1 Samuel 18:1

1 Und es geschah, als er aufgehört hatte, mit Saul zu reden, da verband sich die Seele Jonathans mit der Seele Davids; und Jonathan liebte ihn wie seine Seele.

1 Samuel 18:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 18:1

And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto
Saul
In answer to his questions about his descent and family, and doubtless more things were talked of than are recorded:

that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David:
he won his heart, made a conquest of his affections, these went out towards him, and cleaved unto him; such were the comeliness of his person, his graceful mien and deportment, his freedom and fluency of expression, his courage and undauntedness, joined with prudence, modesty, and integrity, that they strongly attached him to him:

and Jonathan loved him as his own soul;
not only according to the excellency of David's soul, and the greatness of it, as that deserved respect and love, as Abarbinel suggests, but he loved him as he loved himself. There was a similarity in their persons, in their age, in the dispositions of their minds, in their wisdom, courage, modesty, faithfulness, and openness of soul, that attracted them to each other, that they became as another self; as one soul, as Aristotle speaks ^F18 of true friends: instances of very cordial friendship are given by Plutarch ^F19, as in Theseus and Pirithous, Achilles and Patroclus, Orestes and Pylades, Pythias and Damon, Epaminondas and Pelopidas; but none equal to this.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F18 Ethic. l. 9. c. 4, 9. So Porphyr. de Vita Pythagor.
F19 Apud Patrick in loc.

1 Samuel 18:1 In-Context

1 Und es geschah, als er aufgehört hatte, mit Saul zu reden, da verband sich die Seele Jonathans mit der Seele Davids; und Jonathan liebte ihn wie seine Seele.

2 Und Saul nahm ihn an jenem Tage zu sich und ließ ihn nicht in das Haus seines Vaters zurückkehren.

3 Und Jonathan und David schlossen einen Bund, weil er ihn liebte wie seine Seele.

4 Und Jonathan zog das Oberkleid aus, das er anhatte, und gab es David, und seinen Rock und bis auf sein Schwert und seinen Bogen und seinen Gürtel.

5 Und David zog aus, wohin immer Saul ihn sandte, und er hatte Gelingen; und Saul setzte ihn über die Kriegsleute; und er war in den Augen des ganzen Volkes und auch in den Augen der Knechte Sauls wohlgefällig.