David, king of Israel, stood looking out his palace window on his kingdom. As in a dream, he saw the fruits of the victory God gave him over the dreaded Philistines as well as God’s gift to him of the Israelite kingdom itself. His mind went back to how it used to be.
It all had happened so fast. David had been serving his father by watching sheep, as he had done every day for years. Hurriedly, a servant came to bring him back to his father’s house; the famed prophet Samuel was visiting. None were more surprised than David himself when Samuel pronounced him king! He kept the matter quiet, waiting for God's perfect timing. Soon David found himself living in the king's quarters as a musician for King Saul. Then God gave him the incredible victory against Goliath.
That was when he became friends with Prince Jonathan, the son of King Saul. More precisely, that was when David and Jonathan became covenant friends, promising to be loyal to each other forever. David remembered the day well. Jonathan gave David his sword, armor, belt, and royal robe (1 Samuel 18:4) - very generous gifts from a prince to a shepherd. Things were looking great. But then everything changed. King Saul became jealous of David and tried to kill him – David vividly remembered almost being pinned to the wall by King Saul's spear while playing music for the king. Time and again, Saul would apologize, only to blow up in anger toward David again later on. Jonathan always stood in the gap for his friend, soothing his father and reasoning with him. Finally, David had an idea.
“‘Tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening. If your father misses me at all, then say, “David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the clan.” If he says, “Good!” it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry, then know that harm is determined by him. Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?’ And Jonathan said to David, ‘The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? But should it please my father to do you harm, the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. May the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.’ Then Jonathan said to him, ‘Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. On the third day go down quickly to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand, and remain beside the stone heap. And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. And behold, I will send the young man, saying, “Go, find the arrows.” If I say to the young man, “Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,” then you are to come, for, as the LORD lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. But if I say to the youth, “Look, the arrows are beyond you,” then go, for the LORD has sent you away’” (1 Samuel 20:6-7, 10, 12-13, 18-22).
“My king?” A voice called David back from his reverie. “It is the servant of the house of Saul, whom you requested.”
“Yes,” said King David. “‘Are you Ziba?’
‘I am your servant.’
‘Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?’
Ziba said to the king, ‘There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet’” (see 2 Samuel 9:2-4). David sent Ziba to bring the son of Jonathan to him. He dismissed his servants and turned to gaze out of the palace window again.
For two nerve-wracking days the young David hid until the appointed meeting time. Finally he heard Jonathan come out to shoot arrows. David waited. Jonathan shot an arrow, and his servant boy ran after it. Just as the boy reached the place where the arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out, “‘Is not the arrow beyond you? Hurry! Be quick! Do not stay!’” (1 Samuel 20:37-38). David felt a knot in the pit of his stomach. When the servant boy returned to the palace, Jonathan and David spoke together, not knowing when – or if – they would see each other again. Tearfully, they parted. David only saw Jonathan once after that day. David remembered how Jonathan had found David when he was hiding from Saul. Jonathan visited David for a short while and helped him find his strength in God (1 Samuel 23:15-18). Just like a true friend, David thought to himself.
David continued to run from Saul until the day Saul and three of his sons (including Jonathan) died in battle. David mourned deeply for his friend Jonathan. Never had he had a friend like Jonathan – and never would he find such a close friend again. How quickly everything changed with Saul's and Jonathan's deaths! Now David was king, and he found himself struggling to unite a country torn apart between two royal lines. David remembered Jonathan's last words to him from the day Jonathan went to encourage David: “You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you” (1 Samuel 23:17). He was never concerned for himself. He always looked out for me, David reflected.
David noticed commotion at the palace gate. His servants had returned – with the son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth. David paused, reflecting on the memory of his loyal friend. “Abdiel,” he called to one of his servants. “Tell the cook to set an extra place from now on. Mephibosheth always has a place at my table.”
“Yes, sire.”
“Oh, and Abdiel, return the land of Saul to his grandson: Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan.” As Abdiel left to do the bidding of the king, David smiled to himself as he watched Mephibosheth enter the palace grounds. For you, Jonathan, he thought to himself. For my loyal friend.
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