stronger than the family ties. Thank God for friends who are friends in the bonds of Christ Jesus our Lord. God bless you.
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