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One-sentence summary: Saul tries to kill David, but his son, Jonathan, loves him, and he makes a covenant with David and helps him escape.
Jonathan, Saul's son, immediately loves David, and his soul "is knit" to his, and he "[loves] him as his own soul." Saul keeps David in his house, and Jonathan and David make a covenant. Jonathan gives David his robe and armor. It says that David "[behaves wisely]" and is set over all the men of war; he is accepted by all the people and by Saul's servants. One day, when David is returning from the slaughter of the Philistines, all the women come out singing and dancing to meet King Saul, and they say, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands," and Saul hears and is enraged with jealousy. He is indignant, and from that day forward, he sets himself against David. The distressing spirit from the Lord comes on Saul again, and he prophesies in his house. David is playing music as usual, but Saul casts a spear at him, hoping to pin him to the wall, but David escapes twice. And it says that Saul is afraid of David because he recognizes the Lord's Spirit is on Him but that It has been removed from Saul, and so he removes David from his presence and makes him captain of his armies. David "[behaves] wisely in all his ways," and the Lord is with him. Therefore, Saul is afraid, but all the people love David. Saul promises David is eldest daughter in marriage if he fights for him, thinking that the Philistines will kill him so he won't have to do it himself. However, David asks who he is that he should be son-in-law to the king. When the time comes when he is supposed to give her to David, however, he actually gives her to someone else. But Michal, Saul's daughter, loves David, and it pleases Saul, so he plans to give her to him "so that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Saul promises David his daughter Michal, and he tells his servants to tell David to persuade him to become his son-in-law, but David asks if it is such a light thing, since he is such a "poor and lightly-esteemed man." They tell the king David's words, and he replies that he does not require any dowry except 100 foreskins of the Philistines "to take vengeance on [his] enemies." He says this, hoping David will die at their hands. When the servants tell David, he is pleased to become Saul's son-in-law. David and his men kill 200 Philistines, and they give their foreskins to King Saul, and Saul gives Michal to David as his wife. When Saul sees that the Lord is with David and that his daughter loves him, he is afraid of him more than ever. So he "[becomes] his enemy continually." And whenever the Philistines go to war, David behaves more wisely than all Saul's servants so that his name becomes highly esteemed.
Saul tells Jonathan and his servants that they should kill David, but Jonathan "[delights] greatly in him," so he tells David, warning him to hide until morning; he says he will talk to his father for him. He speaks to his father and tells him not to sin against David since he has been good to Saul and done nothing wrong, and Saul listens and swears he will not kill him. So Jonathan calls David and tells him, and he brings him to Saul, and he is in his presence "as in times past." And there is war again, and David fights the Philistines, and they flee from them. Then, the distressing spirit from the Lord comes upon Saul as he is in his house with his spear in his hand. David is playing music, and Saul tries to pin him to the wall again, but David flees and escapes. Saul sends messengers to David's house to watch him and kill him in the morning, and his wife warns him to flee that night, so she lets him down through a window, and she makes it appear as if he is in the bed, using "an image" and goat's hair for clothes; she tells the messengers he is sick, and Saul asks them to retrieve him, but when they come, it is a fake image with goat's hair in the bed. Saul asks his daughter why she has deceived him and sent his enemy away, and she says David says he did it so that he does not have to kill her. David escapes to Samuel and tells him all Saul has done. Saul is told where they are, and he sends men to take them, but when they see a group prophesying with Samuel as leader, the Lord's Spirit comes on them, and they prophesy, too. Sauls sends more messengers, and it happens again. Then, he sends more messengers, and it happens yet a third time. Finally, Saul himself goes to Ramah where they are and asks for them, and the Spirit comes upon him, and he prophesies also. He also strips off his clothes and prophesies before Samuel and lays down naked all day and night. So the saying, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" becomes popular.
David flees there and asks Jonathan why his father is trying to kill him. Jonathan tells him he will not die, and that his father will not do anything without telling him and says it is "not so." David takes an oath and says that it is because Saul knows Jonathan loves him. He says "as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death." Jonathan says he will do whatever David wishes. David says the next day is the new moon, and as he usually dines with the king, he says he will go into the field until the third day at evening, and if Saul asks, Jonathan is to say that he has gone to Bethlehem for a yearly sacrifice. If Saul is okay with it, then all will be well, but if he is angry, Jonathan will know he means David harm. He reminds them of the covenant between them and says that if there is iniquity in him, Jonathan may kill him himself. Jonathan promises that if his father has evil intentions, he will tell David. So, they both go out into the field, and Jonathan tells David that God is witness that he will send him word either way and make sure he is safe. He asks David to show him and his household kindness forever, once "the Lord has cut off the enemies of David from the earth." So in this way, Jonathan makes a covenant with the house of David, and David promises. Jonathan tells him he will be missed and his seat empty at the new moon, and he tells him where to go after three days, and that the sign will be when he shoots three arrows, he will send a lad to find them, and by what he will yell to the land (specific phrases are chosen), David will know how his father has responded. He reminds David the Lord has seen their covenant.
At the feast, David's place is empty, but Saul says nothing the first day, thinking it is because he is unclean. On the second day, he is not there either, and Saul asks Jonathan why he has not come, and Jonathan tells him David's reason. Saul is enraged against Jonathan, and calls him a son of a _____ essentially, saying he has chosen David "to his own shame," and that as long as David is alive, Jonathan's kingdom will not be established. And he commands Jonathan to bring David to him so he can kill him. Jonathan asks what David has done that he should die, but Saul casts a spear at Jonathan to kill him. So Jonathan knows what David said is true. He arises in anger and refuses to eat, because "his heart [is] grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully." So in the morning, Jonathan goes to the field and tells the lad to find the arrows he shoots. When the lad comes to the place, Jonathan cries out, "Is not the arrow beyond you? Make haste! Hurry! Do not delay!" And the boy does not know it is a secret message to David. Jonathan sends the lad away, and David bows down to Jonathan three times, and they kiss and weep, "but David moreso." Then, Jonathan tells David to go in peace, since they have sworn that the Lord is between them and their descendants forever, and they depart.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
It has been said that the friendship kind of love is the strongest that exists. This story would be proof of that!