1 Samuël 18:1

1 Het geschiedde nu, als hij geeindigd had tot Saul te spreken, dat de ziel van Jonathan verbonden werd aan de ziel van David; en Jonathan beminde hem als zijn ziel.

1 Samuël 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

1 Samuël 18:1 In-Context

1 Het geschiedde nu, als hij geeindigd had tot Saul te spreken, dat de ziel van Jonathan verbonden werd aan de ziel van David; en Jonathan beminde hem als zijn ziel.

2 En Saul nam hem te dien dage, en liet hem niet werderkeren tot zijns vaders huis.

3 Jonathan nu en David maakten een verbond, dewijl hij hem liefhad als zijn ziel.

4 En Jonathan deed zijn mantel af, dien hij aan had, en gaf hem aan David, ook zijn klederen, ja, tot zijn zwaard toe, en tot zijn boog toe, en tot zijn gordel toe.

5 En David toog uit, overal, waar Saul hem zond; hij gedroeg zich voorzichtiglijk, en Saul zette hem over de krijgslieden; en hij was aangenaam in de ogen des gansen volks, en ook in de ogen der knechten van Saul.