(1) Affection for David. The act of David in meeting the challenge of Goliath, and in overcom ing that huge barbarian, entirely won his heart; and from that day forward the son of Jesse found no one who loved him so tenderly, who admired his high gifts with so much enthusiasm, or who risked so much to preserve him from harm, as the very prince whom he was destined to exclude from a throne. Jonathan knew well what was to happen, and he submitted cheerfully to the ap pointment which gave the throne of his father to the young shepherd of Bethlehem. In the inten sity of his love and confidence he shrank not to think of David as his destined king and master; and his dreams of the future pictured nothing brighter than the day in which David should reign over Israel, and Ile b'e one with him in friendship, and next to him in place and council.
When Saul began to hate David as his intended successor, he was highly displeased at the friend ship which had arisen between him and his son. This exposed Jonathan to much contumely, and even to danger of life; for, once at least, the king's passion against him on this account rose sc high that he cast a javelin at him 'to smite him to the wall.' This unequivocal act taught Jonathan that the court of Saul was no safe place for David. He told him so, and they parted with many tears. David then set forth upon those wanderings among strangers and in solitary places which lasted all the time of Saul. The friends met only once more. Saul was in pursuit of David when he was in the wilderness of Ziph ; and Jonathan could not forbear coming to him secretly in the wood to give him comfort and encouragement (I Sam. xxiii A-18). Nothing more is related of Jonathan till both he and his father lost their lives in the fatal battle of Gilboa, combating the ene mies of their country.
(2) David's Lament. There is, perhaps, noth ing in Hebrew poetry more beautiful and touching than the lamentation of David for the loss of his friend—nothing more complete as a whole, or more full of fine images and tender thoughts (2 Sam. i :17, sq.).
(3) Character. Jealousy and every mean or low feeling were strangers to the generous heart of Jonathan. Valiant and accomplished himself, none knew better how to acknowledge valor and accomplishment in others. He is one of the love liest personages in Bible history.
.3. The son of Abiathar, the high-priest, who gave notice to Adonijah and his party, near the fountain of Rogel, that David had declared Solo mon his successor (1 Kings i :42, 43)• At the time of David's flight from Absalom he accompa nied his father as far as Olivet (2 Sam. xv :36;
xvii :15-21). He also appears as a swift and trusted messenger. -(B. C. moo.) 4. Jonathan, or Johanan, or John, high-priest of the Jews, son of Jehoiada, and father of Jed doa, or Jaddus, celebrated in the time of Alexan der the Great (Neh. xii :11). He lived under Ezra and Nchemiah. He died, after having ex ercised the high-priesthood thirty-two years, and was succeeded by Jeddoa, his son.
5. Son of Shammah, or Shimea, brother of Jonadab, and nephew of David, (2 Sam. xxi :21 ; 1 Chron. xx:7). He was gifted with hoth civil and military prowess, and slew a giant Philistine.
6. Son of Shage the Hararitc, and one of David's heroes (I Chron. Xi :34 ; 2 Sam. xxiii : 32)• 7. A son of Adin, whose representative, Ebed, returned with Ezra as the leader of fifty males (Ezra viii :6), B. C. 457.
8. Son of Asahel, and one of the four priests who assisted Ezra in the investigation of the _for eign marriages that had been contracted in Baby lon (Ezra x :15), B. C. 457.
9. A priest in the days of Joiakim, son of Jeshua. He represented the family of Melicu (Neh. xii:x4), B. C. 549.
10. The brother of Johanan, the son of Ka reah ; they were associated in their intercourse with the Babylonian governor (Jer. x1:8), B. C. 588.
//. Father of Zechariah, who blew the trum pet at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem (Neh. xii :35).
12. Second of the two sons of Jada and grand son of Jerahmeel, of the family of Judah (1 Chron. :32, 33), B. C. after 1612.
13. A scribe and keeper of the prisons in Jerusalem under Zedekiah (Jer. xxxvii :is, 2o). He was very severe to the prophet Jeremiah, who therefore earnestly desired Zedekiah that he might not be sent back into that dungeon, whcre his life was in danger. (B. C. 589.) jONATH-ELEM-RECHORIM (jo'nath•-e'lem re-ko'kim), (Heb. " 6'4" , yo-ltath'aylem rekh-o-keem', "To the tune of 'The silent dove of those afar' "), the heading of Ps. lvi. There have been many attempts to explain this title, but Aben Ezra seems to come the nearest to the meaning in his explanation that Jonath Elem Rechokim indi cates the rhythm of the psalm; e., "after the melody of the Psalm" which begins Jonath Elem Rechokim.